Suhas Yellapantula (BOMBAY TIMES; August 9, 2020)

It was celebration time for the Daggubati and Bajaj families as Rana Daggubati tied the knot with Miheeka Bajaj in an intimate ceremony on Saturday. The wedding, although traditional, was a starry affair with Tollywood stars like Allu Arjun and Ram Charan attending the do along with close family members of the couple. The street leading upto the Ramanaidu Studios, the wedding venue, was cordoned off by security personnel and the venue was transformed into a bio-secure bubble to keep Coronavirus at bay. Rana and Miheeka matched outfits for their fairy-tale wedding. Rana opted for a heavy pattu kurta and dhoti, with a kandva wrapped around his shoulders. Miheeka, who was keeping things fairly simple and light with her pre-wedding outfits, went with a royal look for the wedding. In a heavily embroidered cream-coloured lehenga and blouse, paired with a rust-coloured embroidered dupatta and accessorised with antique jewellery, she made for a stunning bride.

In a white-coloured mandap set up at Ramanaidu Studios, Miheeka and Rana sat on silver and rusted orange settes to perform their wedding pujas. With a painting in hues of yellows and greys in the backdrop, fresh flowers hung from the ceiling. Flowers matching Rana and Miheeka’s outfits, in shades of cream and rust orange, made for the rest of the wedding décor.

RANA GEARED UP FOR BIG DAY WITH A PUJA AT HOME
The Daggubati household was teeming with activity on Saturday morning, as family members gathered for a puja. The excited groom shared a picture with his father Suresh Babu and uncle Venkatesh to announce that he was “Ready” to tie the knot. “It’s going to be very simple, nothing extravagant. But, it will be beautiful,” Suresh Babu, Rana’s father, told us ahead of the wedding. “We’ll do all the Telugu ceremonies, including the kanya danam (a ritual of parents giving away the bride), apart from a few ceremonies from their side, too,” he added.

AN EMOTIONAL FAREWELL FOR MIHEEKA
Meanwhile, at the Bajaj residence, the bride-to-be began her morning with a small prayer at their in-house temple, after which she sought the blessings of the ancestors in her family. Bunty Bajaj, Miheeka’s mother, said, “I can’t believe my baby is ready to get married. She’ll be leaving the house, so I’m very emotional. But I’m happy that she’s going to a lovely home with a very nice family and Rana is a wonderful boy. I can’t ask for more.”

Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 8, 2020)

Rana Daggubati and bride-to-be Miheeka Bajaj’s joy was there for all to see despite the fact that they will be tying the knot today in the midst of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. The festivities began on Wednesday in Hyderabad with the haldi ceremony at the bride’s residence. This was followed by the mehendi on Thursday, again at Miheeka’s home, attended by Rana and his immediate family. On Friday, there was the traditional Pelli Koduku puja at the actor’s place, where he sought divine blessings for their lifelong union, along with a Ganesh puja.

The bride wore rose pink for the mehendi while the groom stuck to white and couldn’t look away from his lady love. In keeping with the current scenario, the couple and their families followed all health precautions, with everyone, including the groom, wearing masks.

The traditional Andhra wedding will be at Rana’s family property, the Ramanaidu Studios. The roka ceremony was held there on May 21, nine days after Rana virtually proposed to his bride. 

Suhas Yellapantula (BOMBAY TIMES; August 7, 2020)

After kick-starting Rana Daggubati and Miheeka Bajaj’s wedding celebrations with a traditional haldi ceremony on Wednesday, it was time for some band baaja at the Bajaj residence on Thursday. The guests seemed to be revelling in the wedding festivities as they grooved to upbeat music ahead of Miheeka’s mehendi ceremony.

After opting for traditional gold and yellow hues for her haldi ceremony, Miheeka went romantic and soft for her mehendi with a gorgeous pink lehenga, paired with a deep-cut jacket. Smokey eyes and understated lips accentuated her features and ensured all the attention stayed on her lehenga, accessorised with statement, kundan maang tikka and chandelier earrings. The groom-to-be, Rana, too was a part of the celebrations at his fiancée’s residence. Tollywood star Samantha Akkineni was also among the guests who had attended the mehendi ceremony, which was a casual yet classy affair.

Speaking to us, Bunty Bajaj, Miheeka’s mother, says, “While Wednesday’s haldi ceremony was a traditional affair, we decided to have a modern theme for the mehendi function. We used classic colours like white and pink for the theme as we wanted it to have an elegant feel to it.”

