Marital bliss: Second time is lucky

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Bollywood has a history of second marriages. And with Aamir Khan tying the knot with long-time girlfriend Kiran Rao, one wonders if second marriages have proved more successful in Bollywood? The instances in the past strongly suggest so.

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Boney Kapoor is happily settled with Sridevi while Azharuddin is with Sangeeta Bijlani. Dharmendra and Hema Malini look like the perfect couple, Mahesh Bhatt is with wife No.2 Soni Razdan, Vinod Khanna hit it off with second wife Kavita, Pankaj Kapoor is a happy man with Supriya Pathak while marriage with his ex, Neelima Azeem, didn���t work out, Nasseruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah are a happy two some. Anupam and Kiron Kher complete the list.
Says Pankaj, "If you are not happy in the first marriage, it leads to a second. And if you are compatible with your new partner, you don���t think twice about marrying him/her."

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He feels second marriages are more successful because "you are more mature and understanding than the first time around." Agrees Pooja Bedi who is open to a second marriage. "You are cautious the second time around ��� mentally, emotionally and physically. It���s a case of once bitten, twice shy," she says.

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Pooja feels that many a time, first marriages don���t work because "people enter into it under peer and family pressure. A lot of people marry young and are not prepared for the responsibilities of a married life.
Couples evolve and outgrow each other. So you learn from your mistakes the first time around and are careful not to repeat them."

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Bhatt feels the "breaking of illusions of a perfect marriage leads to a second one because nothing is permanent in this world.
Fairy-tale marriages exist only in fiction and movies and not in reality. So, when the truth dawns upon the couple and the expectations come crashing down, they move their separate ways." Bhatt feels that second marriage is lucky because "marrying for the third time is a hassle."
Going by their own experience, what do they feel about Aamir? Pankaj feels "Aamir would make his marriage work. He is a friend. And I hope for the best for him."