After a grand wedding in Udaipur, newlyweds Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha returned to Delhi on Monday. The couple was welcomed at the latter’s home with dhol and special décor. Now, we have learnt that Chopra is likely to shift base to the Capital.

An insider tells us, “Pari will travel for work, shuttling between Mumbai and Delhi to maintain [work-life] balance.”

We’ve also learnt that the actor and the politician will resume work soon and skip going on their honeymoon. “At the moment, Parineeti is spending quality time with her in-laws. She will soon head to Mumbai for work, including promotions for her upcoming film with (actor) Akshay Kumar,” a source says, adding, “Raghav, too, has a lot lined up, with the Winter Session of the Parliament coming up.”

The receptions that were to be held in Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai are also on hold, we have learnt. “They’ve pushed everything due to shradh (a period when rituals are done for forefathers; starts tomorrow),” adds the source.

A sea of people dressed in hues of white, boats sailing across Lake Pichola, and at the centre of it all, the groom going across the lake to wed his ladylove. This is what fairytale weddings are made of. And it came true for actor Parineeti Chopra and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member Raghav Chadha, who tied the knot at the Leela Palace in Udaipur yesterday.

The guest list was diverse, representing the two different worlds that the couple hail from—while the ladkiwale included tennis star-friend Sania Mirza and couturier Manish Malhotra, the politician-groom’s baaraat comprised Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Yuva Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray.

On D-day, the festivities began at 1 pm with Chadha’s sehra bandi at the Taj Lake Palace Hotel, where the groom’s side was put up. Around 2.30 pm, the baaraat along with local musicians made their way across the lake in boats, decorated with white flowers, to the Leela Palace for the nuptials.

A source reveals, “The baaraat milni, where the bride’s family welcomes the groom and wedding procession, took place at 3.30 pm, followed by the varmala ceremony and saat pheras. Keen to keep it subtle, the couple had chosen a pearl-white theme for the occasion. Parineeti wore a Manish Malhotra lehenga, drape and veil, all embellished with crystals. Raghav complemented her perfectly in an ivory-coloured sherwani, designed by uncle Pawan Sachdeva. His uncle, in fact, designed his outfits for the entire round of festivities.”

The nuptials that wrapped up by 6.30 pm were followed by a reception at 9 pm.

On Saturday, the couple hosted a sangeet ceremony. Chopra, an ardent fan of Punjabi music, roped in singer-actor Navraj Hans to perform at the ceremony.

When mid-day reached out to Hans, he said, “I sang Mundeya, Dumadum mast kalandar, Bolo tara rara, and ’90s songs, including Mere khwabon mein jo aaye. I sang Parineeti’s song Zehnaseeb too. She wanted me to end the show with Rabba, which is her favourite. She said, ‘You cannot leave without singing it.’ Both of them danced to all the numbers, including Gud naal ishq mitha.”

The newly-weds are expected to host a reception later this month in Delhi-NCR, and another in Mumbai.

------------------------------------------

Actor Parineeti Chopra and politician Raghav Chadha’s wedding celebrations were a stylish affair in Udaipur (Rajasthan).

The couple had a blast at their cocktail-sangeet party that had a ‘Let’s Party Like It’s The ‘90s’ theme. Singer Navraj Hans serenaded the couple with Gur Nalo Ishq Mitha, Dil Chori Sada Ho Gaya and their favourite ’90s hits. The couple danced for around three hours. The menu included stalls of chaats, popcorn, candy floss and Maggi.

Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, designer Manish Malhotra, tennis player Sania Mirza, and cricketer Harbhajan Singh, among others attended the wedding.

Chadha’s outfits were designed by his maternal uncle, designer Pawan Sachdeva: “Raghav doesn’t wear anything that is heavy on embellishment. We replaced embroidery with texture on the fabric so that it looks rich and heavy. I made two or three looks for each function and he picked from them.”

In some photos circulating online, Chopra can be seen donning a silver three-piece ensemble and her husband-to-be sporting a navy blue jacket suit. The couple had a pearl-and-white theme for the entire wedding. Chopra also opted for minimal mehndi.

The couple had a joint haldi ceremony on September 23. A source tells us, “It was high on Punjabi vibes and songs. There was traditional giddha, too, which added a special touch and got the whole family together to shake a leg.”

Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha’s wedding festivities began with a chooda ceremony in Udaipur yesterday. Parineeti’s maternal uncle gifted her a set of red chooda. The wedding venue, situated beside Lake Pichola, was adorned with floral decorations. Following the chooda ceremony, mehendi and haldi rituals unfolded with close family and friends in attendance.

The welcome lunch, named ‘Blooms and Bites’, offered a taste of Rajasthani culture through its cuisine and decor. In the evening, guests enjoyed a sangeet night with a ’90s Bollywood theme, titled ‘Let’s Party Like the ’90s’.

