Tanya Deol Recalls Nervous First Meeting with Bobby Deol’s Parents: ‘I Was 19, Dressed in a Salwar-Kameez’

Bollywood couple Bobby Deol and Tanya Deol have been together for nearly three decades, with a love story that resembles a cinematic fairytale. Married in 1996, the duo has consistently captivated fans with their charm, warmth, and strong family bond.

In a recent throwback interview with renowned designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, Tanya shared candid memories of her first encounter with Bobby and his family. She revealed that their initial meeting occurred at Trattoria, where she was with her brother and friends. Tanya recounted, “Bobby knew one of them. And then we bumped into each other a couple of times at night. I didn’t say hello to him because I didn’t know him. It didn’t matter at the time.”

Despite Tanya’s indifference, Bobby’s interest only grew. Their paths crossed again at Chunky Panday’s Diwali celebration, where Bobby tried his luck at a card game with Tanya. “He kept losing to me but wouldn’t pay me. He said, ‘I will take you out for a meal.’ I thought, ‘What’s wrong with this guy?’” Tanya laughed.

The connection strengthened when Bobby called her late one night. Tanya admitted, “It was some absurd hour, and I was fast asleep. I picked up without knowing who it was and said, ‘I’ll call you tomorrow.’ The next day, I asked all my friends if they had called me—they hadn’t. He thought I was snooty,” she joked.

The couple then spent a week talking continuously, during which Tanya realized she was falling in love. “It was like a fairytale. We didn’t even go on a date; we kept attending parties. One night, he insisted on dropping me home, and at my door, he asked me to marry him,” she revealed.

Tanya also recalled the first meeting with Bobby’s parents, Dharmendra and Prakash Kaur, when she was just 19. “I was really nervous, dressed in a salwar-kameez. His parents were warm and welcoming. They made me feel completely at ease,” she said. This meeting helped Tanya feel confident about taking the next step in their relationship.

Six months after meeting Bobby’s parents, the couple tied the knot in a grand celebration attended by approximately 10,000 guests. Tanya shared, “Initially, it was just Bobby and me, and eventually, the family took over. We were just sidelined!”

Today, the couple shares two sons, Aryaman and Dharam, and remains one of Bollywood’s most admired pairs, balancing fame, family, and enduring love.