‘It wasn’t love at first sight’

They met when they were cast opposite each other in Tere Liye. Today, they’ve made quite the impact with their dance numbers on Nach Baliye. Neha Saxena and Shakti Arora tell us about their journey of love.

How did you meet and what was your first impression of each other?
Neha: We met for the very first time at the Balaji office. The entire cast of Tere Liye had been called for a briefing. We just exchanged hellos as we were cast opposite each other. I found him rude when I began talking to him, but gradually I got to know his humorous side.
Shakti: I had not done a show as a lead at that time and she already had, so I used to look up to her. Then we met again after a month for the shoot and that’s when I realised she doesn’t know how to enact romantic scenes! So I began to help her as I really wanted our onscreen chemistry to work. It was not love at first sight for us. There weren’t any romantic notions like guitars playing around us and all that.
 
So how did you fall in love?
Neha: After two years of knowing each other, we decided to date. I think we took more time to convince ourselves than our family that we are in a relationship.
Shakti: There were rumours about us being a couple during our show but the truth is, we started dating only after two years, although I knew she’s really nice and that we would gel well. After that, we both went through some emotional episodes in life, which we dealt with together. Our families were looking for matches for us at that time and I decided to talk to them (about us) and they accepted our relationship easily.
 
What would your dream wedding be like?
Neha: My dream wedding would be in Venice! We haven’t planned any details as of now. We want to tie the knot when we both have some time for each other.
Shakti: I want to have a destination wedding outside India. Some secluded place, with only our family around.
 
How do you find time for each other despite Shakti’s shoots?
Neha: Hectic schedules notwithstanding, we make sure to meet after pack up.
Shakti: When I’m on the set, it’s not possible for us to meet. But I try to take two-three days off in a month, and we spend those together.
 
Both of you were recently on Nach Baliye, any special memories?
Neha: For me, throughout the journey, each moment spent with him was memorable because we got to spend lots of time together. After Tere Liye, we wanted to work together again and it was great to have the opportunity.
Shakti: Neither of us is a dancer, but our choreographers proved that we can dance. We got a full 30 score and we were working together after four-five years. She has a great sense of humour and we would laugh a lot while on set.
 
Tell us something that fans don’t know about the both of you.
Neha: Shakti is a consummate professional. The moment he is on set, he won’t even pick up my call.
Shakti: A lot of people think that she wears lenses but her eyes are a rare and beautiful shade of hazel that only one per cent of people in the world have. Sadly, on Indian television, people ask her to wear black lenses because the mentality is that only vamps have coloured eyes in our shows.

What’s something you love about each other and what is something you would want to change?
Neha: What I love about him is his honesty and that he has a crystal clear heart. But he trusts people very easily and sometimes, people take undue advantage of it; I’d like to change that.
Shakti: I love that she is honest, caring and genuine. Some people tend to be fake and pretend to be what they are not in a relationship, but Neha has never done that.