Rakhi Sawant and Elesh Parujanwala showing off their engagement rings

Will she? Won’t she? Who will it be? After two months of intense speculation, Rakhi Sawant chose her man — Toronto-based Elesh Parujanwala — in the widely watched grand finale of Rakhi Ka Swayamvar on Sunday night. t2 caught up with an elated Elesh…

Now that it’s all over, how does it feel to be the chosen one?

Even now, it all seems pretty surreal. I feel like I am living a dream. And I don’t want this dream to end ever. I think I am the luckiest man in the whole wide world! I am that happy. I truly feel blessed that Rakhi chose me to be her life partner.

What were those final moments like before Rakhi placed the garland around your neck?

I was nervous and apprehensive, but at the same time I was praying to God to give Rakhi the strength and guidance to make the right decision. Everyone saw Rakhi praying to Jesus minutes before the decision, but I was praying as much. For her as well as for myself.

Looking back, what made you opt to be a part of Rakhi Ka Swayamvar in the first place?

Although I hail from Toronto, I have been living in Mumbai since November last year. I thought Rakhi Ka Swayamvar was a unique concept, something that hasn’t been done on television before and it seemed like a fun show to be part of. Besides that, I think I was at the right place at the right time. Rest is destiny, luck, chance….

How did your family react to your decision to be one of the 16 hopefuls in Rakhi Ka Swayamvar?

We are a very tight-knit family. My parents and sister have always supported me in my decisions because they trust my judgement. They know that I will always weigh the pros and cons of a particular situation before coming to any decision. So even for this swayamvar, all they told me was: “Go for it!”

What is it about Rakhi Sawant that appeals to you?

For me to like a girl, there has to be some sort of initial attraction. And I was attracted to Rakhi from the beginning. See, it’s not about looks. I find Rakhi very mentally stimulating. I love the way she talks, she is very eloquent in her speech. She knows what to say when and more importantly, how to say it. I love that most about her.

According to you, what is it about you that made Rakhi choose you over the other two contenders?

Well, I think you should be asking Rakhi that (laughs)! I think I am honest and I am true to myself and the people I love. From day one, Rakhi knew what I was and what I felt. What you saw of Elesh on the show is what I am in real life. Also, I think, my positive attitude in everything that I do appealed to Rakhi.

From the beginning of the show, everyone was given the impression that there would be a wedding in the final episode. Why settle for just an engagement then?

During the course of the show, I had made it very clear to Rakhi that I am financially not in a position to marry immediately. My partner and I have just set up an acting academy in Mumbai and everyone knows that it takes years for any business to start giving returns. Rakhi understood this and agreed. I don’t want to rush into marriage and neither does she. I am mentally and physically ready for marriage, but financially I still have some distance to go. I want to provide my wife with all the luxuries possible and the day I feel I can do that, we will get married immediately. Besides, I also feel that we need some time to get to know each other — I will have to get used to her lifestyle in Mumbai while she will have to adjust to my life in Toronto.

How do you react to allegations from certain quarters that you and Rakhi will eventually not marry?

Everyone has their opinion and I don’t want to give importance to all this loose talk by commenting on it. All I can is that Rakhi is the woman for me and we are very happy with each other.

How are you planning to approach this period between engagement and marriage?

One day at a time. See, I don’t have an agenda that week one is going to be like this and this is what I am going to do in week two. I just want to spend some quality time with Rakhi and get to know her better. I will do whatever it takes to make this relationship work.

How supportive are you of Rakhi’s desire to continue with her career after marriage?

I am totally supportive. She has taken such pains to build her career. The whole world knows her for what she does. Who am I to tell her to give it all up for me?

What about all those rumours that the two of you will participate in yet another reality show together?

Well, I really don’t know much about it at this point of time. We are still thinking about it. Let’s see.

Finally, how do you look back on these two months of Rakhi Ka Swayamvar?

It’s been a life-changing experience. Some bad moments, but lots of good moments. Most importantly, the show has given me the love of my life and I hope that she and I are always together.