Actor Sanjay Gagnani is a happy man as he will soon be getting engaged to the love of his life, Poonam Preet. The two have been together for six years and will be getting engaged during the Valentine’s Day week, on the 18th of February at Surat.
Talking about what he plans to wear on the special day, he says, “My stylist is working on it right now. Mostly it would be an Indo-western outfit which would be colour coordinated with my partner.”
Poonam also plans to wear an Indian ensemble. “I have not selected the dress as yet but I will prefer to wear an Indian lehenga choli, which is something light yet glamorous,” she says.
Although the two are getting engaged, they haven’t set a date to tie the knot just as yet. “There are no marriage plans as yet. We want to go with the flow. Our careers are our priority. We both want to invest a lot of our energies and time in our work before investing in our marriage,” he says.
Coming from the same professional background, Sanjay says that this makes it easy for him to understand Poonam’s work commitments and her to understand his. “It really helps. When there’s a lot of communication, the relationship becomes stronger. There’s always so much to talk about when you’re from the same industry. Exchanging viewpoints, helping each other, criticising, praising, discussing things about the industry etc., helps in understanding each other better in our lives,” he says.
Poonam, too, agrees with him. “When you are in the same profession, the level of understanding is often much higher. As we both are on the same career ship, there is no room for clarifications or explanations on things like overtime, extended shifts, or midnight emergencies. And we all know that understanding is one of the most important keys to a successful relationship,” she says.
Ask them what they love about each other, and Sanjay promptly says, “Her innocence,” while Poonam says, “I love that he's honest and always caring.”
At a time when marriages are breaking Poonam says she is not scared of this commitment. “I believe everybody's destiny is different so these things don't really bother me. I have faith in my relationship and I'm not at all marriage phobic. I have always dreamt of a fairytale wedding,” she says.
Sanjay admits to being a little hesitant initially but is now confident. “I was marriage phobic until a month back when I decided to finally get engaged in February. It took me six years to overcome my marriage phobia. It was all because of the bitter experiences I had in life before Poonam came in my life and made me believe in love again,” he says.
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.