Shah Rukh Khan turns wedding priest

SRK turns 'priest', gives Indore couple a ceremonial 'marriage' and a promise of money

SRK turns 'priest', gives Indore couple a ceremonial 'marriage' and a promise of money

While on a promotional tour for My Name Is Khan, Shah Rukh Khan turned wedding priest and got lovebirds Ashok and Reena Vishwakarma from Indore remarried.

Shah Rukh Khan with Ashok and Reena Vishwakarma

Talking about his experience, Ashok, who comes from the village Jamkoatha in Madhya Pradesh, says, "My wife Reena and I entered our love story in the MNIK contest Khan Ka Salaam Pyar Ke Naam. The contest aimed to find the most unusual or inspiring love story or how far one would go for one's love. And Reena and I shared a very interesting love story as we had an inter-caste marriage. We entered the contest through a radio channel."

The couple has been married for two and a half years and have a two-and-a-half-month-old son Atharva were in for a pleasant surprise when they narrated their story to SRK. Ashok says, "Shah Rukh told us since we didn't have a ceremonial marriage he'd get us married on stage. He gave us var maalas and in stead of the saat pheras he made us give seven vows or kasams -- not to fight with each other, etc."

Ashok says, "Shah Rukh even gave us a letter that said he was giving us a wedding gift of Rs 51,000. He said he'd send us the money later. I really appreciate this. Reena and I have struggled a lot in life after our marriage. There was a time when we didn't have a fan, lived in an 8 X 8 room and cooked food on the stove. Today I'm working with a telecom company and am able to afford a 2-wheeler. After the show got over, logon ne hamein pareshan kar diya. My phone hasn't stopped ringing since three days!"

Ashok says that what appealed to Shah Rukh most was when he said how Reena had saved Rs 10,000 and given it to Ashok to try for work in theatre in Mumbai.
The contest is being held at Ahmedabad, Indore and Lucknow and includes entries from across the world. The finals are being held in Delhi on February 9.

Ashok's story

Says 25-year old Ashok, "I told Shah Rukh how Reena and I had been in love for the last four yearsu00a0-- ever since we became neighbours. I sent her a letter as we didn't have telephones in the village, writing the song from Kal Ho Na Hou00a0-- Kal chahe jo ho dil se mile mushkil seu2026 and Reena accepted. Our parents were against the marriage as we were from different castes. Her parents fixed up her marriage to another guy and would keep her locked up in her room. Every day I would get a locksmith to open the door and meet her. A day before her marriage, we ran away, had a registered marriage and set up home in Bhopal."