A romantic proposal in the Maldives later, Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha were ready to walk down the aisle in April 2020. But the pandemic played spoilsport, compelling the lovebirds to postpone the nuptials. Now, it is heard that the actor duo have decided to tie the knot in March 2022.

A source reveals, “The wedding will be a two-city affair — in Mumbai and Delhi. However, they will keep it intimate with only family and close friends in attendance. At the moment, the actors are looking at various venues in the cities and will zero in on the locations soon.”

A March wedding sounded perfect for the couple who have projects lined up starting April. “Ali is working on a few Hollywood projects. So, they worked out their dates and settled on a summer wedding,” adds the source.

Fazal and Chadha first met on the set of Fukrey in 2012, marking the beginning of a beautiful friendship that soon blossomed into love. Earlier this year, they rolled out their production house, Pushing Buttons Studios to back new talent and brave stories.

Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 4, 2020)

The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha would agree. The couple was all set to tie the knot in April this year, but had to postpone their wedding indefinitely in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic and the resulting lockdown. While it was being speculated that the ceremony will take place towards the end of the year, Mirror has learnt that the duo has decided to get married only in 2021 now.

Admitting that the current year has played spoilsport in more ways than one, Richa reasons that the pandemic is far from done and the vaccine is still nowhere in sight. “So, it is only pragmatic to push the wedding to the coming year in the interest of everyone who would wish to attend,” she says.

In an interview with Mirror (May 25), the bride-to-be had revealed how her boyfriend of five years and she had organised everything themselves, and the festivities were spread across three cities—Lucknow, Delhi, and Mumbai. The invites had yet to be sent out, but everything else had been finalised and had to be cancelled.

The groom agrees that the year is jinxed and everything has turned topsy-turvy. “Let’s see when we are able to accept the new normal, then, we will decide on a date, maybe early next year,” says Ali. Will they stick to the three-city party plans? “We came up with that plan only so our relatives wouldn’t have to travel. We wanted to tackle each side in their own city,” he chuckles.

He has another plan in place in keeping with social distancing norms. “We can book several large and open fields, each far away from the other, and rent out a local train so we can drop by as bride and groom at the different venues, enjoying the food at every place,” he laughs, adding, on a more serious note, “Jokes apart, I hope things get better real soon”.

With their wedding stalled, Richa and Ali making do with video calls
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 25, 2020)

A week ago, Richa Chadha had shared a throwback post with actor-boyfriend Ali Fazal, writing, “Long time no see”. The duo, who have been dating for five years, haven’t seen each other for over two months despite being in the same city. “We could have asked for permission from our respective housing societies, but it would have been a risk. So, we avoided meeting,” informs Richa.

If the pandemic and ensuing countrywide lockdown had not played spoilsport, Richa and Ali would have been married by now, with festivities spread across three cities—Lucknow, Delhi and Mumbai—in April. “Ali and I were organising everything ourselves. The invites were yet to be sent out, but we had finalised other things, which had to be cancelled,” she sighs, saying, for now, it’s a waiting game. “I was called an anti-national on Twitter for asking when the lockdown would end. Now, we will take a call only when normalcy returns.”

However, unlike other lovelorn couples, Richa and Ali were used to video calls before the Coronavirus lockdown, thanks to long outdoor schedules. “We are used to the distance by now. Besides, I love being alone,” points out the actress, who currently has her brother for company. “He came in just before the lockdown was imposed and it’s a good thing, as otherwise I’d have been too lazy to cook for myself,” she chuckles, boasting that after all the time spent in the kitchen, she has finally perfected the masala dosa, sambar and coconut chutney spread.

Richa admits she was quite disturbed initially when the lockdown started. Workouts and meditation helped calm her down. “Every time I watched the news, I’d get anxious about the plight of the poor and so started doing charity. I just want to help in any way I can,” she asserts.

The actress, who is currently reading How to Start a Revolution based on the Serbian democracy movement, warns of the consequences of neglecting the poor in dire times. “If the upper and middle class think they will skirt around the crisis, they are in for a shock. Not paying those who have helped them all their lives and letting go of them in their time of need, is going to come back to bite them,” she prophesises.

Towards the end of last year, Richa made a trip to Kazakhstan to learn belly-dancing from world renowned dancer April Rose, who lauded her moves in a practice video she posted recently. Ask her if she’s learning the dance form for a film and she shoots back, “None of my films have the scope for dance. I’d kill it in a dance film, but no one offers me one. I would even do an item song where I wouldn’t be the item.”

Actor working on his first script, a period film; is looking forward to marrying Richa Chadha post lockdown
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 16, 2020)

The nationwide lockdown, announced on March 24 in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, has thrown life out of gear. While adhering strictly to social distancing norms and staying indoors to help prevent the spread, several B-Townies are exploring different facets of their personalities and uncovering new talents, like cooking and creating music videos.

