The seventh season of Koffee With Karan saw Alia Bhatt sharing details of her intimate wedding with Ranbir Kapoor. Now, it’s Vicky Kaushal’s turn to spill the beans on his grand wedding with Katrina Kaif that took place last year. As he joined Sidharth Malhotra on the episode, Kaushal had a hearty laugh about the memes and funny tweets that were doing the rounds during his shaadi.

Addressing the reports that stated that the star couple had used drones to avoid security breach, the actor said, “While all the random news was doing the rounds, I was sitting there with the pandit ji, telling him, ‘Jaldi nipta dena please. Ek ghante se zyada nahin.’ During the wedding, these funny memes, tweets and messages would be shared on the internet every day. My friends would read them out, and we had a good laugh. We used to have a blast finding them.”

Throughout this season of the Disney+ Hotstar chat show, host Karan Johar has joked that the couch has the power of manifestation. It was on this couch last season, after all, that Kaif had said that she would make a striking on-screen pair with Kaushal. He had pretended to faint in happiness on hearing the remark.

“That moment last season was my way of [ensuring] that she knew I existed,” said Kaushal. He also revealed that the duo first met at Zoya Akhtar’s party. The rest, as they say, is history.

Actress Malavika Mohanan has several memorable wildlife experiences from her safaris in places like Tadoba and Ranthambore, and even from Serengeti in Tanzania. She talks about what it is like to sight tigers in India, safari destinations on her bucket list, and more. Excerpts:

Growing up, I read a lot of books and watched several documentaries on wildlife. So, I have always been a nature lover. But living in big cities, you are not exposed to that part of the world. About five-six years ago, I went to Wayanad with one of my friends. From there, we went to Mudumalai, Masinagudi and Kabini that whole belt. That was how I reconnected with that childhood love of wildlife. As I started doing more safaris, I felt the need to start documenting them. That’s how I started taking photographs and all that. And it’s a nice change from what I do career-wise; it feels good to do something completely different and then come back to work.

It’s said that lions are the most majestic animals in a jungle. Yes, they are. But I find tigers equally majestic. What makes them even more enduring is that they are hard to spot; they are very shy cats. If you go to Gir National Park or certain parts of Africa, you can see lions sitting in the open. But tigers… if they sense human movement, they crouch and slink away. Tadoba National Park, which is in central India, is one of my favourite places. Thanks to the landscape, it’s easier to spot tigers there than in other places, like Bandipur. Even Wayanad has tigers, but the place has a rich rainforest. So, they stay hidden in the lushness and you may not find them easily. Central India has a more barren and bushier landscape. So, it’s a great place to spot tigers. Especially during summer, when the water bodies start drying up, if you go to these watering holes, you may spot tigers there. I went on five safaris last month and I ended up seeing eight tigers and three leopards!

We were near Ranthambore for Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif’s wedding. It was a big fat Punjabi wedding — three days of partying and dancing. We were also exhausted by the end of it. Even then, I really wanted to go on a safari and told my parents to accompany me. It was a two-and-ahalf-hour safari in the evening and we had a very good naturalist with us. When you’re in the wild, it’s very important to have a good naturalist. They know how to track the movements of big cats and are also familiar with individual tiger behaviour. Two hours went by and we didn’t spot even one tiger. Ranthambore is strict with the entry and exit timings of the safari jeeps. When we had barely five minutes before the safari came to an end, we heard a roar in the distance, and it kept getting louder. And suddenly, we saw a tiger coming out of the bushes. The experience was all the more special because it was just us, as all the others had left. The tiger came close to our jeep and we took some pictures against the setting sun. It was a magical experience.

Well, I have had another one in Africa (in Tanzania), one of my favourite places in the world. Africa is where you can feel closest to nature. Though the safaris are curated, once you enter, you don’t know what’s going to happen or what you are going to see. You usually get to do a full-day safari there. So, if it’s a six-day safari, on the first day, you go from point A to B and on the next day, you go from B to C. So, we were just finishing the day safari and heading back to the camp for the night. We had gone to see hippos and suddenly, our driver stopped the vehicle and showed a leopard climbing a tree with its prey — a deer — and there were hyenas below, waiting to feed on the remnants. These are things that you see in pictures and videos, but when you see it in real life, it’s very humbling.

We’re lucky that India is one of the best places to spot tigers. There are some continents that don’t even have tigers. I want to go to Kanha and Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh to see tigers. I want to explore more of central India. Photography-wise, I want to click more pictures of them in their element and capture their emotions. I have taken enough pics of them simply sitting. That’s one thing on my list.

