Love Story Of R Madhavan And Sarita Birje Is A Real Life ‘Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein’

Ranganathan Madhavan and Sarita Birje have a sweet love story which not many are aware of. Theirs was a long courtship lasting eight years, which then culminated in their wedding. It’s been almost two decades that they have now been together as husband and wife. During this time they shared the ups and downs of life together, and have been a constant support to each other. So how did it all start for the lovebirds and how has their marriage been a successful one? Let’s take a closer look.

The two met at a communication class in 1991

A Bachelor in Electronics, Madhavan was very much interested in joining the Armed Forces and had also joined the National Cadet Corps. However he could not fulfill this dream of his, and started conducting communication and public speaking classes in Kolhapur. On the other hand, Sarita was an aspiring air hostess. On the recommendations of her relatives, in 1991, she joined Madhavan’s classes to aid her in preparing for the interview process.

It was Sarita who asked Madhavan out for a date

Though Madhavan’s class did help Sarita in brushing up her skills, little did both know that it would also prove to be a life-changing event for them. Sarita was able to get through her air hostess interview. She shared this news with Madhavan and to express her gratitude, asked him out for a dinner date.

Talking about this incident, in an interview, Madhavan said:

“I was teaching a personality development class in Kolhapur when I met Sarita. She was aspiring for a job in an airliner and attended my classes. When she finally bagged the cat, she thought it was in part, due to my classes and took me to a ‘thank you’ dinner. That’s how it started.”

This one date led to another. And after eight years of romancing and dating, they decided to take relationship to the next level.

Their traditional Tamil wedding was a private affair

It was 1999 and though he had not yet made it big in the world of cinema at the time, Madhavan had bagged roles in Hindi TV serials like Banegi Apni Baat and Sea Hawks. He also hosted the popular game show Tol Mol Ke Bol. The couple decided to ring the wedding bells that year. They had a traditional Tamil wedding in Chennai, which was a strictly ‘family and friends’ affair.

This is what Madhavan shared when asked about his marriage:

“…She asked me out on a date one day. I was a dark man and thought it was an opportunity. Didn’t know if I would ever get married so I grabbed on to the opportunity and married her.”

Madhavan became a superstar after marriage

Post marriage, not only did Madhavan found marital bliss, but also experienced new success in the world of mainstream cinema. His first big break came in the year 2000 when Mani Ratnam cast him as a lead in Alaipayuthey, which gave him his first Filmfare (South) award. The film did good at box office and was remade as ‘Saathiya’ in 2002. He did many movies with Mani and achieved stardom down south. With success came a lot of fame and adulation, but the bond between the couple grew stronger.

Madhavan believes in keeping the relationship very transparent and entrusting

In an interview he shared:

“I often leave my phone behind when I go out, or hand it to Sarita if I am busy,……. She has the opportunity to go through the texts or calls, emphasising that I have nothing to hide. This builds her trust in me.”

The trust further strengthened after their marriage as Madhavan used to take Sarita along with him for any outdoor shoot. Madhavan was quoted saying:

“I realised that there were many temptations — being in outdoor shoots in the company of beautiful women. I took Sarita everywhere I went. This way, she was around when I got introduced to actresses. I was never lonely during my outstation schedules. When Sarita sees me in a romantic scene, she knows the sentiments behind it are not real.”

Mani Ratnam told Madhavan how to lead a happy married life

In August 2005, Sarita and Madhavan were blessed with their son Vedant. In 2009 he relocated to Mumbai with his wife and son as he started getting good offers. The couple celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary in June 2018. Madhavan gives credit for his long lasting marriage to his mentor Mani Ratnam’s marital advice. Mani once told him, “Many couples test their relationships fatally, when there is no need to.” Sarita too has ensured that the family has a normal lifestyle, notwithstanding Madhavan’s star status. They have made sure that Vedant too remains grounded and plays with other kids and learns from his mistake.

Both of them give each other their individual space, which has helped in strengthening their marriage.

In an interview to TOI, Madhavan said:

“She understands me completely, keeps me totally grounded. If we go to a wedding, we insist that we stand in a line like everyone else to wish the couple. She is also practical…… I never ask Sarita where she is going, with whom or when she’ll be back…..We don’t insist on going out with each other and neither has to explain who they are with.”

Madhavan and Sarita have withstood the test of times together and have always been alongside each other, enjoying every moment of theirs. We wish the family all the best for their future.