Ali Fazal, who has been home since early March, has taken to the written word by starting work on his first script. A source close to the actor tells us that Ali, who returned from the UK after a four-month shoot of his international project, Death On The Nile, also featuring Wonder Woman Gal Gadot and Armie Hammer, has been dabbling in writing for months now. “Fiction writing is an entirely new ballgame for Ali. He has been reading books on screenwriting to ensure that he follows the rules of writing,” informs the source, adding that the story is close to his heart, which is why he is so excited about it. He has already worked out the plot points and has started fleshing out the scenes.

When contacted, Ali confirmed the same, saying writing is an entirely new experience for him. He explains, “The first few days of lockdown were difficult because, like everyone else, I was trying to make sense of the new normal. That’s when I realised the value of art and cinema and started working on an idea. It’s a period film, with a bittersweet quality to it, a slice-of-life story which cherishes life. At a time like this, it’s necessary to look at life from a fresh perspective and I hope I am able to do that with this film. It’s a work in progress, let’s see how it turns out.”

Ask him why he is going back to the past for his debut venture and he reasons, “Perhaps, I don’t find too many exciting things to talk about these days. It’s a weird time, I’m sure many will talk about this time in the future. So, I’ll let that be.”

When an actor forays into writing, filmmaking can’t be far behind. But Ali says that he has no plans for filmmaking, “not yet” anyway. But he is quick to add that over time, he has come to understand that the real puppeteer is the director, it’s with him that the real power lies; it is with him, where the story-telling begins after the writer. “We are all part of this story-telling. I have just begun writing something; it is going to take time. I am still getting my head around it. So, direction has to wait. Pehle achcha actor toh ban jaun,” he smiles.

Had the coronavirus not become a global pandemic, Ali and Richa Chadha would have become husband and wife by now. Mirror (February 13) had broken the story that the actors, who first met on the sets of Fukrey (2013) and have been in a relationship for over five years now, were all set to tie the knot. The wedding was initially planned for June, and was advanced to April due to the couple’s prior work commitments. The pandemic has thwarted all their carefully laid plans, forcing them now to defer the wedding to October.

Ask Ali if they have a new date in mind and he says shortly, “It has been delayed until further notice. I think we will celebrate with the world when everything is open again. We have something to celebrate... some good news hopefully, that everyone will get and we’ll make sure to bring that along with our wedding. Until then, we’re following all the rules of the lockdown and awaiting the next steps.”

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; May 15, 2020)

Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha were to tie the knot in April this year. However, they had to push their wedding to the end of the year, due to the Coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown. Ali, for the first time, opens up about his wedding and life in the lockdown.

He says, “We were supposed to get married, but it has been pushed. Of course, it is a bit disheartening because we were all geared up, and preparations were on in full swing. But it’s fine. We didn’t want to make a big noise about our wedding. It is just the next step forward in our lives. The idea is to celebrate our special day with people close to us, our friends and family. Once things settle down and when the time is right, hopefully, we will come back and the new world will celebrate with us. I don’t know what kind of wedding celebration it will be now, given the new norms, but let’s see.”

Talking about the lockdown, Ali shares, “For me, the biggest lesson learnt during this crisis is not to take your life, people in it, nature or any of it — be it a morsel on your plate or your biggest achievement — for granted. It’s all yours, till you are alive. And you need to love yourself.”

The actor also believes that this phase has made everyone more independent and equal. He explains, “It has made a lot of us self-reliant. I was used to the boarding school culture in my early years. Those years made me self-sufficient, and that helped. Cooking and cleaning should not be limited to a certain gender. I also hope that to a certain extent, the lockdown has wiped out the misogyny and patriarchy in our male-dominant value system.”

He adds, “We have a common invisible enemy, so we must join hands to fight it, as long as we follow the social distancing norms, and fall in line. The only way to judge how close we have become through this ongoing crisis is by seeing how we behave when we enter the new world. We will be wearing masks, and won’t be able to relate to each other the way we did before, as we won’t see each other’s expressions or smiles anymore. This phase has brought us closer, but it has also distanced us. Humanity should fight this big fight together.”

Radhika Bhirani (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 13, 2020)

When in 2019, Ali Fazal shot for a film in which he was in a voluntary house arrest, little did he know he’d soon be caught in a similar situation — but involuntarily. “That was a posh, voluntary house arrest. It was a very convenient, nice, big house, because we wanted a shooting- friendly ‘manchaahi’ location. But I think everything changes the moment it is involuntary.”

Recently, when Fazal returned from USA, following four months of shooting, he was not just geared for new projects, but also prepping for his wedding to actor Richa Chadha, which in the current Coronavirus scenario, stands postponed. Ask him about it, and he says, “Sabki life postpone ho gayi hai, shaadi toh... let’s see what comes out of this in the new world. I hope we come out as better people with a better system and better climate. I think there’s a major churning happening everywhere. It’s definitely a time to reflect.”

