After being together for more than a decade, actor Ashmit Patel finally popped the question to his partner, actress Maheck Chahal. The engagement, which was a surprise for Maheck, happened during the couple's recent European holiday. Ashmit sounded happy as he shared the details of his sudden sagai with BT. He says, “I never told Maheck that I was carrying a ring with me. We were supposed to meet her family in Norway and I wanted to propose to her in Paris, the City of Love, but it did not happen that way. We were at a cozy restaurant in Marbella (Spain), which had a fantastic view, and I decided to propose.“

The proposal, the actor recalls, was both funny and romantic. He added, “Maheck has the habit of having dessert after dinner, and I had decided to propose then. However, on that night, she did not ask for any dessert. So, I excused myself and asked the waiters to get some strawberries dipped in chocolate. I then placed the ring on the plate with strawberries, under a bowl which was placed upside.“

Maheck, who unwittingly picked up the bowl, found the ring underneath. She says, “I was so surprised, that I laughed out loud. Since we were not sure which finger - right or left - the ring should be worn on, we paused for a while. He then went down on his knees and the entire restaurant cheered for us. It was a very romantic proposal.“

Ask the couple when they plan to tie the knot and Ashmit says, “We are meeting my parents today and will finalise a date soon. Hopefully, we should be married in six months. I want a destination wedding abroad, while Maheck prefers to get hitched in India.“

On her part, the actress is happy to be with someone who is a reflection of her. She says, “I can be myself with him, we are very similar to each other. Of course, he is more mature than me, so he understands situations better. The fact that we'll soon be married is sinking in, slowly.“ Ashmit adds, “She has brought a lot of positivity to my life. Though I have been with her for a long time, it just feels like yesterday.“