In many ways, we have intruded into their habitats. The forest covers have shrunk. But a place, like Ranthambore maybe — the whole national park is not open to tourism. It’s only a part of it that is open for safaris, and everything else is protected. The idea is to get more money that can then be pumped into wildlife protection and conservation projects. But that said, we have to follow certain rules and maintain decorum while going on safaris. Imagine that you are sitting in a park and suddenly, 10 jeeps with people halt in front of you. But we’ve very stringent wildlife conservation laws.

1. Don’t make noise and maintain the sanctity of their space

2. Avoid using anything that has a strong scent. Their senses are strong and so, I don’t wear perfume on safaris.

3. Wear neutral colours. The idea is to try and camouflage as much as you can.

4. Don’t litter. Unfortunately, that is something most people do.

While her wedding celebrations have kept Katrina Kaif busy through the better part of December, her Tiger 3 co-star Salman Khan has been giving shape to the espionage thriller in Mumbai. We hear the leads will head to New Delhi in mid-January for the final major schedule of the Maneesh Sharma-helmed venture. After that, the director will conduct the remaining shoot in Mumbai, before calling it a wrap on the film that rolled in March this year.

A trade source reveals that the team has lined up a 15-day stint in the capital. “Salman and Katrina haven’t faced the camera together after their Europe schedule in September. They will reunite for the Delhi leg where they will film some dramatic scenes. It will mark Katrina’s return to the set after her wedding. In the past two months, the director has focused entirely on Salman’s character Avinash Singh Rathore aka Tiger, canning several action scenes with him at Yash Raj Studios in Andheri. Earlier this month, the team began shooting at the SRPF Grounds in Goregaon,” says the source.

Conducting the Delhi schedule with the superstars won’t be without its share of hurdles. Anticipating the excitement it will generate in the capital, producer Aditya Chopra has instructed his team to begin the groundwork to ensure a smooth shoot.

The source adds, “The crew will have a tough job — right from crowd management to ensuring that the stars’ looks are not leaked. Even though it will be tricky, Aditya Chopra wants to film these portions at real locations.”

Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif tied the knot in a hush-hush ceremony held in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan. The duo became husband and wife in presence of close friends and family members in a grand three-day affair held from December 7 to 9. While the couple as well as their family members refrained from commenting about the shaadi, after the ceremony Vicky and Katrina shared some pictures of their big day.

Talking exclusively to Bombay Times, Vicky’s father Sham Kaushal, who is a wellknown action director, said, “We all are feeling so happy and blessed to have Katrina in our family. I thank God and all the wonderful people for the love and blessings. May God’s blessings be always with newlyweds. He is and has been very kind to us.”

Ask him to speak a bit more about his bond with his daughter-in-law and he is quick to add, “Let the newlyweds talk first, right? I will speak a little later.”

Besides the wedding pictures, Vicky and Katrina posted some heart-warming pictures from their haldi ceremony yesterday. “Shukr. Sabr. Khushi,” the couple wrote on their respective social media handles.

After days of secrecy, Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal finally gave fans a glimpse of their royal Rajasthani wedding. The couple tied the knot at a luxury resort at Fort Barwara in the Chauth Ka Barwara village in Rajasthan’s Sawai Madhopur district on December 9. Late in the evening, Katrina shared the first pics of their nuptials.

“Only love and gratitude in our hearts for everything that brought us to this moment. Seeking all your love and blessings as we begin this new journey together,” wrote Katrina and Vicky on their individual accounts, and posted identical pics of them during varmala and pheras, looking loved-up.

The couple received congratulations from several celebs, including Anushka Sharma, who finally confirmed that they were neighbours. “Congratulations to both you beautiful people! Wishing you guys a lifetime of togetherness, love and understanding. Also glad you are finally married so that now you can move into your house and we can stop hearing construction sounds,” wrote Anushka. Stars like Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Hrithik Roshan also flooded the couple’s comments section.

The couple’s wedding festivities began on December 7, with the sangeet ceremony, followed by the mehendi on December 8 and the wedding and reception on Thursday night. On Friday morning around 9 am, the couple was seen boarding a helicopter to Jaipur from Sherpur Helipad. If sources are to be believed, they are headed to Maldives for a brief honeymoon next.

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Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif are married! After weeks of speculations, the couple shared candid pictures from their intimate wedding ceremony on Thursday evening. Sharing the post, they wrote, “Only love and gratitude in our hearts for everything that brought us to this moment...”

The lovebirds opted for Sabyasachi as they took the pheras. Kaif’s classic red bridal lehenga was handwoven matka silk with intricate tilla work. Handmade silver kiran, electroplated in gold, was added to Kaif’s veil to acknowledge Kaushal’s Punjabi roots.

She also wore a choker of uncut diamonds in 22k gold detailed with hand strung pearls. Her kaliras with messenger doves had charms and special messages written by Kaif. Kaushal looked regal in the ivory silk sherwani with fine marori embroidery. Furthermore, Kaif’s engagement ring is a sapphire and diamond ring from Tiffany’s costing ₹7.40 lakh, reportedly. They cut a five-tier wedding cake for ₹4 lakh.