Admitting that he’s “missing” seeing Chadha, for whom he has been penning poetic mush online, Fazal, 33, says they’re happy “being responsible by following the rules”. Fazal is spending this time by cooking, cleaning and reading.

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; March 19, 2020)

Things have gone topsy-turvy for everyone amid the corona crisis. But safety comes first. Given the situation, Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha who were to tie the knot in April in Mumbai, have now decided to push their wedding to October.

We reached out to the couple and their official spokesperson confirming the news, said, “Given the current scenario and unfortunate turn of events owing to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha have decided to postpone their wedding functions to the latter half of 2020, tentatively. They wish for everyone to be healthy and safe and at no cost would they want their friends, families and well-wishers to be affected.”

“It’s not safe to venture out at this time and we don’t know how long this will go on for. Ali’s extended family is based in Canada and owing to travel restrictions they cannot be here in April. The couple is also expecting industry friends from the UK and US, who also won’t be able to be here in April. So, October seems feasible for now. Everything else remains the same including the venue, outfits planned and teams involved,” revealed a friend.

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 18, 2020)

The year began with the promise of two big, fat Indian weddings in Tinsel town — rumours were rife that Varun Dhawan and longtime girlfriend Natasha Dalal were set to exchange vows this summer while Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal's four-year romance would get its happily-ever-after with an April wedding. However, with the Coronavirus outbreak in the country, it may be a while before either couple walks down the aisle.

A source reveals that in light of the recent developments, the Dhawans have shifted their wedding dates to the second half of the year. "The initial plan was to have an intimate wedding on a private island in Thailand, but it was scrapped last month in favour of a destination wedding in Jodhpur. Eventually, they called that off too and were considering having a low-key ceremony in Mumbai. But looking at the current scenario, they have decided to tentatively push the shaadi to November and have reverted to their original choice of destination — Thailand."

Chadha and Fazal too may postpone their round of band, baaja, baaraat. "Many of their guests were to fly in from the US and Europe for the do. Also, the couple was hoping to have their nuptials in Delhi, which is currently on a partial lockdown. So, they think it's best to delay the wedding to later this year," says a source close to the couple.

mid-day lays its hands on Richa Chadha-Ali Fazal's application for marriage registration dated Feb 15; the couple said to be eyeing mid-April date for the wedding
MID-DAY (February 28, 2020)

As buzz around Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal's April wedding gathers steam, mid-day has procured the first official proof of the couple's impending wedding. The two have applied for a marriage registration at the Bandra Family Court, a copy of which is in our possession. A source informs, "The duo submitted their application on February 15, 2020. So, as per the marriage registration rules, the wedding can take place any day post March 15. Considering Ali and Richa have shoots lined up, they hope to wrap up their commitments by March 31, and dedicate April to their wedding functions. The preparations are on in full swing. Their shaadi will take place mid-April, followed by the court wedding in Mumbai."

When mid-day reached out to Chadha and Ali, the actors' official spokesperson said, "Currently, only the date for the registration has been taken. As per process, a three-month window is valid [for the wedding to take place] from the date that has been allotted. The couple is working towards an official registration in the last week of April, post which the celebrations will follow. All we can say is that it's a happy occasion, and all the parties involved are elated."

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; February 26, 2020)

You will not see this couple indulging in too much PDA or featuring regularly on each other’s Instagram posts, but that hasn’t kept our attention away from Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha. Putting speculation to rest, our sources have confirmed that the couple will tie the knot in the third week of April. We hear it was a romantic proposal. Ali proposed to Richa in the Maldives a few months back, and it was an instant “yes” from his lady love. The wedding dates will be locked in the next few days, and April 15 is one of the options for the big day.

A source revealed, “The question was never ‘would they’ but ‘when would they’ get married? The two first met on the set of Fukrey in 2012 and have been friends ever since. They started dating in 2015, made their relationship public in 2017 and now, they are all set to take the big leap. The wedding will happen in Delhi among close family and friends. The festivities will go on for two days. There will also be a party for their Bollywood friends in Mumbai after that.”

Apparently, the couple has opted for an unconventional venue for their shaadi festivities. “Ali and Richa are going to go quirky with their wedding, owing to their personalities. The duo is working round the clock with their teams for interesting, unconventional venues and celebration ideas. The party in Mumbai will most likely be at a venue by the sea or in an experiential venue, something like a performing centre, which is a break from the usual venues.”

While the two have been vocal about their relationship, the wedding news has been kept under wraps. Speaking of Ali, Richa had told us, “Ali is extremely supportive, and I couldn’t have asked for a better man in my life. It’s rare to find like-minded people who share their core values and have similar interests.” Talking about their marriage plans, Ali had told us, “I believe in the sanctity of marriage. I think it’s beautiful. Somewhere, we all stumble upon it, I guess.”