Dampening their spirits amid the ongoing Ganesh Chaturthi festivities, singer Rahul Vaidya and his wife, actor Disha Parmar, have both been suffering from dengue. He tells us, “I went to Pune on September 1, I am sure mujhe tabhi kaata hoga mosquito ne. By the time I got infected and the symptoms started showing, it was the night of September 5.”

He adds, “I was shivering and had a high fever. Those five days were the worst days of my life. Bhagwan kare kisi ko kabhi yeh bimaari na ho. The weakness was so bad that I wasn’t able to get up from the bed for four days.”

Vaidya, 36, says that his wife had accompanied him to Pune, and hence, she, too, got infected: “We are on the way to recovery, but abhi thoda time lagega, kaafi weakness hai. Our medicines are on, we eat only light food and do not workout. I had already committed to an event for which I had to travel for a day in between. Our platelets are also low, so we are taking regular blood tests and measures to improve them.”

Thankfully, their daughter, Navya, who will soon turn a year old, is unharmed. “Luckily, woh nahin aayi thi Pune. Her daada and daadi are taking care of her. She is a calm and independent girl, she doesn’t need us all the time.”

The singer is upset that despite having Bappa home, he couldn’t be part of the Ganeshotsav festivities this year. “We were on the bed the whole time. My mum managed everything, including the prasad and attending to guests. Mere doston ne aake Bappa ka visarjan kiya, hum kuch nahin kar paaye. I felt really bad,” he ends.

Delhi always treats me with a lot of love. It excites me with the kind of people I get to meet here,” says Rahul Vaidya, who was recently in the city to shoot for his upcoming video. Sharing an anecdote from his recent visit, when he was stranded and the shoot was stalled, he says, “A couple spotted us and offered us their house for an outfit change.”

Amazed at the hospitality of Delhiites, Rahul says, “Dilli ke gharon ka culture hai to welcome guests warmly, I have witnessed it. This couple made tea for us and was so helpful. Hospitality is embedded in Delhi’s culture. It was my good fortune that I met them and got to experience their love, firsthand. Money can be earned, and one can do a lot of things, but fandom is something money cannot buy. I feel blessed.”

Another thing that Rahul finds fascinating about the city is Dilli ka khana. “Mujhe Khan Market aur Connaught Place ke restaurants mein jaa kar khana bahut pasand hai. There is no particular dish that I crave, but I love Delhi food, all in all,” he says.

When in the capital, the one thing that Rahul always does is visit his friends. “I meet only two of them in a day because Dilli mein sab bahut dur hai, and if I meet everyone in one day, I will end up spending time on the roads only,” he adds.

Rahul, who recently gave a live performance in the capital, says, “After a big lull, live performances are back in full force. People are all out now, bhuchaal sa aa gaya hai.”

When we ask him to pick between performing live on stage and playback singing, he has a clear favourite, as he says, “As an artiste, there is no better feeling than being able to perform on stage and owning it for those two hours. Recording at a studio is a technical process, devoid of engagement with people.”

With indie music, artistes enjoy their creative liberty, feels the Naughty Balam singer. “It gives me the power to not compromise on my creative thoughts.” Talking about how more singers in India are producing and making music independently, he says, “In the west, indie music is the way to do it. We are now catching up with this trend. It satisfies creative aspirations, and that’s why singers are opting for it now.”

After his stints in Bigg Boss 14 and Khatron Ke Khiladi 11, Rahul doesn’t want to participate in any reality shows for now. He reveals that he was offered the current season of Naagin, but he had to turn down the offer. “I am committed to my music right now and have to travel frequently for it, and as an actor, you can’t do that,” he shares, adding, “I am not aiming to become an actor, but if there is an interesting short-form project that comes my way, I would consider it.”

It’s been a busy time for Rahul Vaidya. However, he ensure that he always finds the time to catch up with his friends whenever he can. He did that during his recent trip to Delhi, too. “I usually have a packed schedule when I am in Delhi. There are business meetings, and then I meet my friends, so it is always hectic, but fun,” he tells us. In a candid conversation, the former Bigg Boss contestant talks about life after marriage with Disha Parmar, acting plans and why being a runner-up has been lucky for him.

