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South Indian star Arjun Sarja’s daughter, actress Aishwarya Arjun married actor Umapathy Ramaiah on June 10 at a Hanuman temple near Chennai. The couple had an intimate wedding in the presence of their close friends and family. Almost two weeks after the wedding, the actress sat down for an exclusive chat with News18 and revisited her wedding day.

“We’ve both been a mix of excited and nervous! The excitement comes from starting this new chapter together and celebrating with our loved ones. There have been moments of nervousness too, especially with all the planning and hoping everything goes smoothly. But overall, the anticipation and joy of getting married have definitely outweighed any jitters we’ve felt along the way,” Aishwarya shared.

Aishwarya met her husband thanks to her father, Arjun. She said her and Umapathy’s love story ‘kicked off in a pretty unexpected way’. “Uma was a contestant on Survivor, a reality show hosted by my father in 2021. He made quite an impression with his strength and personality, and we were all rooting for him to win. So, we followed his journey closely on the show. I actually met Uma for the first time when Dad invited him over for a boys’ night after the show. We clicked right away as friends, and everything just naturally fell into place from there.”

She further added, “I first saw him on ‘Survivor,’ not in person but in a promo video, and I thought he was really good-looking. When I finally met him, I was shocked because he was the strongest contestant on the show, but when he came to meet my dad for the first time, my puppy, Truffle, chased him around, and he ran like a child. It was hilarious because you wouldn’t expect a man who’s so brave and has faced snake bites to be scared of a little puppy. That was my first impression of him. He also has a great sense of humour and is very easy-going and helpful.”

“As for his impression of me, I heard he had been following my work for a while and had even seen my debut movie on the first day of its release. Neither of us knew we would end up getting married, but here we are,” she shared.

When asked if there was a specific moment when they knew they were meant to be together, Aishwarya reflected on their dating days. “I’m not sure if there was a specific moment, but when we started dating, it became clear that we both wanted something substantial. It wasn’t like we were just experimenting or anything. When you belong to each other, you just have this sense of knowing.”

She even shared how Uma changed for her. “I saw many changes he made voluntarily, like how he was with my dogs. He was genuinely phobic towards dogs, but once he realised how important they are to me, he made a total 360-degree change on his own. Now, he’s super close to them, and honestly, Truffle (my dog) and he are like a married couple. When someone makes such genuine changes without being asked to, you just know that this is something you don’t want to lose. It’s that sense of knowing that makes you realise you’re meant to be together.”

The Pattathu Yaanai actress also revealed that it was Uma who proposed to her. Calling it a ‘noteworthy and beautiful moment’, she added, “It happened during our sangeet performance. While we were dancing, he suddenly got down on one knee with an auspicious lamp called a Kuthuvilakku. The whole scene was so magical and traditional, with the lamp adding a special touch. It was unexpected and incredibly special. The fact that he included such a meaningful, traditional element made the moment even more unforgettable.

Aishwarya concluded by saying, “One special ritual was the Gauri Pooja. It happens just before getting into the main outfit. As the bride, I had to maintain silence and wasn’t supposed to talk to or meet a lot of people. It was a unique experience for me, wearing a golden saree for the pooja and then changing into a red saree. The entire wedding ceremony was traditional, from the decor to the venue. I was especially excited about getting married in our temple, built by my father. It was the first wedding ceremony to happen there, which made it all the more special.”