After the ceremony, they sent sweets for the media persons stationed outside the wedding venue. Along with a sweet note, the newlyweds sent out return gifts to the guests as well, which included besan ke laddoo, sewayi, gurpaare and matthri.

On Friday morning, the newlyweds took a helicopter to head to Jaipur. The couple will resume work without a break. Kaushal will shoot in Indore with Sara Ali Khan, while Kaif will film Sriram Raghavan’s next. Many of their industry friends, including Deepika Padukone, and Priyanka Chopra congratulated the couple on social media. Kaushal’s younger brother, Sunny welcomed ‘parjai ji’ Katrina Kaif to family with warm note: ‘My heart made space for another person today’. Isabelle Kaif too posted that she found a ‘brother’.

Anushka Sharma too congratulated them and confirmed that the newly-wed couple will be her and Virat Kohli’s neighbours.

Katrina and Vicky left Sawai Madhopur in a helicopter on Friday morning

Bollywood couple Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif tied the knot at Sawai Madhopur’s Fort Barwara on Thursday afternoon amid much secrecy and high security. Here’s a peek inside the most anticipated and closely-guarded nuptials of the year:

Sources tell us that the celebrations kicked off with Vicky’s sehra bandi ceremony on Thursday morning, and loud dhol and nagara beats could be heard at the venue. The sherwani-clad dulha arrived in a vintage car with a small baraat in the premises, while Katrina Kaif was carried in on a doli decorated with flowers, and wore a pink lehenga, add the insiders. The ceremony supposedly took place in a glass mandap in the sheesh mahal area of the fort. The couple’s wedding started around Thursday noon, and Vicky and Katrina took their saath pheras at 3.30 pm.

The couple’s wedding festivities started from December 7 with the sangeet ceremony, followed by the mehendi on December 8. Twinning in pink at the sangeet, both Katrina and Vicky were seen dancing while their family friend and singer Gurdas Maan gave a small performance for them, say sources.

Though Bollywood biggies like Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Alia Bhatt were expected to attend the wedding, none of them were spotted at the venue till the time of going to press. Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi attended the sangeet and mehendi and the former returned to Jaipur early on Thursday due to a prior commitment.

Sources say that the menu during the three-day festivities included intercontinental cuisine, with a Rajasthani touch. Delicacies like mawa kachori, pyaaz ki kachori, kaju paan, and kheer mohan are believed to have been served, along with authentic delicacies made by a local halwai. Kailash Sharma, owner of the mithai shop that catered to the wedding, shares, “For the past three-days, we have been preparing typical Rajasthani mithais for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Kheer mohan, mawa kachori and pyaaj kachori are being served every day during breakfast.”

The wedding has been in the news and also been a fodder for memes – thanks to its tight security, and for good reason. Entry inside the venue was only allowed to those with digital security stickers and codes which were allotted to the vehicles ferrying the guests from the airport and hotels in Sawai Madhopur. Reportedly, 100 bouncers each from Mumbai and Jaipur were deployed inside and outside the fort, in addition to personnel from Rajasthan police.

Tinu Sogarwal, SHO, Chauth Ka Barwara, shares, “We are only taking care of security outside the fort and its entrance. Security inside the fort is being taken care of by a private agency from Mumbai. There are three entrance gates to the fort, where we have deployed one sub-inspector and four constables. A team of 11 has been kept on reserve.”

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We’ve got a piece of good news for all those enthusiastic fans who have been surfing social media relentlessly, eager to know every update about Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif’s upcoming wedding in Rajasthan. You’re likely to have a ringside view to the shaadi of the year, albeit a few weeks later. mid-day has exclusively learnt that Kaif and Kaushal have apparently sold the telecast rights of their wedding celebration to Amazon Prime Video for a whopping Rs 80 crore. It is said to be one of the reasons why the couple has been hush-hush about the wedding, even requesting their guests to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to the effect.

It may be recalled that Kaif’s actor-friend Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas, besides selling their wedding pictures to an international publication, teamed up with the OTT giant in 2019 to produce and star in an in-the-works documentary-style series that revolved around glorious weddings in the US. The series has an episode dedicated to the Chopra-Jonas wedding.

When Amazon Prime was looking to bring the concept to India, the Kaif-Kaushal wedding — that kicked off with a sangeet night at the royalty-themed Six Senses Fort Barwara Resort yesterday — seemed to be the perfect start.