Rahul and Disha have been among the most popular couples of showbiz. From Rahul confessing his love for Disha during his stint on Bigg Boss 14 to their wedding pictures, their fans have witnessed every bit of their love story. Ask Rahul if anything has changed in his life after marriage and he says, “People make a big deal out of it — shaadi ke baad yeh hota hai, woh hota hai — but nothing has changed for me.”

Rahul says, “I’ll give you an example. My work here was not done, so I had to extend my trip. And I was thinking, ‘How do I tell her?’, but even before I could, she herself said, ‘Why don’t you stay back since your work is not done. Meet a few friends, enjoy yourself.’ So, when you get a partner who is so understanding, it makes life easy.”

With Rahul and Disha both stepping out for work, how do they manage time? Rahul says, “I am busy with my work and she is shooting for Bade Achhe Lagte Hain 2. The only time that we get to spend with each other is when we have dinner. But I am fine with it because work keeps us going, it keeps us happy. When you end up spending too much time with each other, you end up fighting (laughs!). Whatever time we spend with each other, it is very beautiful, and I don’t want to change that,” he says.

While Disha is resuming work on TV now, will we see Rahul in an acting project anytime soon? “When you are interested in something, you work towards it. I am not working towards any acting projects, to be honest. This week itself, I got an offer for a TV show as the lead, and I said no to it. TV is something that I am not programmed to do. If there is an interesting project, where I have to shoot for 30-40 days, that is something that I am open to. And if something comes my way organically, I would love to explore,” he says.

Rahul, who was the second runner-up of Indian Idol 1 and the first runner-up of Bigg Boss 14, shares that the runner-up position has been lucky for him. “Some people win shows, some win hearts. I have always believed in winning hearts. My career started with Indian Idol and I lost that show. I was the second runner-up, kuch fark nahi padha. Life was great, I did so much work after that. For me, the runnerup position is luckier than being the winner,” he says.

The singer says that his life has changed after participating in Bigg Boss 14. “The show has made me a massy name. In our industry, everyone only strives for one thing — to become a massy name. I don’t think I could have ever asked for anything better. I never thought of doing Bigg Boss because I always thought that a person like me was not made for something like that. But then Coronavirus happened, live shows were not happening, and that is my bread and butter. That’s why I said ab kya karun, kuch nahi toh yeh karke aata hoon,” shares Rahul.

He adds that he decided to do the show not for fame or money, but because he wanted to earn loyal fans. “Show par hote hue trend hona roz ki baat hai, but even today, after six months of the show, I am still trending everywhere. It is such a magical feeling that I really can’t put into words. This is the only reason that I had gone inside the BB house. I was like zindagi mein naam, paisa toh log kama lete hain, but if you can earn some loyal fans then there’s nothing like it. I had not done that show for name or money, but to earn some lifelong fans, and I am so happy that happened,” he ends.

Singer Rahul Vaidya and actor Disha Parmar are days away from walking the aisle on July 16 and the wedding madness seems to have enveloped them. “The frenzy has made me realise why people marry only once. There are so many things pending. I’m looking into every detail. While we were dating, we never had to do much, things happened smoothly. Shaadi mein bahut mehnat lag rahi hai,” the singer quips. After they made their relationship official, fans created a hashtag #Dishul that crossed a million Instagram posts.

With such attention on their relationship, ask him if it gets a bit too much and he replies, “I don’t take it any other way than being happy about it. Celebrities work all their lives for attention. I do not mind it. It is the most special day of my life and I am glad that so many people want to know about our special day! It doesn’t pressurize or burdened at all.”

The couple hasn’t decided on their honeymoon yet as Vaidya has three music videos to shoot while Parmar has some pending work as well. “We would love to go to Switzerland or Austria but it won’t be possible due to the pandemic. We wouldn’t mind going to Goa and chilling for a week, maybe,” he concludes.

Rahul Vaidya, the runner-up of the recently concluded Bigg Boss 14, won hearts on the show, but lost his own to actress Disha Parmar. The talented singer was lauded for his straightforwardness during his stint inside the house. However, it was his love life that caught everyone’s attention and grabbed headlines. Rahul entered the show as a singleton, but professed his love for Disha, who was seen in the TV show Pyar ka Dard Hai Meetha Meetha Pyara Pyara, just a month into it.

