Showing posts with label James Milliron. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James Milliron. Show all posts
It’ll be nice to show my in-laws and extended family what Eid celebrations are like back home-Shama Sikander
4:48 PM
Shama Sikander is looking forward to celebrating Eid-ul-Adha with husband James Milliron’s family in Atlanta
Syeda Eba Fatima (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 29, 2023)
Eid-ul-Adha, for Shama Sikander, is all about getting together with her loved ones. This year, the actor, who is in Atlanta (USA), looks forward to introducing her in-laws and extended family to the festival.
Sikander, who got married to American businessman James Milliron in March last year, tells us, “I will be celebrating with my in-laws and James’ cousins. I’m not sure how good of a cook I am, but I’ll make biryani for everyone. It’ll be nice to show my in-laws and extended family what Eid celebrations are like back home.”
The actor is someone who picks out her ethnic best for festivities and often posts pictures on social media, all dressed up. But this year, she was unable to shop for “something nice and traditional”, given her impromptu trip to Atlanta.
“Nevertheless, I’m happy as it’s going to be a different experience celebrating with my husband’s family. I’m excited to share with them what Eid means to us,” she says.
For the 41-year-old, Eid holds a lot more significance than just another festival. “Eid-ul-Adha has been more about philanthropy and giving back to the community,” she says, adding, “As a child, I remember spending a large part of the day going around giving food to people.”
Sikander goes on to give a glimpse of what celebrations looked like at home: “The day would start with prayers, followed by preparing a lot of good food with my mum. The first half of the day would be spent welcoming guests and serving them... I fondly remember visiting my relatives’ homes and receiving numerous gifts and Eidi. I always cherish those days.”
We have iftar at our home as well. But we don’t do any religious activities anymore-Shama Sikander
8:25 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 3, 2022)
Shama Sikander is excited that she will celebrate her first Eid after she tied the knot in March this year, with businessman James Milliron. “Eid has always been an integral part of my life, since childhood. I used to fast a lot before, and look forward to getting eidi. That is what children want! Since it’s my first after wedding, so we are excited to host our loved ones. So this time, I am looking forward to giving eidi — it’s a total shift,” says the actor.
The 40-year-old says the celebrations will start in the morning, with her entire family and friends invited. “We will organise a lunch. Everybody will wake up early in the morning, go for Eid prayers, and break the fast after it. My mum and my whole family will cook delicious delicacies, and then come to my house. I love the kebabs. The one thing I never fail to do on every Eid is eating sheer khurma and biryani! I don’t cook, that isn’t something I do. I don’t enjoy it (cooking) as much, I am more of an eater,” she adds.
Does her husband also take a keen interest in the rituals or how the festival is celebrated? “We both were very religious at one point, now we are totally into spirituality. We respect everybody who does it, goes for iftar. We have iftar at our home as well. But we don’t do any religious activities anymore. It just happened, it was a conscious decision,” Sikander signs off.
Shama Sikander ties the knot in Goa; says "wanted a very chilled out, fun celebration"
8:22 AM
Flexcia D’souza (BOMBAY TIMES; March 16, 2022)
Shama Sikander and longtime boyfriend James Milliron tied the knot in a dreamy white wedding at a sea-facing resort in Vagator, North Goa on Monday evening. The wedding festivities that commenced on Sunday saw close friends and family get together to be a part of the “huge celebration.”
Interestingly, unlike most Indian weddings focused around traditions and rituals, Shama went for a fresh and unique approach. “We are very spiritual and love is our priority. There’s a lot of stress involved in many weddings due to the rituals and traditions, a lot of which they don’t even understand. I wanted a very chilled out, fun celebration. We believe in getting together with good energies and celebrating, without being bound by traditions,” says Shama, about her ‘white wedding’ which saw the nuptials take place on Monday evening and was followed by the reception.
Though Goa isn’t a place Shama frequents, she says, “It is one of the best destinations in India for a beach wedding, and I always wanted to have a beach wedding. We had finalised Turkey for our wedding two years back, and we wanted to travel with our friends for the wedding. But due to the pandemic, we couldn’t do it, though it gave us a chance to explore our country. I happened to be in Goa last month and realised it’s very close to the destination I had in mind for my wedding. I wanted a dreamy, white wedding, and the venue seemed perfect. I got what I really wanted.”
The wedding included a lunch, sangeet, pool party, the wedding and reception. Talking about planning the shaadi in a short time, she says, “It’s been very emotional and fun at the same time. Some days were quite overwhelming for us. Some of our international guests couldn’t make it due to visa issues, I got bitten by a big dog just a few weeks back... there was a lot happening, but just because there was so much love, I could pull it off. If you desire for something truly, it happens.”
The pandemic has taught her to be spontaneous. “I wanted to go ahead with this ceremony, with just the closest friends and family. It’s very intimate and precious for me,” she says, pointing that the guest list is capped at 60 people. Not just the nuptials, complete with a white gown, the wedding did have Goan elements in the food, too. “There’s so much Goan food, since there are some foreign guests. They’re loving the curries and poie,” she adds.
Ask her what she is looking forward to post the wedding, she says, “I hope to explore Goa after the wedding. We have lived a great life for eight years together, and now, we hope to do more great things together, and focus on work once the celebrations are over,” concludes Shama.