A trade source reveals, “The OTT platform has been looking at starting a grand wedding series focusing on big Bollywood nuptials. Vicky and Katrina’s wedding will be designed as an expansive feature, tracing their love story with bytes from the two stars, their friends and family, and a glimpse of the roka that happened last month. It will give an all-access view to the four-day celebration — from the sangeet to the reception. The platform is said to be taking care of the expenses of the sangeet and mehndi events. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, and other artistes performing at the sangeet, are apparently sponsored by the OTT channel. A team of videographers has been sent by them to film the band-baaja-baaraat.”

The guest list has been decidedly kept small at 120, with only their close friends from Bollywood making the cut. “Every invitee has not only been given a special QR code to gain access, but has also been asked to sign an NDA contract. Barricades have been put up around the resort so that paparazzi can’t take a sneak peek into the events.” The source adds that if all goes well, the big, fat Bollywood wedding will drop online early next year.

Amazon Prime Video officials refused to comment on record for this report.

The big day is here! Actors Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal are all set to take pheras at Six Senses Fort Barwara in Rajasthan’s Sawai Madhopur. As per reports, the theme for the wedding is pastel sorbet. We’ve exclusively learnt that Hari and Sukhmani, the folktronic duo, will perform, in sync with Kaushal’s love for Punjabi music.

As for the food menu, aside from fish platters, Rajasthani delicacies such as daal baati churma, paya, and laal maas will be served. There will be stalls selling Indian street foods such as golgappas, chaats, dahi bhalla, kebabs, kachori, and paan. The duo will reportedly cut a blue-and-white five-tier Tiffany wedding cake prepared by a special chef from Italy.

The couple’s mehendi ceremony was held yesterday and as per a Bollywood Life report, soothing music — filmy numbers and Rajasthani folk — along with the “beautiful weather of Rajasthan” served as the perfect backdrop. According to a source, it was held at the open maidaans inside the fort with tents set up for guests. Apparently, 100kg of flowers, including lilies, orchids and marigolds, were ordered to decorate the venue. Sojat mehendi from Pali district had been ordered for Kaif, and mehendi artists from Mumbai and Barwara had been called. But they refused to come due to financial disagreements. Celebrity mehendi artiste Veena Nagda flew down for the ceremony.

Meanwhile, due to heavy security, the locals are miffed as they aren’t allowed to move freely in their own village. “It is the first time a wedding of this scale is happening in the village. Everyone is excited to see them, but they aren’t allowed anywhere near the venue,” a source told News18.

Furthermore, contrary to previous reports, the couple will go on a short honeymoon to the Maldives after hosting a reception for industry friends at Taj Lands End in Mumbai, and will not return to work immediately, according to Pinkvilla. The OTT deal to exclusively stream VicKat’s wedding also seems to have come through as they sold their wedding telecast rights for ₹80 crore, reports Mid Day. Meanwhile, India Today reports that the couple is likely to sign two big endorsements after their nuptials, for a luxury product and fitness brand. HTC

It’s pretty much impossible for actors to keep their relationships out of the spotlight these days, with paparazzi following them and fans sharing videos of their off-duty time. However, Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif, not only managed to keep their ongoing wedding celebrations in Rajasthan under wraps, but they also managed to keep their romance away from the media glare. The two were barely spotted together during the dating phase. Since they had never acted in a film together, many wondered how this romance blossomed. During her appearance on Karan Johar’s chat show Koffee With Karan in 2018, the actress said that she would like to work with Vicky Kaushal as she feels they may look good together. A few episodes later, when Vicky was on the show, Karan told him about Katrina’s statement, the actor, who was thrilled, pretended to faint with joy. Here’s how their love story unfolded after this.

Apparently, Vicky and Katrina’s first meeting was in 2019 when they shot for a chat show where they discussed their work and experiences in the industry. Later that year, they shared the stage at an awards function when Vicky jokingly proposed to her. He said, “Aap kisi acche se Vicky Kaushal ko dhoondh ke shaadi kyun nahi kar leti?”

Sometime later, they were spotted on a dinner date, pictures from which went viral. After this, there was constant speculation regarding them dating. However, they were never clicked together. Still, their appearance at a friend’s Diwali bash in 2019 added fuel to the rumours.

In March 2020, they were spotted having a great time at Isha Ambani’s Holi party, which also had other celebrities, including Priyanka Chopra Jonas and her husband Nick Jonas, in attendance. This year in August, they turned up for a special screening of Sidharth Malhotra’s film Shershaah, but they made sure that they were not photographed together. Katrina also attended the screening of Vicky Kaushal’s recent release Sardar Udham, but here too, the couple made separate entries and exits.

While the industry knew about their romance, there was no confirmation, as the couple hadn’t spoken about it. However, in an interview with Zoom this June, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor – when asked about a rumoured relationship in Bollywood that is real – said, “Vicky and Katrina are together, that’s true. Am I going to get in trouble for saying this? I don’t know. I think they’re quite open about it.”

