It was a day to remember

All roads led to Tripura Vasini in Palace Grounds as superstar Shivarajkumar’s daughter Nirupama tied the knot with Dileep on Monday. Both Nirupama and Dileep are doctors and met when they were studying medicine. The wedding was aptly described as ‘Doddamane madve’ (marriage of the big household) by those who were part of the occasion.

Everything was colour-coordinated. The decorations comprised flowers that were specially designed for the occasion. These flowers blended with Nirupama’s bright golden sari and Dileep’s deep golden ‘panche’.

Besides thousands of admiring fans, the who’s who of Karnataka, including those from the South Indian film industry, attended the day-long celebrations. It was a rollercoaster ride of emotions for Shivarajkumar and wife Geetha. “Our little daughter has grown up so fast and this is the most precious moment for us. We are proud of her choice. Dileep and I are more like friends,” said Shivanna, looking stunning in an off-white ‘panche’ with a golden border. Niveditha, Nirupama’s younger sister, wore a purple, heavily-embroidered sari with elegant jewellery. “Nirupama is more than a sister to me. She is my best friend. It’s a special moment for all of us,” she said.

The crowds kept pouring in throughout the day and the venue was enriched by the presence of top stars from the Kannada, Telugu and Tamil movie industries. Those gathered broke into a loud applause as soon as the couple exchanged garlands.

The politicians too made their presence felt. Former Chief Minister SM Krishna and wife Prema sat through the entire ceremony and left only after blessing the couple. The VVIPs were brought in through another entrance, exclusively made for the
purpose.

Telugu superstar Akkineni Nagarjuna was the first to arrive. Though busy with an overseas shooting schedule, he chose to cut his trip short and fly in for the wedding. “Our relationship with Shivarajkumar’s family goes a long way. My father and Rajkumar sir shared a very close bond. During those days, whenever I would meet Rajkumar sir, I used to meet Shivanna and we would spend a lot of time together. I miss those days,” he said.

“Rajkumar sir was very fond of me. It’s my pleasure and responsibility to be a part of the wedding. My family and I extend our good wishes to the newly-married couple,” he added. Telugu star Vishnu Manchu, who is veteran actor Mohan Babu’s son, was dressed in a silk blue kurta. “There’s no way that I could have missed the wedding.

My father and Shivanna’s father have known each other for so long and I have grown up watching Shivanna’s films and interacting with him. The family has had a great influence on us and has always been supportive to us too,” he said.

Telugu actor Meka Srikanth, who wore a dark grey suit, said he had cancelled all shoots for the day. “The Rajkumar family and my family have been together for so many years. I couldn’t have missed Shivanna’s daughter’s wedding for anything. Shivanna has been more than a guide to me,” said Srikanth.

Actress Ambika arrived in Bengaluru well in advance for the wedding. “It is like a wedding happening in my own house. I’ve spent a lot of time in the Rajkumar household and they are like my family,” she says.

Veteran actress Hema Chaudhary added, “Shivanna and Geetha have brought up their children in a simple way. Even the children have acquired the family’s
humility and simplicity.”    

Sandalwood actors Upendra and wife Priyanka, Jaggesh, Ganesh, V Ravichandran, Jayanthi, Shruti and Sudeep were seen mingling with the guests and wishing the couple. Upendra said, “Shivanna and I have worked together and our families have always kept in touch.” Priyanka pitched in saying, “It is one of the most important occasions, not just for Shivanna, but for us as well.”