Meghana Raj and Chiranjeevi Sarja set to wed on May 2

A decade-long friendship that led to courtship is now set to culminate in a wedding. Meghana Raj and Chiranjeevi Sarja, who got engaged in August last year, are set to take their relationship to the next level as they wed on May 2 at Palace Grounds in a traditional Hindu ceremony, surrounded by family and friends. “Chiru and I always knew we’d end up being with each other. Our families have known each other for a long time. Arjun (Sarja) uncle and my maternal side of the family are quite close. Chiru and I gradually became good friends. He was my 4 am friend,” shares Meghana. It was in 2008 that they realised the dynamics of their relationship change. “But we didn’t acknowledge it and let it be. A few years ago, Chiru got extremely upset when I returned to Bengaluru after a shoot in Kochi. I wondered why a friend would be this upset for something as simple as not being informed of my return. On asking him, Chiru said, “I like you...ok fine, I’m hanging up.”
The subsequent years have now led to a grand one-week celebration in the run-up to the big day. “We will begin with the haldi in the last week of April — there will be two of it — followed by mehendi and sangeet at home. We will then have a Catholic wedding at a city church (Meghana’s mother Pramila Joshai is Catholic). An English-themed event, it will have me walking down the aisle in a classic white gown, while Chiru will be togged in midnight blue. Later, I will have a photo shoot like Lady Diana surrounded by flower girls,” says Meghana.
The Hindu wedding on May 2 will see Meghana wearing a traditional Kanjeevaram sari, “just like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s wedding wear.” Chiru will sport traditional wear. There will be a gala reception for friends on the same evening and the theme is glitter and gold. “Of course, Chiru and I will be colour co-ordinated,” she adds.