During the pandemic, Vicky was clicked a couple of times when he visited Katrina at her home. It was rumoured that the couple even brought in the New Year together in Alibaug. Online sleuths were convinced that Vicky’s reflection was visible in an image shared by Katrina online, which was later deleted.

Talk about them taking their relationship to the next level began this Diwali when there were reports of a roka ceremony at filmmaker Kabir Khan’s house. These love birds, who are tying the knot today have indeed managed to keep their relationship as private as possible.

What’s a Bollywood wedding without naach-gaana? On Tuesday, Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif’s pre-wedding celebrations began with an elaborate sangeet night at the Six Senses Fort Barwara Resort that saw Karan Johar and Farah Khan shake a leg together on the stage. The highlight of the evening was the special performance by folk singers who were flown down from Punjab for the groom, a Punjabi music aficionado.

A source reveals, “From pop to rock, Vicky listens to a wide range of artistes, but Punjabi folk music has his heart. He was keen on having Gurdas Maan perform at the sangeet. The artiste, who flew down to Jaipur on Tuesday morning, performed a special set of his hit numbers, including Shagna Di Mehndi and Rabb Ne Baniyan Jodiyan.”

His love for the bridal couple was evident as he sang snatches of Teri jodi jeeve at the Jaipur airport itself, dedicating it to them.

The airport saw frenetic activity all through last morning, as Kabir Khan and Mini Mathur, Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi, Sharvari, and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy arrived for the nuptials. The guests were greeted with a customised welcome card that reminded them not to post pictures and videos of the ceremonies.

Another source adds, “The bride and groom have lined up an act together. Vicky will match steps with Katrina to Kala Chashma, Nachde Ne Saare and other songs. Since they’ve kept their relationship low-key, this will be the first time the guests will see them share the stage.”

As Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif’s wedding celebrations started with a bang in Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan on Tuesday night, the couple’s family and friends were seen arriving at the destination the day before.

The couple travelled to Jaipur via a charter flight. On landing, Katrina and Vicky were escorted out of the airport through an exit gate reserved for VVIPs, as well as the Prime Minister and President, and permission for using which is given by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security in rare cases. The couple had reportedly wanted to travel by helicopter from Mumbai to Sawai Madhopur, but the local administration did not give them the desired permission to use the helipad.

Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi along with Kabir Khan and Mini Mathur were among the guests who arrived in Jaipur yesterday morning. Also seen at the airport were filmmaker Vijay Krishna Acharya and Sharvari Wagh, who is rumoured to be Vicky’s brother Sunny Kaushal’s girlfriend.

The couple’s sangeet ceremony reportedly took place on Tuesday night, which will be followed by a haldi ceremony today, before they tie the knot, ‘Rajwada’ style, tomorrow.

Punjabi singer Gurdaas Mann, a close friend of the Kaushals, is also expected to be present for the nuptials – the white wedding and the traditional Punjabi wedding ceremonies.

Adequate arrangements: Measures to control crowd and smooth regulation of traffic were discussed in a recent meeting convened by district collector of Sawai Madhopur, Rajendra Kishan, in the presence of hotel management, other concerned officials.

Bouncers: Private agencies in Delhi and Jaipur will be deploying bouncers at the venue. Additionally, actor Salman Khan’s bodyguard Shera’s team will reportedly provide security.

Court marriage: Reports suggest the couple is officially married already, as they had a court marriage in Mumbai on December 3 under the Special Marriage Act, 1954.

Drones: SOPs state that drones, if spotted in the vicinity of Six Senses Fort Barwara — the resort where Kaif and Kaushal will tie the knot — would be shot down.

Ex-flames: Kaushal’s ex- girlfriend, actor Harleen Sethi, and Kaif’s ex, actor Ranbir Kapoor, have reportedly not been invited to the grand affair. As for Salman Khan, his sister, Arpita Khan Sharma, had said she hasn’t received an invite. Also, a source close to the Khans clarified that reports of them attending Kaif and Kaushal’s D-Day are “false”.

Fashion designers: Earlier, reports said the couple will wear Sabyasachi on their big day. Now, we hear Kaif will wear an Abu Jani ensemble for the mehendi, a Manish Malhotra lehenga for the sangeet and Gucci at the reception, while Kaushal is likely to wear Kunal Rawal and Raghavendra Rathore attires. Also, paps spotted boxes from Falguni Shane Peacock being delivered to Kaif recently.

Guests: A total of 120 people have been invited to the wedding. These include filmmakers Farah Khan, Shashank Khaitan, Zoya Akhtar, Ali Abbas Zafar, Kabir Khan and Rohit Shetty, actors Mini Mathur, Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani, Varun Dhawan and wife Natasha Dalal, Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Anushka Sharma, cricketer Virat Kohli and philanthropist Nita Ambani.

