Bollywood actor and veteran star Rati Agnihotri's son Tanuj Virwani is all set to tie the knot with Tanya Jacob, a corporate professional, on December 25 in Lonavala. The couple got engaged in November 2023 in Singapore. The Free Press Journal caught up with the groom-to-be for an exclusive interview.
Opening up about entering a new phase in his life, Tanuj shares, "I'm excited. I feel positive and sure-footed. I know I have made the right choice, also at the right time and with the right person. A lot of people have been asking me if I'm feeling butterflies in my stomach, but not yet. It could change maybe on the wedding day but right now I'm as cool as a cucumber. In fact, my entire family has been enthusiastic and charged up. They want to be involved in every facet of planning the wedding and it's so nice that everyone's coming together for the celebration."
Tanuj reveals the theme of their wedding and how he is prepping up for his big day. "When we were planning, December 25 came up as one of the most auspicious dates. I thought it would be nice to have a Christmas theme and everything white, red and green. It was no-brainer that we wanted to have it at our farmhouse in Lonavala as the place is very close to my heart and I've been coming here since I was a kid. We've kept the guest list full of people who are close and who have made a difference to our lives. But it's going to be a lot of fun. The day itself is so special that we don't have to really have to go out our way to do anything extra. It is such a special and sacred moment," the actor gushes.
Tanuj reveals why he was keen on having an intimate wedding. He explains, "Luckily, both of us have been in sync with the kind of wedding that we want. With all due respect to people who like having fancy and lavish weddings, we wanted something smaller and more intimate. It is reflective of who we are. I'm probably a lot more extroverted than Tanya but as time has passed and as I became a little bit wiser, I realised that you have to know your true well wishers. I didn't want to have a circus or a mela. It's very easy to call 500 people but it is also a private time for me and as much as I love sharing it with the media, my family and friends, I wanted it to be intimate."
The Inside Edge actor further shares how he fell in love with Tanya. "We've known each other for a long time. I met her a decade back when she was in Mumbai. Our families also know each other very well. Even when Tanya shifted back to Singapore, we kept in touch. As time went by, we realised that our goals, aspirations and what we expect from life were in alignment. We didn't want to spend the next few years dating and figuring things out. We gave it a real thought and decided to take things forward. That's how everything was initiated and the rest is history," he says.
Tanuj, who turned 37 on November 29, believes this was the right time to get married. "Right now, personally and professionally, I'm equipped to handle certain responsibilities towards my family and better-half. Sometimes, you just know. When I was in my 20s, I was very scatterbrained and it reflects in your decision making in life. Now, there's a certain sense of calm. No one put me under pressure and I just felt it was the right time."
On a concluding note, Tanuj reveals how his parents' reacted when he informed them he wants to get married. "At the back of my head, I knew my parents wanted to be in a stable relationship. My mother is truly ecstatic about the wedding. She's been wanting me to settle down for a long time, ever since I turned 30. She knows Tanya and is very fond of her. She also believes that Tanya is the right life partner for me. Both my parents are extremely happy as I am their only child and it's very important to have their blessings as I am on the verge of making this life-changing decision," Tanuj signs off.
