Veteran actor Pankaj Dheer, renowned for his iconic role as 'Karna' in BR Chopra's popular TV series Mahabharata, passed away today at the age of 68 after a long battle with cancer. His passing has brought grief not only to his family but also to his fans.
Today, we bring you an anecdote related to the actor that reveals what an interesting person he was. This anecdote relates to his daughter-in-law Kratika Sengar and son Nikitin Dheer's love story.
When Pankaj Dheer arranged his son's marriage
Pankaj Dheer's son Nikitin Dheer, gained immense popularity with his role as Thangabali in the Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone-starrer Chennai Express. Nikitin's acting and physique made him particularly successful in this role. It was his father who guided Nikitin on the path of acting, as well as love.
Yes, it was his father who found the right life partner for him. This girl was none other than the famous TV actress Kratika Sengar, who rose to fame with the TV show Jhansi Ki Rani.
How was the match finalised?
In fact, Nikitin's father, actor Pankaj Dheer, was working on his first directorial venture when Kratika came in for an audition. Pankaj Dheer was so impressed that he not only chose the lead role for her in the film, but also decided that she would be the perfect partner for Nikitin. He discussed the matter with Kratika and then went to meet her parents.
This is how Nikitin and Kratika met for the first time. In an interview with Pinkvilla, the actress said, 'I bonded well with Pankaj Uncle and Nikitin and gradually, Nikitin and I started liking each other.' Nikitin added, 'Kratika is a family-oriented girl who has everything I wanted in a life partner: honesty, patience, and a strong personality.'
Kratika and Nikitin's short love story before marriage
Nikitin and Kratika got to know each other for some time before marriage. In the same interview, Nikitin said, 'I was in South Africa and she was in Mumbai. We used to talk on WhatsApp. I felt I had to prove myself before marriage, but Kratika explained to me that there's always something to do in life. I asked her if she was ready for both the joys and hardships of life, and she immediately said yes. That moment was very special.'
The actors tied the knot on September 3, six months after their engagement in April 2014. The ceremony was attended by numerous celebrities, including Hema Malini, Konkona Sen Sharma, Ranvir Shorey, Ronit Roy, Mansi Joshi, Karanvir Bohra, Teejay Sidhu, Gauahar Khan, Kushal Tandon, Gurmeet Choudhary, Debina Bonnerjee, and Mugdha Godse.
Nikitin and Kratika were blessed with a daughter, Devika Dheer, on May 12, 2022.
Also Read: Nikitin Dheer shared THIS cryptic post hours before father Pankaj Dheer's death | Find out here
