I have been waiting to get married…

A couple of days ago, actress Purnaa got engaged to a UAE-based businessman, Shanid Asif Ali, in Dubai. She shared glimpses of the ceremony on social media and was flooded with congratulatory messages from fans and colleagues.

Purnaa says she and her family are excited about the engagement. “My mother has been waiting to see me married. I think she’s now the happiest person in the world,” smiles the actress.

The recent ceremony was an occasion where she and Asif  formally got the consent of their respective families for their marriage, explains Purnaa. “My family and I travelled to Dubai for the ceremony to confirm things,” she says, adding that the couple would have a bigger engagement ceremony in July in Dubai, while the wedding would be in India.

Asked about the wedding date, the Avunu star says they are considering October, but need to figure out several things before finalising the date.  

Apparently, Asif met the actress at a private function in Dubai. They exchanged telephone numbers and started getting to know each other. “One day he asked me for my father’s number. And I immediately knew that he wanted to ask my father for my hand in marriage. But when I asked him why he wanted it, he said  he just wanted to ask him ‘how can such a pretty girl be single for so long.’ I burst out laughing,” says Purnaa. The whole thing progressed very quickly, she adds.

Asked whether she would continue to act after marriage, Purnaa said, “Why not? I currently have four projects to wrap up, and I will sign fresh films keeping my wedding date in mind, so that it doesn’t clash with my shooting schedules.”
What gifts did the couple exchange at the engagement. “Nothing in particular,” says Purnaa.

“We exchanged rings. We want to give each other something big for the wedding.”

She says what she likes best about Asif is that he is empathetic. “He understands me well and calms me down as I am hyper-energetic.”

Gossip and rumour are part of the film industry. Will Asif, who comes from a business background, be able to understand her in that context, we ask. “He has a few friends in  the film industry, so he knows how things work. And he believes in me, gives me freedom and lets me be myself,” replies Purnaa.

The Rajugari Gadhi actress made her film debut in 2004 with a Malayalam movie and went on to act in all the southern industries.

“Over the last couple of years I have been planning to settle down and have a family. My marriage was my mom’s biggest dream and I am delighted that I finally found a perfect partner in life,” she says.