Esha Deol, Bharat Takhtani tie the knot

Actress Esha Deol Friday married businessman Bharat Takhtani in a traditional South Indian ceremony at the Iskon temple in the Juhu suburb here. Her mother, Hema Malini, is “very happy” for her daughter.

Bride Esha was glowing in a red lehenga made of three Kanjivaram saris and gold jewellery, while Bharat looked dapper in white sherwani with zardozi work and maroon pagdi. The wedding outfits were designed by Neeta Lulla.

The decor at the temple was simple yet beautiful. It was heavily decorated with flowers.

Hema said she will miss her daughter, adding: “It was a normal South Indian wedding, with just slight changes. I am very happy for Esha, she has found the right person. We all are very happy. I will miss her but she is going to be in Mumbai, so I am happy about that.”

She was talking to reporters after the wedding.

The dress code for women was Kanjivarm saris and Hema looked elegant in a orange-red hand woven six yard, which she teamed up with a green blouse and kept her hair neatly tied at the the back. Esha’s dad and yesteryear star Dharmendra kept it simple – he chose to wear black trouser, white shirt and and grey jacket.

The ceremony saw the presence of creme da la creme from filmdom as well as politicians and businessmen.

Amitabh Bachchan came with son Abhishek and said: “My best wishes to the married couple.”

Legendary actress Vyjayanthimala, who attened the wedding, looked evergreen in a purple and orange traditional sari and said that she would have “not missed the occasion”.

“Hema is like a younger sister. The wedding has been done in a fabulous way. It is totally traditional. I am here only for Hema, we are like family,” she added.

Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha’s wife, Poonam Sinha, also came with her twin sons – Luv and Kush. She looked beautiful in a pink and golden sari.

Hema’s niece and actress Madhoo is happy for her cousin and said: “I want to tell her that marriage in beautiful. Marriage is all about what you do for the other person, so you should never fall into any power struggle. She has gone into a good family and I wish her all the best.”

Madhoo was wearing a golden and maroon sari.

Vinod Khanna, Manoj Kumar, Anu Malik, Esha’s cousin Abhay Deol, Ramesh Sippy, Sandip Soparrkar and his wife Jesse Randhwa were also there to bless the couple.

Rani Mukerji, looking beautiful in a white and red sari, was among the guests and said: “I am here to wish Esha on her special day. All the best for her married life.” The duo worked together in “Yuva”.

Fardeen Khan said he hopes that the couple should go to a nice place for honeymoon. “Lots of congratulations. I am very happy for her. I hope they go on a good honeymoon to get away from this heat.”

Sahara’s chief Subroto Roy, industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s wife Neeta Ambani and Sunil Rane of Atharva Group of Institutes, who is a family friend, were among the other high profile guests.

Top notch Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders too attended the wedding. From Raj Purohit, Mumbai chief of BJP, to party president Nitin Gadkari to national vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi – were seen there.

The family will host a reception Saturday at a prominent five star hotel in the city.

Photo : PHP