Arshad Warsi recalls Catholic in-laws’ initial fears over interfaith marriage to Maria Goretti: ‘They expected a 9-to-5 Catholic guy, not a Muslim who was jobless’

Arshad Warsi recently reflected on the early days of his interfaith marriage to Maria Goretti, sharing how her Catholic parents were initially apprehensive before slowly warming up to their relationship. Speaking to Lallantop, Arshad opened up about the nervousness his in-laws felt when he decided to marry their daughter.“Voh thode ghabraiye hue the. Catholic girl and Muslim guy. Woh dono bahut sharif hain. Unki zindagi main Jesus Christ ke alava aur kuch nahi hai,” he said, explaining their background and beliefs. He added that their anxiety stemmed from the expectations they had for Maria’s future.“Woh thode se ghabraiye hue because they expected Maria to marry another Catholic guy jo 9-5 job karega, aur isne Muslim ladka pakad liya aur jobless,” Arshad shared, recalling the early days of uncertainty.Arshad revealed that over time, his in-laws’ concerns faded as they came to trust him as a person and a partner.“In their heart, they knew that he is a good human. They had that confidence that he would take care of our daughter,” he said.With a touch of humour, the actor added, “But slowly they realised that mujhse behtar koi hai hi nahi.” He went on to say that his in-laws are now happy and even live with him.“They are very happy now, and they live with me. Unka self-respect forces them to live in their own house, but hum kaise bhi jugaad karke unhe le aaye yahan pe,” he shared. Arshad also revisited how his love story with Maria began. The two first met at Xavier’s College, where Arshad had been invited to judge a competition. Their bond grew stronger when Maria started doing plays with him, and friendship gradually turned into love.The actor revealed that Maria initially turned him down multiple times before finally saying yes. Arshad Warsi and Maria Goretti tied the knot in 1996. The couple are parents to two children—a son, Zeke Warsi, and a daughter, Zene Warsi.