Shama Sikander to tie the knot on March 14; will have a white wedding
7:25 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; February 18, 2022)
If the pandemic hadn’t played spoilsport, Shama Sikander would have been married for two years now. However, she had to put her plans of exchanging vows in a destination wedding in September 2020 with fiancé James Milliron, indefinitely on hold owing to the Coronavirus outbreak. Now, we have learnt that Shama and James are all set to tie the knot on March 14 in Goa.
A host of pre-wedding rituals will take place the day prior. Shama tells us, “James and I have waited for two years for this day. We will have a white wedding and it will be a two-day affair. We are keeping it more international because many of our relatives are settled abroad.”
Shama, who got engaged to James in January 2015, reveals why they planned to tie the knot in Goa. She says, “I am a spontaneous person and organised at the same time. However, I don’t believe in planning ahead. I am more into living in the moment. Even now, owing to the pandemic, there are a lot of travel restrictions and I didn’t want my guests to go through the stress. So, we zeroed in on Goa.”
Shama says, “I wasn’t too keen on Goa initially, but my wedding planner insisted that I see the venue she had in mind for me. I fell in love with the place. Since the climate will change in a couple of months, we decided to get married next month.”
The idea was to have an intimate wedding with just their families and close ones in attendance. She shares, “We have invited around 60 people. I wanted to keep my wedding intimate from the word go. A wedding can very well be grand even with just a close circle of friends attending it. It all depends on how you design it, make it come to life and the memories you create.”
While the couple is busy preparing for their big day, it is still unsure whether James’ parents will be able to make it. Shama says, “They don’t even have their passports. They were trying to make it but the pandemic struck. We are hoping that they make it to the wedding provided their passports are made on time. Unfortunately, a lot of James’ relatives can’t travel to India on such short notice. The Americans plan one year in advance. Hum Indians ko toh abhi bolo hum chal chalenge. Sab dekh lenge ho jaata hai yahaan par. After agreeing to tie the knot in a month’s time, I realised that I wasn’t prepared at all. Mere toh kapde bhi final nahi hain (laughs!).”
My wedding is on hold for now-Shama Sikander
7:56 AM
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; May 22, 2020)
Preparations for Shama Sikander’s wedding with her fiancé James Milliron, a US businessman, would have been in full swing had the world not come to a standstill owing to the Coronavirus pandemic. The actress, who was all set to walk down the aisle in September this year, has now been forced to push her wedding to a later date.
Shama had got engaged to James in 2016, following a courtship of one year. She tells us, “We had planned a destination wedding in September-end and almost everything, including the venue, was finalised. We were all set to zero in on a date when the pandemic hit. Both our families had started preparing for the big day. James’ family doesn’t travel and so, his parents don’t even have a passport. We had asked them to initiate the paperwork and get their passports made. However, the plan is on hold for now, as I don’t think it will be safe to travel around that time.”
She adds, “Also, COVID-19 has changed our ideas about everything in life. We are just trying to help those around us to get through this tough time. And, that has definitely brought more joy to us. The wedding will happen whenever it has to.”
The couple is worried about James’ parents, as the situation is particularly grim in the US. “James is with me in Mumbai, and his parents are alone there. We are worried about them, as they are old and his father was unwell around four months ago. We are constantly in touch with them.”
Shama feels fortunate that James is with her during the lockdown. “I can imagine how difficult the situation can get for those who are living alone. It can take a toll on you emotionally. I am glad that James is with me during this crisis. Besides spending quality time with each other, I am also learning to adapt to a different and a new way of life. I have started meditating more and also valuing things, which we otherwise tend to take for granted.”
I don’t need to get married to have a baby. I will proudly call it my love child-Shama Sikander
8:04 AM
Shama Sikander, who got engaged to her US businessman beau two years ago, says marriage is not high on her agenda and how she has always lived life on her terms
Seema Mattoo (BOMBAY TIMES; June 2, 2018)
It’s been two years since Shama Sikander announced her engagement to US businessman James Milliron, and going by their social media posts and pictures, the couple looks very much in love. However, the one question that the actress and her fiancé frequently encounter these days is when they will finally tie the knot.
Elaborating on her dream wedding, the actress adds, “Whenever we get married, it will be a white wedding somewhere abroad. And it will be a close-knit affair with just friends and family in attendance.”
Fiercely unconventional, Shama says that she wants to live life on her own terms. “I don’t need to get married to have a baby. I will proudly call it my love child,” she states.
Recalling how she met James, she says, “We met at a common friend’s house and I felt an instant and strong attraction towards him. It was as if we shared some past-life connection. I was surprised, because I had just come out of another relationship and was trying to avoid getting close to anyone.”
The feelings were mutual. “After our first meeting, we started talking to each other every day. We were in Dubai when he proposed to me in January 2015. A year, later we got engaged, again in Dubai,” she recalls.
The couple has kept the romance alive in their relationship and tries to spend as much time as possible, together. “Both of us are romantic and we love writing poems for each other; he also sends me flowers from wherever he is. These are small gestures that every girl will love,” Shama says.
James, she says, has also stood by her in tough times. “I have bipolar disorder, but I started feeling better after meeting James. His love calms me down and he makes me feel safe and secure. He made me believe in myself by just being there for me,” she signs off.
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