Helicopter: To keep the privacy of their wedding sacrosanct, the couple is planning to take a helicopter from Jaipur straight to the wedding venue in Chauth Ka Barwara.

International magazine coverage: Following in the footsteps of actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas and singer Nick Jonas, Kaif and Kaushal will reportedly sell the rights of their wedding pictures to the Indian edition of an international magazine for crores.

Jodhpur touch: Sojat mehendi from Jodhpur’s Pali district will be gifted to the couple. A firm in Sojat has been given the order to supply 20kg of mehendi powder and 400 mehendi cones.

Organizers: The district collector has reportedly asked all organisers to follow strict Coronavirus protocols. All guests must carry vaccination certificates and negative RT-PCR reports to the venue. As per sources, plans are on to downsize the number of guests. A source told Pinkvilla, “Katrina’s side also has a few guests who will be travelling from overseas and that might change, given the new travel guidelines being issued.”

Plant sapling: To mark the auspicious occasion, the couple will reportedly plant saplings as a part of the rituals.

Questions we need answers to: Why so secretive? And if you want it to be a secret, who’s giving out all the details? Did you take tips from Virushka on how to keep a celeb wedding a secret?

Royal entry: Kaushal will make a grand entry with his baraat, for which seven white horses will be selected, reports suggest.

Sangeet: Bling is apparently the theme for the sangeet, which will comprise performances by the bride, groom and celebs, too.

Tiger safari: Guests will be treated to an exclusive safari at the Ranthambore National Park, 25-30km from Six Senses. Ostensibly, the couple will also go on a safari after their marriage.

Ushers: At the wedding, ushers have been instructed to carry phones without cameras, to make sure no pictures are leaked.

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma: Kaif and Kaushal will move into a plush rented apartment in the same building in Juhu, Mumbai, where Kohli and Sharma are put up. “The security deposit paid by Kaushal is close to ₹1.75 crore, rent for first 36 months is ₹8 lakh,” Varun Singh, head of a real estate portal, told India Today.

Wedding trousseau: On December 4, Kaushal was papped outside Kaif’s residence in Bandra, Mumbai, reportedly to discuss final fittings and for last-minute trousseau prep. Stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania also joined them.

X-Mas celebrations on hold: Kaif and Kaushal’s first Christmas as newlyweds may be a working one, as the duo will dive into upcoming projects with filmmakers Sriram Raghavan and Laxman Utekar, respectively.

Yes, said Kaif: Speculations are that Kaushal popped the question in filmy style by gifting his lady love a box of custom-made dark chocolate brownies. Kaif was surprised when she opened the box to find a ring and note that said, ‘Will you marry me?’ say reports.

Zubaan pe taala: Bollywood grapevine is buzzing with stories of their nuptials, but the couple has decided to remain tight-lipped. Preparations, including the speculative roka ceremony held at Kabir Khan’s residence on Diwali, are being done in a hush-hush fashion.

As Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal touched down in Jaipur on Monday, the entire village of Chauth Ka Barwara seemed to be getting ready for the grand nuptials that kick off today. Located about 35 kilometres away from Sawai Madhopur city, the village — famous for the centuries-old Chauth Mata Temple on hilltop — is now playing host to one of Bollywood’s most anticipated weddings.

The three-day festivities will take place at a 14th-century fortturned-luxury heritage property located in the district, and all the 45 rooms and four suites in it have been booked out for the wedding. The special Rs. 7-lakh-a-night suite booked for the couple, comes with its own swimming pool, lush green garden, and forest and lake view.

The wedding is expected to see 120 guests in attendance, and over 100 bouncers from Jaipur have been deployed at the venue, which was barricaded with iron sheets to maintain secrecy on Monday.

The local gram panchayat, along with the Barwara Traffic Police, will be handling the traffic during the three-day festivities, as cars ferry guests from the Jaipur airport or different hotels of Sawai Madhopur to the venue. On Friday last week, the district administration held a meeting to discuss the law and order arrangements ahead of the high-profile wedding.

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Are they tying the knot? Are they not? That was the country’s favourite subject of gossip over the past month as rumours abounded about Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif’s December 9 wedding. While the couple remained tight-lipped, the buzz strengthened last week when Sawai Madhopur district officials held a meeting to review the preparations for the celebrity wedding at Six Senses Fort Barwara resort in Rajasthan.

On Monday evening, the ‘Kat’ was out of the bag and seen heading straight for a flight — the bridal couple were spotted at Kalina airport in Mumbai, ready to wing their way to Rajasthan and kick off the five-day celebration. A beaming Kaushal waved out to the photographers before entering the terminal. Minutes later, the bride-to-be, radiant in an ochre sharara and accompanied by mother Suzanne Turquotte, made an appearance. The festivities will begin today with an elaborate sangeet.

