March 11, 2010: Given a choice Rajeev Khandelwal was happy being attached to his girlfriend Manjiri Kamtikar because he knew, marriage or not, he was in love with her for keeps and he didn’t need any formal announcement to prove it.

But the engagement to be held in May is being done to comply with the lady’s parent’s wishes. Manjari’s parents were anxious that he make the association formal. Gallantly Rajeev volunteered an engagement ceremony.

Says Rajeev, “Manjari and her parents come from a world far removed from cinema and the entertainment industry. They don’t understand the workings of Bollywood and their knowledge of what goes on here is based on what they read and see on television. You can’t blame them for thinking actors are not to be trusted. But I don’t know how it got out. I haven’t discussed it with anyone. Manjari’s parents or my parents in all their innocence must have shared the information with some people.”

Rajeev enjoys the distance that his girlfriend provides from the goings-on in the industry. “She works in an ad agency and is nowhere connected to show biz. She keeps me grounded. I’m looking forward to spending my life with her.”

-Subhash K. Jha/ Sampurn