Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna, who have together worked on films like Zulmi and International Khiladi, got married in 2001. Their marriage took place on January 17, 2001, on the terrace of a family friend of the Khannas. They welcomed their first child, son Aarav Bhatia, in 2002, and in 2012, they welcomed a daughter named Nitara Bhatia. The couple celebrates the 19th wedding anniversary today. (All photos/AFP, mid-day archives and Instagram account of Twinkle Khanna)
Did you know Akshay and Twinkle's relationship started off as a fling? Twinkle had just got out of a long relationship and was in no mood to commit. She just wanted a fling of 15 days but, as luck would have it, they got married eventually.
In picture: Akshay Kumar (L), actress, columnist and interior designer Twinkle Khanna (R), and Khanna's son Aarav Bhatia pose for a photograph during the launch of the 'Miss Funnybones' book written by Khanna in Mumbai on late August 18, 2015.
Believe it or not! Twinkle Khanna's mother Dimple Kapadia initially thought Akshay Kumar was gay! Yes, you read that right.
Akshay Kumar had to persuade Twinkle Khanna's mother to let him marry her daughter. Twinkle Khanna revealed that since her mother thought Akshay Kumar was gay, she advised her to live with him for a year.
In picture: Akshay Kumar (R) speaks to the media as wife Twinkle Khanna (L) watches on after they arrived for the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards 2008 ceremony in Bangkok on June 8, 2008.
In a startling revelation made by Twinkle Khanna on Koffee With Karan - Season 5, she mentioned that when Akshay Kumar had come to ask Dimple Kapadia if he should marry her daughter, here's how she reacted! "My mother and I were sitting together on this couch. He sat opposite to us and my mother's friend was there next to him. Akshay was doing some sort of Acupressure on her back...(bursts out laughing). My mom whispered to me, 'I have to tell you something after he goes'."
In picture: Akshay Kumar (L) poses with his wife Twinkle Khanna at Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai on December 20, 2009.
"I was like, no tell me now. She says,' Your friend Sandeep who is doing some piece on a newspaper says Akshay is gay'. And she has told me this while we are sitting there and this guy is doing acupressure," she further added.
In picture: Dimple Kapadia (2R) poses with her daughter actress Twinkle Khanna (L) and her son-in-law actor Akshay Kumar (R), during the unveiling of a statue of her late husband, Bollywood actor Rajesh Khanna in Mumbai on August 9, 2013.
Twinkle Khanna promised to marry Akshay Kumar if her film Mela, co-starring Aamir Khan and Faisal Khan, flops at the box office.
In picture: Akshay Kumar (L) and his wife Twinkle Khanna pose for a photograph during designer Manish Malhotra's 50th birthday in Mumbai on December 5, 2016.
Reminiscing the incident, Akshay revealed on Koffee With Karan, "She was very confident about Mela and said that if the film didn't work, she would get married. Fortunately for me, Mela flopped, and we got married." Karan then told Akshay to thank Aamir Khan every time he meets him.
In picture: "My glass is perhaps always half full but it sort of feels filled to the brim when this hunk is around:)"
If this wasn't enough, Twinkle even made a family chart before marrying Akshay Kumar. Twinkle made sure to ask Akshay more often about his family members. And well, it wasn't a normal inquiry.
Twinkle Khanna used to ask Akshay Kumar who lost hair with age or who had what disease and who died of what. She made a complete family chart to ensure that their kids do not inherit any of these diseases.
In picture: "Not on the same page but often in the same boat, well only if I am at the steering wheel :)"
After all that jazz, the couple finally got married in 2011. Talking about their married life, Twinkle said, "I would say our social, political ideologies, sense of humour, are very different. What's interesting is that after the first few years, we gave up trying to change each other. What we did instead was start to learn from each other."
In picture: My perfect Sunday though it may seem insane to some! Woke up at 4am and got in a solid 2 and a half hours of undisturbed writing time, a brisk walk with my dog and some goofing around with my rather cute rickshaw driver-All before 9 am:) #TheEarlyBird #TryIt
"Luckily all his strengths are my weaknesses, and vice versa. What would I learn if we were more like each other anyway? I really believe two peas in a pod died of inertia. And we are not like that. So we continue to grow. Marriages essentially fail, when you try to clone the other person to become like you, it's not possible," said Twinkle and we can't agree with her more!
But Akshay Kumar is protective of her public opinions, censoring her columns, we hear, cautioning her against going too far! While, a few years ago, readers used wait for Twinkle Khanna's weekly columns in newspapers, not many know that Akki used to proofread them before they go to print. Moreover, like a school teacher, he even used to give Twinkle marks out of 10 on each of the articles. Isn't that cute?
"We're two different brains. Mine is a washing machine, whirling, chaotic. His thoughts are neatly folded in the closet of his mind. I need his stability to hem me in. He needs me to push him out of his comfort zone," said Twinkle to mid-day in a candid chat.
On Koffee With Karan, when host Karan Johar asked Twinkle Khanna, "What does Akshay have that the Khans don't?" Twinkle Khanna wittily replied, "Some extra inches!" She quickly clarified to KJo saying, "Don't look at his crotch. I meant his feet."
In picture: Akshay Kumar and his wife Twinkle Khanna pose for a picture during the wedding reception of actress Sonam Kapoor and businessman Anand Ahuja in Mumbai late on May 8, 2018.
The power-couple, now parents of two (Aarav and Nitara), are known for their hits and bits on social media. And their PDA and fun banter always make it to headlines!
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