The week of the Vicky Kaushal-Katrina Kaif wedding is here, and with it, comes the excitement and the hustle-bustle of last-minute arrangements. Where outfits from Shane and Falguni Peacock’s collection are being dropped off at Kaif’s Bandra home and celebrity-stylist friend Anaita Shroff Adajania is supervising the final fitting of the bridal trousseau, the frenzy is all the more pronounced in Ranthambore where the shaadi prep is on in full swing.

Three days after the administration officials of Sawai Madhopur district had a meeting to review the preparations, it is learnt that about 10 officials from the local police have been deployed to oversee the security at the wedding of the year. They will be working closely with the 40-member security team hired by the couple to ensure the five-day celebration at the Six Senses Fort Barwara is a smooth affair.

A source from Madhopur reveals that besides booking out the royalty-themed resort, surrounding luxury cottages have been booked for the guests. Kaif’s director friends Kabir Khan and Ali Abbas Zafar are on the guest list.

“The local police have deployed a team of about 10 to ensure there are no roadblocks. The one-kilometre radius around the Fort Barwara property has already been cordoned off. Cops are also on alert for fans masquerading as staff to gatecrash the event. A detailed guest list has been submitted to the local authorities,” says the source. The bride and groom are expected to arrive in the Rajasthan district today to kick off the revelry. 

“Katrina will be accompanied by mother Suzanne, sister Isabelle and brother Sebastien Laurent Michel. Every member attending the wedding has to carry their vaccination certificates and a negative RT-PCR report, each of which will be verified by the local team as well as the event security team.”

With the couple wanting it to be an intimate affair, the security agency is also keeping an eye on the hotel staff to ensure there’s no breach of privacy. Another source close to the star couple reveals that the December 9 wedding will only have family and close friends in attendance, whereas the reception will have a head count of 120. “The sangeet night on December 7 will feature a special performance by the couple. It will be followed by mehendi on December 8, the nuptials on December 9, and the after-party the next day. They will host a reception for the industry friends in Mumbai later.” 

On Sunday, Kaif was spotted at their newly acquired home in Juhu. A source reveals, “Katrina and Vicky are expected to move in by the year-end.”

A lot is going on in the run-up to actors Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif’s shaadi. And as the big day approaches, enhanced security measures and safety protocols are being implemented to ensure the wedding is a happy and healthy affair. Bouncers from Delhi and Jaipur will be flying down to the venue in Rajasthan to ensure the safety of guests and to assist them as they travel from one location to another. 

“Nearly 60 bouncers are flying in from Delhi, and they will be assigned to the guests they will be looking after. Some are also coming from Jaipur. Some celebrity guests are also arranging their private security from Delhi for the gala event,” a source tells us exclusively. 

Kaif’s family, including her brother, has also arrived in the country. On Friday, Kaushal was seen leaving Kaif’s home after midnight. Final wedding outfit trials have also begun, with people arriving with Falguni Shane Peacock’s creations at Kaif’s home and Kunal Rawal’s creations at Kaushal’s. Anaita Shroff Adajania, Kaif’s close friend and stylist, visited her on Friday.

The wedding festivities will begin on December 7 with sangeet, followed by mehendi on December 8, and culminating in lots of sparkles on December 9. The duo will tie the knot in a village near Sawai Madhopur at a fort turned luxurious resort.

The administration in Sawai Madhopur is on high alert. On Friday, officials met with wedding planners and hotel staff to ensure that adequate crowd control, traffic regulation, and compliance with Covid-19 guidelines are in place.

District collector Rajendra Kishan says, “The hotel staff informed us that they would be using all of the Covid-19 protocols and performing RT PCR tests. They will have a special help desk in the hotel to ensure Covid-19 appropriate behaviour and health-related assistance if someone requires it.”

Adding to this, superintendent of police, Rajesh Singh, says that since it is a private affair, local officials will come in to help only when needed.

On Friday, the Sawai Madhopur district administration held a meeting to discuss the security arrangements for the upcoming Vicky Kaushal-Katrina Kaif wedding. Like we had reported earlier, the couple is tying the knot at a heritage property in Sawai Madhopur district’s Chauth Ka Barwara, located at a distance of about 35 kilometres from Sawai Madhopur city in Rajasthan. As per our sources, the three day wedding festivities will start from December 7 with sangeet, followed by mehendi on December 8 and the wedding on December 9.

At the meeting on Friday, there were discussions about organising everything smoothly, maintaining law and order and making arrangements for crowd control. Apart from Sawai Madhopur district collector Rajendra Kishan, who chaired the meeting, Superintendent of Police Rajesh Singh, police officials, forest officials and representatives of the hotel and event management company were also present.