Loud music plays in the background while we talk to the excited Bunty. Are sangeet preparations underway, we ask. “No, no, we are just partying,” chuckles Bunty, adding, “After all the effort gone into the preparations, it’s good to have some fun as well. The whole family is here and we’re all making the most of the happy occasion.”

Meanwhile at the Daggubati residence, décor was minimalistic with the house decorated with traditional flowers. According to sources, there was a puja at Rana’s residence on Thursday, which will be followed by a pellikoduku function today. “All ceremonies will be simple affairs and will be done as per our Telugu customs,” said Daggubati Suresh Babu, Rana’s father.
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Leading up to the Aug 8 wedding, the haldi ceremony was performed in Hyderabad on Wednesday
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 7, 2020)

On May 12, Rana Daggubati announced on social media that he has virtually proposed to girlfriend Miheeka Bajaj in the midst of a pandemic and she had said “yes”. Nine days later, the actor shared pictures from his roka ceremony with the interior designer and event manager, making the news official. Since then, there have been speculations in plenty about when the couple will be tying the knot till Rana’s father, producer and studio owner, Suresh Babu, confirmed that the wedding will take place on Saturday, August 8.

Festivities have already started. On Wednesday, there was the haldi ceremony at the bride’s Jubilee Hills residence in Hyderabad. Miheeka opted for a traditional yellow attire, complete with shell and floral jewellery. The decor was straight out of the Nizam era, with gold drapes and baskets of lush marigold. The function was attended by her immediate family and a few people from the groom’s family, including Rana himself, who opted for a plain white shirt and a dhoti. Everyone was dressed in shades of sunny yellow, cream and marigold and maintained social distancing. Masks were mandatory. In fact, the lady who has knocked the Bahubali actor for a six, had made a style statement at the engagement by getting herself a designer mask that matched her outfit.

The wedding will be at the Ramanaidu Studios, where the roka ceremony had taken place earlier. There will be just around 30 guests from the bride and groom’s immediate family.

Starting today, wedding ceremonies will commence in the Daggubati and Bajaj households leading up to the D-Day on August 8
Suhas Yellapantula (BOMBAY TIMES; August 4, 2020)

One of the most high-profile weddings in tinsel town this year is all set to be a low-key affair. Rana Daggubati will tie the knot with Miheeka Bajaj in a traditional ceremony on August 8. Although there were rumours of a lavish wedding at a Hyderabad hotel, the Daggubati and Bajaj families revealed that the wedding will take place at Ramanaidu Studios and just like the roka, it will be limited to close family members.

“There will not be more than 30 people present at the wedding. We want to limit the guest list to just family and we haven’t invited even some of our closest friends, within and outside the film industry. The reality is that Coronavirus cases continue to rise and we don’t want our celebrations to risk anybody’s health, so I want to set the right example. The ceremony will be small, but beautiful,” says Daggubati Suresh Babu, Rana’s father.

BIO-SECURE BUBBLE TO BE CREATED TO KEEP COVID-19 AT BAY
The hosts are planning to transform the entire wedding venue into a bio-secure bubble and will take all necessary safety precautions. “Everybody who will attend the wedding will get tested for COVID-19. We will also keep sanitisers across the venue and maintain social distance. It’s a happy occasion and we want to make it a safe one, too,” shares Suresh Babu.

Agreeing, Bunty Bajaj, the bride’s mother, says, “It’s a special day for all of us and we want to celebrate it the right way. Safety comes first and we will not compromise in this regard.”

PELLIKODUKU FUNCTION AT THE DAGGUBATI HOME; MATA KI CHOWKI AT THE BAJAJ RESIDENCE
Ahead of the wedding, there will also be traditional ceremonies at the bride and groom’s residence, including the pellikoduku function, haldi and mehendi ceremonies and mata ki chowki. “All functions will take place with our traditional Telugu and Marwari customs. We wanted all the functions to go on just like every other wedding. We don’t want our kids to miss out on anything. Only difference would be the reduced guest list. Miheeka and I have designed the entire theme for the wedding and we got a team from Delhi to execute it. I want to keep the theme a surprise, so I won’t reveal what it is yet, but it will be truly special,” says Bunty, adding, “Every girl dreams about her wedding day and wants it to be perfect and Miheeka is no different. As her mother, I’m trying everything I can to make it special for her. I have one or two surprises in store for her and I can’t wait to see her reaction on the D-Day.”

RANA AND MIHEEKA TO HOST A PARTY FOR FRIENDS, WELL-WISHERS POST PANDEMIC
With many close friends of the couple not invited for the wedding, the families say that they will host a reception or a party for all their friends once COVID-19 situation gets better. “Yes, there are a lot of people who would like to bless the couple, but we have to think of safety at this time. Maybe once we get a vaccine or when the situation improves, we will host a party or a reception for those who missed out on the wedding,” says Suresh Babu.