Talking about realising his love for Disha and proposing to her on the reality show, the singer tells us, “Uss ghar mein aapko log buri buri baatein bolte hain. Initially, nobody used to even speak to me. I would often wonder main kahaan aa gaya. I was a complete misfit. During that time, I started missing Disha immensely and wanted to meet her. I hadn’t met her on my birthday in September or before going inside the house. I regretted not telling her that she was the love of my life when I was outside. Woh ghar aisa hai jahaan aapko baahri zindagi ke harr rishte ki ahamiyat realise hoti hai.”

Disha admits she was taken by surprise with the proposal. She says, “I was celebrating my birthday with my friends when a promo of him proposing to me broke on television. I was taken by surprise because I had no idea that he would do something like that. Hum date toh kar nahi rahe the ki proposal aa jaaye. There was no denying that I liked him, but I was shocked. We liked each other, but never spoke about our feelings and he straight away proposed for marriage! It took a little time for things to sink in. Then I thought about it. There was no way I could have said no. Even my family was surprised. I had tears in my eyes while watching the promo. He came out for a week in between and we got an opportunity to discuss it.”

Rahul says he was worried sick of Disha’s family’s reaction to his proposal. “There was no response from her for some time. I was scared ki kuchh gadbad ho gayi hai — either her family hasn’t liked it or she didn’t appreciate it. What if her mother hadn’t liked me proposing marriage to her daughter on national television! Aap uss ghar mein harr angle se sochte ho. Achha kam sochte ho, negative hi zyada sochte ho. As far as my family was concerned, they knew that I would marry the girl of my choice. And they are extremely fond of her,” he shares. Disha confirms that her family is also happy about the match.

So, how did it all start between them? Apparently, Rahul and Disha started chatting on Instagram in mid-2018 and soon became friends. Disha shares, “I liked a song by him and commented ‘Loved it’ on the post.” Rahul adds, “I thought itni sundar ladki hai toh mauka kaise chhod dete (laughs!). I messaged her, we started chatting and soon exchanged numbers. We hung out for the first time in Delhi while shooting for my single, Yaad Teri, in November 2018.” Recalling how their friendship blossomed, Disha says, “We were shooting for four consecutive days. So, we got time to sit down and talk. I had a soft corner for him. We were good friends before he entered the Bigg Boss house.”

We asked the love birds what attracts them to each other. Rahul says, “Iske chehre par bohot shaanti hai. I have never heard her speak ill about anyone, including people she may not like. This quality of hers amazes me. She is simple and extremely beautiful. I realised my love for her quite late, but people around us always wished for us to be together.”

Disha loves Rahul’s sense of clarity in thoughts. She says, “Kya chahiye, kya nahi chahiye, kya karna hai kya nahi karna hai — he is clear about everything in life. He is honest and romantic, and that’s amazing (smiles!). I’m sure that he is going to be a great husband.”

The couple is all set to take their relationship to the next level and plans to tie the knot soon. Rahul reveals, “We are still in the process of finalising a date, but marriage will happen in three to four months.”

Any pre-wedding jitters? “Both of us are calm people. We aren’t fussy at all. I have performed at a lot of weddings and have witnessed all the grandeur, which is why I would prefer mine to be simple and intimate. We will host a function for the fraternity later,” he signs off.

Rahul Vaidya started his Bigg Boss journey not knowing that he would be in the top two at the finale. He is the runner-up of Bigg Boss Season 14, while Rubina Dilaik took home the trophy. In a conversation with Bombay Times, he spoke about his journey in the show. Excerpts:

I’m happy that my journey in Bigg Boss has ended. I would’ve been happier to be on the winning side, but there can only be one winner. However, I believe in winning with dignity and losing with grace. Honestly, I am very happy that now I can get back to my family and my girlfriend and spend quality time with them. I have done my bit, and being in the top two means a lot. I am so surprised that I am not sad at all.

