Valentine's Day special| Aditya Seal reveals he planned wedding proposal for Anushka Ranjan two months into dating

As we begin our special Valentine’s Day series, starting today, we sit down with actor-couple Aditya Seal and Anushka Ranjan as they take a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about their courtship days. After eight years together (including five years of marriage), Aditya Seal and Anushka Ranjan have a love story which is a beautiful blend of serendipity.

Their first meeting, however, was anything but smooth. Aditya recalls it as an “awkward” encounter. “I was walking for a fashion show for her NGO and during my costume trials, I wasn’t exactly comfortable in what I was wearing. So, when she asked me, ‘Is it good?’ I just said, ‘If it’s good for you, it’s good for me’. I didn’t want to chat much because I thought she was way too cool for me. Meanwhile, she thought I was throwing attitude her way!”

Anushka laughs as she agrees with his recollection: “My first impression of Aditya was that he might be arrogant or a little full of himself. But as our relationship grew, I realised he has one of the kindest and purest hearts I’ve ever known.”

Interestingly, Aditya wasn’t looking for love when they met. Fresh out of a heartbreak, he was determined to stay single. But fate had other plans. “I met her on June 26, 2017, and we started dating on October 6 — mostly because I forced her to date me,” he jokes. “By December that year, I was already sure she was the one. We were planning our first trip together for New Year’s, and I even thought about proposing with a ring. But I held back because it felt too soon.”

The proposal, when it finally happened, was nothing short of magical. Aditya chose the city of love, Paris, and Anushka’s birthday to pop the question. “She and her family had no clue, but my family knew I was taking a promise ring for her,” he shares. “I had made a video with messages from her friends and family about how she’s touched their lives. The last clip was of me saying, ‘I have so much to tell you, but I don’t have the words. Could you please turn around?’ When she did, I was there, holding the ring.”

Anushka, of course, said yes. But she reveals that it was a different moment that truly solidified their bond. “After we lost Aditya’s dad, it brought us closer as a team. We leaned on each other through that difficult phase, and he allowed me into his space. That was a major turning point in our relationship.”

When asked why they want to be each other’s forever Valentine, Aditya doesn’t hesitate. “I can’t imagine a single day without her. I’d be completely lost — no direction, no idea what to do next. It’s sad how dependent we are on each other, but we can’t imagine being apart.”

Anushka echoes his sentiment, adding a poetic touch. “I believe we’re two halves of one soul. We’re opposites in so many ways, but that’s what completes us. I don’t think I could ever find someone who fits into my life as perfectly as Aditya does.”