Exclusive! Pandit Rajesh Sharma who got Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt married: Ranbir wanted all the rituals to be explained

On Thursday evening, actor couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt were announced Mr and Miss. The two had an intimate wedding with almost 50 guests. While that is something that the Kapoor khandaan’s weddings are not known for, the couple ensured the legacy was maintained through other rituals. The nuptials were performed by Pandit Rajesh Sharma, who was a regular at Krishna Raj. Kapoor and Bhatt took four pheras and had a saptapadi.

While talking to us about the wedding, Sharma shares, “Rishi (Kapoor) ji ka aashirwad lete huye, saare functions kiya hai unhone. It was a traditional Punjabi wedding, with all the rituals that the Kapoor family has been following. They made sure everything happens just like it has always happened.”

Sharma reveals Kapoor and Bhatt took seven vows right from being each other’s closest friends to having a healthy child. “Ranbir ki iccha thi ki, Panditji puri vidhi samjha ke (shaadi) karana,” he adds. While Sharma says he has been a regular at the Bhatt’s, he lost touch with the Kapoor family in the recent times. “Ranbir and I recently met at Shamshera’s muhurat. That is when he said meri shaadi aap hi karwaoge,” he recalls.

Talking about the rituals, Sharma discloses that the Sehra Bandi (a ritual where the groom’s head is tied with the garlands and pagdi) was done at 3. “In that ritual, all the four sisters (Natasha Nanda, RIddhima Kapoor Sahani, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karisma Kapoor) applied tika to Ranbir. Shweta Bachchan Nanda played the role of Bhabhi and applied the kaala teeka,” Sharma says. Post the ritual, the ladke waale including the Kapoor family, Akash Ambani and film-maker Karan Johar had small baraat-like bhangra on the seventh floor. Kapoor’s aarti (done by the bride’s family) was done by 4.15pm, followed by the Milni ceremony, which was led by var mala and other rituals. “We wrapped up the wedding by 5.20pm,” Sharma mentions. Bhatt’s parents filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and actor Soni Razdan did the kanyadaan.

As per Sharma, the entire atmosphere was fun. He recalls an instance when he took a dig at Kapoor’s infamous temper and along with the guests, Bhatt and Kapoor chuckled as well. “There was a vidhi, where Alia’s brothers had to hold her toes on a stone. The brothers then have to give the updesh that the Kapoor family you are going in is a great one, but there could be instances jaha kisi ka khopda garam ho, but you need to maintain yourself and remain rock steady just like this rock. Everyone started laughing at this,” he shares.

Interestingly, Sharma has also done an on-screen wedding for a film that starred Saif Ali Khan. “He said filmon ke shaadiyon se aap original bhi karwane lage ho,” Sharma quips.

Bhatt didn’t do the chooda ceremony due to her shooting schedule and also opted for a low-key kaleera ceremony. “Alia’s mama was not able to come so we only made her wear on kaleera. We cannot do a Punjabi wedding without kaleera,” Sharma shares, adding that since the ceremony was done in the morning, and there was no unmarried girl, the dropping of kaleeras didn’t happen.