3 min readNew DelhiFeb 1, 2026 02:58 PM IST
Emraan Hashmi, who has been married to Parveen Shahi since 2006, recently opened up about his love story on Ranveer Allahabadia’s podcast, and it’s bound to touch your heart. Recalling the time he realised he wanted to marry his girlfriend, Hashmi shared, “I think the friendship went on for many years, almost 10 years. That’s when you know this is my kind of person. I want to settle with them.”
The Haq actor further spoke about where most relationships fall apart: the rose-tinted honeymoon phase. “What happens is that in relationships, there is a honeymoon phase, where you are putting your best foot forward. You are not seeing the actual person, but the version of them they project in the relationship. When you cross that and see the person for who they are, I think we reached that point. She saw my idiosyncrasies and whatever issues I had, and vice versa. My positives and her positives. And we felt that this is the right time,” he added.
Emraan and his family. (Source: Instagram/@emraanians)
Getting married: a personal choice
Gurleen Baruah, an occupational psychologist and executive coach at That Culture Thing, believes that there is no set age for reaching life milestones such as marriage or having children. The key point is that these decisions should be based on personal readiness rather than on pressure from others or societal norms. In fact, deciding on a timeline for life’s milestones, such as marriage and other significant decisions, is crucial for personal empowerment and mental well-being.
“As adults, we possess the autonomy to make choices that align with our values, feelings, and circumstances. While society may impose norms and suggest ‘ideal’ ages for achieving certain milestones, like settling down or starting a family, it’s important to remember that these are human-made constructs,” she told indianexpress.com.
From a psychological perspective, Baruah noted that delaying milestones can foster a deeper sense of self-awareness and emotional maturity. As people age, they often become more secure in their values, desires, and long-term goals. This emotional and psychological growth enables them to make decisions that are more aligned with their authentic selves, rather than feeling pressured by external expectations.
“Start by having an open and honest conversation with your family. Let them know that you deeply value their opinions and love them, but that choosing your own path doesn’t mean you’re disregarding their guidance or being disrespectful,” she said, adding that family pressure is constant, and navigating cultural expectations while honouring your own timeline for life’s milestons can feel like challenging, but the key is to strike the right balance through respectful communication and mature dialogue.