Guests seen at the airport included Bhagyashree and Himalaya Dasani, Aamna Sharif and actor-poet Shailesh Lodha. The shaadi is set to be a starstudded affair, with politicians and Bollywood celebrities expected to attend.

As per reports, along with Rajasthan police officials, a team of 100 private security personnel has been deployed at the wedding venue. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot are expected to attend the reception.

Raghav’s outfits for the wedding have been designed by his uncle, fashion designer Pawan Sachdeva. The designer says, “Raghav likes it subtle and classy, as it goes with his style, persona and profession. He hates embroidery or anything flashy. So, I created textures on fabrics without any embroidery, so it looks like a wedding attire. For the wedding, he will be wearing a sherwani. For the haldi and mehendi ceremonies, he wore different styles of kurtas.”

The Delhi-based designer also revealed that the groom’s trousseau comprises “Indo-western outfits, tuxedos (that he will wear for the wedding reception tonight), asymmetrical cuts and bandi set.” Sachdeva adds, “All of them are a mix of sharp cuts with minimalistic designs.”

Parineeti’s cousin Priyanka Chopra won’t be coming down from the US to attend the wedding. Yesterday, Priyanka took to social media to wish her sister for her big day. She shared a picture that has Parineeti smiling and wrote, “I hope you are as happy and content as this on your big day little one.. always wishing you so much love #newbeginnings @ parineetichopra @ raghavchadha88 (sic).”

Celebrations are in full swing as Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha are set to tie the knot soon. The couple and their families are currently in Delhi for the pre-wedding functions, which include an ardaas and kirtan. That apart, we hear that to add a fun twist to the celebrations, their families will indulge in a cricket match.

Informs a source, “There are a lot of fun activities planned for the guests, and one of them is a cricket match. So, it will be really exciting as it will be a Chopras versus Chadhas cricket match. Their friends are also going to join in the fun activity.”

For those unaware, Parineeti and Raghav are big fans of the sport. The duo was spotted at a Mohali stadium watching an IPL match in May. Later in June, they also attended the India versus Australia World Test Championship final in London.

After the cricket match in Delhi, the families will head to Udaipur, where other ceremonies will unfold on September 23, followed by the wedding on September 24.

Prep for actor Parineeti Chopra and politician Raghav Chadha’s wedding later this month is in full swing. We have exclusively learnt that it will be a week-long affair in Udaipur (Rajasthan). “Though Parineeti is busy with work currently, she’s been planning the wedding day in, day out.”

The wedding festivities are expected to commence on September 17. The wedding and other functions will be held at The Leela Palace Udaipur. “Only close family members and friends will be staying there. For the other guests, all luxury properties in and around the wedding venue have been booked. It’s going to be a grand Punjabi wedding. The celebration will end on September 24,” says the source, adding that special plans are in place for “guests to indulge in all things all things touristy”.

Talking about the security arrangements, the source adds “As a lot of politicians will be attending the wedding, the hotels have been told to beef up security arrangements. A recce is underway by the police to ascertain a security plan.”

On Tuesday, Dinesh Vijan’s production house announced its 15-film slate that comprised sequels to Stree (2018), Bhediya (2022) and Shiddat (2021), as well as fresh projects including Murder Mubarak, Chhava, Happy Teachers’ Day and Shahid Kapoor-Kriti Sanon’s yet-untitled rom-com.

But it looks like within hours of announcing Shiddat 2, there is a change in its casting. We hear leading lady Parineeti Chopra is no longer a part of the romantic drama that was to see her share screen space with Sunny Kaushal.

Sources attribute the development to the classic case of date issues. An insider reveals, “Karan Sharma’s directorial venture was originally scheduled to start in August. But due to technical delays, the filming has been moved to October-November. As luck would have it, Parineeti is busy in that window. She has two yet-untitled projects.”

Rumours also suggest that Chopra and Aam Aadmi Party member Raghav Chadha, who got engaged in May, are likely to tie the knot in October-end, with celebrations running into November. The source adds, “The makers would have had to incur additional expenses due to the change of dates and the wedding break. So, Parineeti and Dinesh mutually decided that it was best to go ahead with another actor for this film.”  

So, who will play Kaushal’s love interest in the upcoming offering? From what we hear, the producer has now initiated talks with Wamiqa Gabbi, who has caught filmmakers’ attention after Jubilee. The actor apparently has loved the script.

Another source tells us, “If the movie has to go on floors in October, the team is left with little time. On the cards is an elaborate Europe schedule. Plus, the styling team will need over a month to lock costumes and do fittings for the leading lady. Considering the conversation with Wamiqa only began this week, the contract is yet to be locked.”

Shiddat, helmed by Kunal Deshmukh, was an intense love story centred on a young couple, essayed by Kaushal and Radhika Madan.

mid-day reached out to Chopra’s team and producer Vijan, who didn’t respond till press time.