Rajendra Kishan told us, “The meeting was held to discuss various aspects related to the wedding, including law and order. We had officials from various departments like the traffic department, forest officials and transport department. There will be 120 guests in all and they will be allowed entry on the basis of double vaccination certificates and RT-PCR tests.”

Our sources tell us that the couple’s family members and other guests will start reaching Jaipur from December 5 onwards, while the couple will reach on December 6. The high-profile wedding will be attended by the likes of Varun Dhawan, Rohit Shetty, Natasha Dalal, Shashank Khaitan and other big names.

The wedding organisers are trying their best to make it an unforgettable affair. Exquisite products have been specially designed by top national and Rajasthan names for the wedding. Exotic fruits, confectionery and amenities would be placed in brass finish centrepiece bowls and platters in the suites of Katrina Kaif, Vicky Kaushal and other guests. These platters are exquisitely manufactured in Rajasthani hammered texture in combination with walnut wood in an antique look. Beautifully hand-crafted brass trays and platters will also be used for welcoming the guests.

At the entrance, spa and other places, where Katrina, Vicky and other wedding guests would be received, statues of Radha, Krishna and Lord Dhanvantari sculpted in Makrana Marble have been installed to add to the magnificence of the heritage property. The event management company which is managing the high-profile wedding is trying their best to maintain secrecy and privacy. The wedding guests have also been made to sign a nondisclosure agreement.

From firework trials to dance rehearsals and safari plans, preparations are in full swing for Bollywood’s star couple Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal’s lavish wedding in Rajasthan.

The actors will start the new chapter of their life with opulent celebrations. They will get married amid a royal set-up at a 200-year-old fort in Chauth Ka Barwara, a few kilometers ahead of Sawai Madhopur. We can exclusively tell you that not just the fort, but the whole village is being decked, with whitewashing on at all the houses.

While Kaushal will stay at Raja Mansingh suite, Kaif will stay at Rani Rajkumari suite. For guests, hotels have been booked in Sawai Madhopur. We hear that it will be a star-studded affair, with hotels for actors Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan also being booked. We can confirm that all hotels in Sawai Madhopur are already sold out for the wedding, which will happen on December 9. In fact, Salman’s close aide, Beena Kak, has helped the couple get all the plans in place in the town.

Dance rehearsals are on, and we also hear that mock firework shows are taking place almost every night.

We also exclusively report that the couple is hosting a tiger safari for the guests at Jogi Mahal.

Meanwhile, the couple has a no-camera policy at the wedding. It’s also believed that they made the guests sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement). And that’s because they want to own the narrative of their story as they seal a deal for their “happily ever after”.

It’s no secret that Kaushal is a full Punjabi munda, and now Kaif is going all out to be the perfect Punjabi bahu. We hear that Kaif, who hails from the UK, has hired a private tutor to learn Punjabi before she ties the knot. She feels that getting a grasp of the language will help her gel better with Kaushal’s Punjabi-speaking family.

While news of their December wedding has been doing the rounds for a while now, Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal haven’t gone on record to confirm or deny it. There has been a lot of speculation on their wedding wardrobe, the luxurious Mumbai flat they have rented and the wedding venue.

While the invites have not been sent yet, those close to the couple are aware of the development. Speaking of the excessive need to be discreet, a source close to Katrina revealed, “Katrina is not the kind who will do things secretly. One can expect an official announcement soon.”

While the wedding is slated to happen in early December, barring the ceremony days, there will be no elaborate break from work for either. Says a source, “Both Vicky and Katrina are committed to completing their films on time so there won’t be a honeymoon right after. Katrina will be back on her film set after the wedding. She has Tiger 3 (with Salman Khan) in the making and Sriram Raghavan’s next with Vijay Sethupathi. Shoot of both is likely to resume in December soon after the wedding.”

Buzz around Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal’s marriage is only getting stronger day by day. News is that the couple had a roka ceremony on the auspicious day of Diwali. Interestingly, it was filmmaker Kabir Khan who hosted the close-knit family affair at his home in Mumbai.

Katrina and Kabir have worked together in multiple films, including New York, Ek Tha Tiger and Phantom, which made their friendship stronger over the years. Katrina was joined by sister Isabelle Kaif and mom Suzanne, whereas Vicky had brother Sunny Kaushal and his parents for company. Reportedly, the décor was kept minimal with only flowers and lights used to deck up the space.

For those unaware, reports suggest that the actor couple’s wedding will be hosted at a 14th century fort-hotel in Rajasthan from December 7 to 9. The three-day affair will comprise haldi, mehendi and pheras. The destination wedding will apparently be attended by the duo’s close family members and friends. It also includes Kat’s close friend Salman Khan and his family who will be representing the bride’s side at the celebration.

While these have been strong rumours, a confirmation from Vicky and Katrina is awaited.