No, I don’t think that is the reason, because people don’t keep these things in mind. There’s no point in you being inside the house throughout and not performing well and I’m sure my competitors, too, messed up a few times. People keep your journey in mind and forgive you for your mistakes. As Salman Khan sir said, we both were at par with each other, but somebody was just a bit ahead. And, I humbly accept the decision of the public.

Hum rahe ya na rahe, kal yaad ayenge ye pal, pal yeh hai pyaar ke pal, kal yaad ayenge ye pal.

I have got what I wanted the show to give me. I wanted to gain new fans and reach more people who had not seen or heard of me. That has surely happened through this platform. An artiste is nothing without his or her fans and I am happy to have found new fans.

I can probably blame my luck a bit. But I would rather be happy for whatever my luck has given me rather than complain about what it hasn’t. Fifteen years ago, when Indian Idol happened, I was a different person, and now I am a completely different person. I have no regrets.

Not really. I met my family after I came outside. When I was in the house, I was missing them a lot. So, that comfort of meeting them reflected in my behaviour, I guess.

Let’s see, because one should never say never. If something excites me, then why not?

I am very good at handling my temper, and I always been compassionate. I have kept that grace intact and never lose it by getting nasty with anyone.

No, I haven’t figured that out yet, but we will think about it, I’m sure, when we both are at peace.

She was really upset. She was sad, but I told her, ‘Baby, it’s fine, and we are all good.’ 

Rahul Vaidya has always preferred to take the R unbeaten path. While playback singing is what success in Bollywood is all about, Rahul has always remained an `entertainer' before anything else. We met him for a quick tête-a-tête and here's how it rolled.

You've survived a decade without doing too much of playback singing...
I have always worked in my own zone. I don't feel playback singing is the criteria to judge a singer's success. I have never gone behind people for work. Things happen when they have to. Calling a composer for a song 10 times a day won't magically land me a song. My relationship with fellow composers and artistes is friendship first and work, later. Playback is not my only aim. I see myself as an entertainer more than a singer. People love singing in a studio. I don't enjoy singing in a studio. I love being in front of a live audience and that is the real test of a singer. Studio mein toh aaj kal har koi gaa leta hai. Perfection in your craft is visible when you are live on stage.

Was music always your passion?
Ever since I remember, I have been singing. Even before it became my career, I was singing in colleges. I used to learn from my gurus ­ Suresh Wadkar and Padma Wadkar. I never did it professionally then but I sang a lot of jingles. Indian Idol was a sudden leap for me and that changed my life completely. At 17, life became fantastic. I've never been a part of the rat race. Better things have always come my way. Now, I have movie songs, singles, all in my kitty. I am leaving for London in November for a project. I do what I love and get paid handsomely for following my heart.

There's a notion that reality show winners often don't make it in the mainstream.
The industry functions very differently. It has its own rules and destiny plays a pivotal part in making things click here. It is not necessary that every contestant who has fared well on a reality show gets songs in movies. Film music is a completely different ball game. Today, there are too many new talents from many new shows. In the 90s, there were barely five playback singers. Now, there are different composers for each song in an album and many singers. The volume has gone up manifold. A playback singer cannot rule any more because their shelf life these days is not more than two years. The industry has changed for better and can now take in more talent.

How do you understand success?
There is no rule to success. The most special things in life, just happen. You can't plan them. I have Bhushanji's blessings and good things have naturally come my way. He is running an entire empire single-handedly. His keen sense of music is simply unparalleled. I owe him a lot.

What does music mean to you?
I am not a kalakar who survives on music. I don't wake up with music and sleep with music. I do music, I love music but it isn't my life. It is an integral part of life but not my entire life. Music is my constant companion for every mood. I love my own space. In my studio, we laugh, we jam and music just happens over it.

What kind of music do you personally enjoy?
I am a complete Bollywood freak. The new club and pop music and of course old Hindi songs. I am not much into jazz and blues. Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar... is my all-time favourite. The new club romantic genre is my instant choice. A romantic song with beats is again a song in my space. With my DNA and personality, romance works.

How do you take the female adulation?
If I didn't have that, I would be worried. It is nice. Women are extremely faithful and loyal in their choices.

Are you dating anyone?
Professionally, life is a high. Personally, it hit a low note. I recently became single but my agenda is by 2017, I will have babies come what may!