Agreeing, Bunty adds, “So many of Miheeka’s friends from Mumbai were excited about the wedding, but cannot make it due to the pandemic. I’m sure she will throw one big party for them after COVID. Let’s hope that happens soon.”

— Inputs by Neeshita Nyayapati

The couple will host pre-wedding bashes for family and friends on August 6 and 7 before tying the knot in Hyderabad on August 8
Suhas Yellapantula (BOMBAY TIMES; June 1, 2020)

As soon as Rana Daggubati announced that he’s found ‘the one’, his family began plans for a winter wedding in December. However, Rana’s father D Suresh Babu had hinted that the actor’s wedding to Miheeka Bajaj could take place a lot sooner. “We have a lot of time on our hands during the Coronavirus lockdown, so the kids have given us something to do. We’ll be busy planning a wedding now and don’t be surprised if it happens a lot sooner than December,” he told us.

And true to his dad’s words, Rana will tie the knot as early as August. It will be a three-day celebration, with pre-wedding events set to take place on August 6 and 7, followed by the wedding on August 8. The wedding, a mix of both Telugu and Marwari customs, will be a private affair with only family and close friends of the couple in attendance.

The bride’s mother, Bunty Bajaj, who is planning the wedding, tells us, “Everything will be done as per the guidelines given to us by the government. At this stage, we don’t know how many people will be allowed to attend. Around 80 to 100 people might be allowed. But we don’t know how things around us will unfold by August. The government might change the guidelines at any given point. We don’t even know if international flights will be operational for relatives and friends who live abroad to attend. So, apart from the wedding date, everything else is uncertain.”

Incidentally, Miheeka runs an event management company and has planned several weddings in the past. Bunty says the coming weeks will be chaotic as she turns wedding planner to host the perfect wedding for her daughter. She adds, “I’m still working on the theme and décor for the wedding. I have something in mind, but since we don’t know the guidelines yet, I have prepared a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C for the wedding. It will be a special day indeed.”

Suhas Yellapantula (BOMBAY TIMES; May 22, 2020)

Actor Rana Daggubati and girlfriend Miheeka Bajaj kick-started their wedding festivities with a traditional roka ceremony on Wednesday. The ceremony took place at Rana’s grandfather D Ramanaidu’s memorial at Ramanaidu Studios in Hyderabad. Says D Suresh Babu, Rana’s father, “It was not a formal engagement ceremony. It was an intimate gathering with just immediate family present. Roka is a tradition from the girl’s side to make the alliance official. It was a beautiful ceremony and both families are extremely happy.”

Rana opted for a crisp white cotton shirt and lungi set, keeping things understated at the roka and letting his to-be-bride Miheeka shine in her salmon pink and red pattu sari paired with an intricately embroidered plum-coloured blouse. Miheeka’s mother, Bunty Bajaj, shares, “We come from a Marwari family and roka is a part of our tradition. We started the day with a small Ganpati puja at our residence and then we had the roka ceremony, where we applied tilak to the groom, and the families exchanged sweets. This was the first function to kick off the wedding festivities, so we’re all very excited. We also discussed the wedding dates and are in the process of finalising a date soon.”

Meanwhile, even as pictures of the couple took the internet by storm, the Daggubati and Bajaj families inform that more formal ceremonies are likely to follow. “We’ve not yet decided whether to have a formal engagement ceremony or to directly have a wedding directly and reception. There will be formal functions soon and we will share the details once they’re finalised,” Suresh Babu adds.

Neeshita Nyayapati (BOMBAY TIMES; May 21, 2020)

There were reports that Rana Daggubati had a hush-hush lockdown engagement with Hyderabad-based entrepreneur Miheeka Bajaj yesterday. Turns out, it was in fact the first official meeting between the two families. Rana’s father, Daggubati Suresh Babu, shares, “No, Rana hasn’t gotten engaged yet. Miheeka’s parents suggested meeting us over tea and that is all that happened.”

As per the tradition in the Daggubati household, the girl’s family visits the groom’s home, after which the groom’s family follows suit. When asked if they’ve decided on a date for the engagement, Suresh says, “There’s still time for all that and we are yet to decide the engagement and wedding dates. Yes, we are looking at a winter wedding, but in the wake of the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, there is a lot that still needs to fall in place. Once everything is finalised, we will make a formal announcement soon.”

