While discussions about celebrities choosing not to marry often dominate headlines, veteran actor Suhasini Mulay‘s story offers a different perspective. The actor, known for her performances in films such as ‘Lagaan’ and ‘Jodhaa Akbar’, spent six decades waiting for a partner she truly connected with. Rather than settling for the sake of marriage, she chose patience, eventually finding love when she least expected it.Looking back on her journey, Suhasini revealed that she entered marriage for the first time at the age of 60. “I married for the first time at the age of 60. Until then, I hadn’t found the right match. My husband is a very well-known scientist. When he talks about science, I don’t understand a thing, but he is a wonderful human being.”
A Facebook recommendation led to a new chapter
The beginning of her relationship with scientist Atul Gurtu sounds like a story from the digital age. During an appearance on actor Sulekha Talwalkar’s YouTube channel, Suhasini shared that she had initially joined Facebook after someone suggested it could help her stay connected professionally and discover new opportunities.While browsing the platform one day, she came across Atul’s profile. Intrigued by his background in physics, she decided to reach out. “I saw Atul’s profile and thought, ‘Physicists are on Facebook too?’ He was working on the Large Hadron Collider. Since I have always been interested in science, I sent him a message asking, ‘What is LHC?'”What began as a simple query soon developed into regular conversations through emails, eventually paving the way for a deeper connection.Despite enjoying their exchanges, Suhasini initially found the idea of finding a life partner at that stage of life difficult to believe. She recalled that Atul never made a direct proposal but subtly indicated that he was searching for companionship. “He never directly proposed anything, but he hinted at it. When I realised he was looking for someone, I laughed to myself. I thought, ‘When I couldn’t find the right person in 60 years, how am I suddenly going to find him now?'” Unsure of how to proceed, she sought advice from a close friend, who encouraged her to remain open-minded about the possibility.
The advice that changed Suhasini’s perspective
A friend’s practical advice ultimately pushed Suhasini to explore the relationship further. She remembered being told, “At this age, the options only become fewer. Don’t shut the door before you’ve even opened it. If you don’t like him, you can always move on. There’s no harm in trying.”Even then, the actor remained careful. When Atul requested her phone number, she refused immediately. “When Atul asked for my number, I told him, ‘Good girls don’t give their phone numbers to strangers.’ On the internet, it’s not about who you meet; it’s about what you meet. People create fake profiles all the time.”To ensure everything was genuine, she verified his identity by checking details linked to his workplace and comparing them with information available online.
A friend’s encouragement and a leap of faith
The final nudge came from a childhood friend who challenged her hesitation. According to Suhasini, her friend jokingly remarked, “You’ve lived alone all your life without being scared. What’s stopping you now?” Soon after, Atul sent her a message that left a lasting impression. “If you want to bring a change in your life, you have to work towards it.” Those words encouraged Suhasini to give the relationship a genuine chance and move beyond her reservations.
The first meeting that sealed their future
Although the two had been communicating for months after first connecting in July, circumstances delayed their face-to-face meeting until shortly after Diwali. Even then, Suhasini approached the encounter with caution and a touch of humour.“I wanted to make sure he actually looked like the person in the photographs before meeting him,” she recalled, admitting that she deliberately arrived late.The meeting, however, exceeded expectations. What started as a Facebook interaction eventually blossomed into a lasting partnership, proving that meaningful connections can arrive at any stage of life, often when they are least expected.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source timesofindia.indiatimes.com ’
