Time for added blin

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

After ten years of togetherness, Sri Murali and Vidya are now all set to enter a new chapter in their lives. They are awaiting parenthood.

Metrolife spoke to the couple who say that their story is nothing less than a film. He was her senior in college, a ‘big flirt’ is what we hear.

She, on the other hand, had only one aim in college and that was to study. “I don’t know how and when I fell into the trap,” jokes Vidya.

But Murali remembers the day very clearly. “I first saw her near a staircase with her mother in our college. Like all boys , we had headed off to check out the freshers. When I saw her, I remember telling my friends that she is the one for me, and they thought, I was crazy,” he recollects.

Despite his many attempts to talk to her, Vidya never realised even once that he was interested in her. In fact, everyone including the principal of the college, had warned her against him.

Nevertheless, on December 30, 1999, he went ahead and proposed to her.
“It was more like an order, he walked upto me and told me that he loved me and he was going to marry me. Then he walked away. I thought he was crazy and even laughed about it but then everyone realised that he was serious. And he left me with no choice,” she says.

Murali says that it was a spontaneous decision. “I don’t believe in knowing a person and then deciding whether or not we should tie the knot. I never took a chance to think of all that. I only heard what my heart said and went ahead with it. And today, I feel so blessed to have her in my life,” he says.

When Murali decided to enter films, Vidya had complete faith in him.

“Once someone told me that I was not photogenic. It really hurt me. I didn’t tell anyone in my family but I went to Vidya straight away and asked her if she thought I wasn’t good looking. She asked me to believe in myself and not care about what the world thought of me,” he says.

Vidya has always been his confidante and his best critic. “I know how much he dedicates himself to his work and I feel nice when I see him on screen. I know the kind of work that has gone behind it,” she says.

What many people don’t know is that the couple is enthusiastic about sports. They enjoy a game of badminton, tennis and even basketball. “Both of us are extremely sporty. There are days when we have even played basketball with kids on the streets,” she explains.

At home, Murali is said to be lazy. Vidya says, “He has such tremendous energy elsewhere but when it comes to cleaning or doing other household chores, he knows how to get his way out of it. He will not move an inch. With him around, it’s like having 100 kids at home.” 

Vidya, on the other hand, is said to be a perfectionist in everything that she does. “She wants the bed to be done as soon as we get up, which is highly impossible. She gets really angry. But I don’t mind that because there is so much love even in that anger,” he says.

Recently, the couple threw a baby shower, for which the who’s who of the industry and close friends turned up to give their blessings.

“As usual I wanted it to be perfect but I couldn’t really get things done. Murali did everything just the way I wanted it. Despite his busy schedule, he made sure everything went according to my plan and I loved it,” she says while adding, “And that’s what I love about him. He is a kind person who has this inborn ability to make anyone laugh and feel welcome.”

Murali adds, “Vidya has been with me even when I have had just five rupees in my pocket. Her ability to give a 100 per cent in everything has been inspiring. I will live and die for my family and I just can’t wait for the new member,” he says.