Although mum on D-Day, Bollywood producer Tolu Bajaj says niece Miheeka's engagement a 'surprise' to family
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; May 14, 2020)

We have Rana Daggubati to thank for bringing us out of the Coronavirus lockdown ennui. The actor spread much cheer as he announced his engagement to long-time girlfriend Miheeka Bajaj on social media, on Tuesday. In an industry that can catch a whiff of even a fledgling romance, he managed to keep his love story under wraps. Not many know that the Hyderabad-based interior designer, daughter to jewellery designer Bunty and Suresh Bajaj, is a known face in Bollywood circles. She is the niece of producer and distributor Tolu Bajaj, and counts Sonam Kapoor aka Sonam K Ahuja among her close friends.

A source says, "The Bajajs have known Boney and Anil Kapoor for years. Miheeka had stayed at Anil's Juhu residence for a year when she worked in Bollywood. The family had attended Sonam's wedding in 2018. Although both live in Hyderabad, Rana and Miheeka had first met at a Bollywood party in Mumbai, and grew close over the years. Their families are excited about the nuptials. If all goes well, the two might walk down the aisle in December."

Tolu Bajaj is naturally over the moon about the good news. "The engagement has come as a surprise to us. My brother informed me about it only a few days ago. We have known the Daggubati family for years, but are not as familiar with the younger generation," he enthuses. He clams up when asked about the wedding details, stating, "I am not aware of the date."

Suhas Yellapantula (BOMBAY TIMES; May 13, 2020)

In an interview with us last week, Rana Daggubati said that he’s using the ongoing lockdown period to introspect and self-reflect. It looks like all the introspection has made the actor-producer realise that he’s ready to settle down. Rana popped the question to his lady love, Hyderabadi interior designer Miheeka Bajaj and the duo are set to get hitched later this year. The Baahubali star took to his social media pages to make the announcement on Tuesday. “And she said Yes :) ? #MiheekaBajaj (sic),” Rana posted.

According to sources close to the couple, Rana and Miheeka have known each other for a long time now and over the past few years, they had gotten closer and were spending a lot of time with each other. However, Rana’s announcement has taken even the couple’s closest friends by surprise.

Speaking to us, Rana’s father and Tollywood producer, Suresh Babu says, “During these grim times, we finally have a reason to celebrate. The entire family is happy. The kids have known each other for a long time now and we’re all very happy for them. It’s too soon to talk about other details about the wedding. We will reveal everything at the appropriate time.”

Although friends of the couple said that the wedding is likely to take place this December, Suresh Babu says it could even happen sooner. “The wedding will happen this year. We were thinking of having it around December, but it could happen even sooner than that too. We will reveal the details once things are finalised. One thing’s for sure, the kids have given us a nice way to enhance our lockdown productivity. We’ll now be busy planning a wedding,” he adds with a smile.
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Bahubali’s Bhallaladeva finds his match in Miheeka Bajaj, an event manager and interior designer
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 13, 2020)

Speaking to Mirror recently (April 27), Rana Daggubati had expressed mixed feelings about the Coronavirus lockdown. While his jungle adventure Haathi Mere Saathi, which was to release on April 2, was postponed indefinitely, he was happy to find a positive co-relation between what was happening around the world and his film, which is about nature fighting back. But now the actor has more reason than a delayed film to remember the year by. Rana, on Tuesday, announced his engagement to girlfriend Miheeka Bajaj by posting a picture of the them together, and gushing, “And she said yes”.

With social distancing still in place, popping the question couldn’t have been easy. A source close to the actor reveals that Rana turned to technology for help. “He has proposed virtually in the time of lockdown. He and Miheeka, who is an interior designer and event manager, have been in a serious relationship for a while now. No official engagement has taken place yet due to the current situation, but it’s official,” the source confirms.

Since they are both based in Hyderabad and belong to the same circles, the couple has known each other for a long time. “Their family and friends have been aware of their relationship and knew they were going to get married. Obviously, with the lockdown in place, wedding planning will take place only once things return to normalcy,” adds the source. While those close to the duo knew about them, the film fraternity had no idea. The source further reveals, “She never visited him on the sets and the paparazzi didn’t have any idea that they were dating. It was all strictly under wraps.”

Rana’s fiancee, who owns a design studio, is also a poet and blogs her thoughts on life, love and heartbreak. She was present at Sonam Kapoor’s wedding ceremonies and is a regular at their parties and designer-cousin Kunal Rawal’s fashion shows. As soon as Rana made the announcement, his Bollywood and Tollywood friends started congratulating him. Calling him his “Hyderabad son”, Anil Kapoor wrote, “I am so happy. The best thing to happen to both of you.”