Maybe now that Ms Mirza has turned into Mrs Malik, the happy couple can pass on their love story and journey to marriage through a series of 'nikahnama', 'talaqnama' and another 'nikahnama' to Bollywood. After all, it has all the 'masala', including 'Pati, Patni aur Woh' that goes into the making of the lovey-dovey 'running around the trees' films.
Sania's saga started with her engagement to childhood sweetheart Sohrab Mirza in July 2009 and she continues to be the highest TRP grosser for Indian news channels. In spite all speculation, calculations and discussions in various newsrooms, it seems that they are finally tying the knot that too with a bang. The next BIG question is "For how long will they stay married?"
'Patni' aka Sania Mirza
Not new to controversies and fatwas, Sania Mirza is known for her controversial stand on topics such as safe sex and her 'devil may care' attitude towards religious critics. Sania hogged the limelight with her skills on court, but soon she became the darling of the media and eternal eye candy. Of late, she has donned the garb of a celebrity with great aplomb than that of a sportsperson. Her engagement to (now history) Sohrab Mirza in 2009 was national news and so was her break-up with him in January this year.
'Pati' aka Shoaib Malik
Shoaib Malik has finally earned his 15 minutes of fame on Indian television, thanks to his new innings with Sania. His history coupled with a controversial relationship made sure that he is the one tagged in all news reports. What more, the controversial ex (girlfriend or wife or whatever) hails from Hyderabad, the same place as the current love of his life. After a chain of denials and confessions, Shoaib Malik finally did what the 'ex' wanted out of him, a divorce in public.
'Woh' aka Ayesha Siddiqui
Ayesha Siddiqui was the protagonist in the whole drama. In a very "Nahi yeh shadi nahi so sakti" fashion, she woke up from her eight-year-long hibernation to the news of her not-so-dear darling husband Shoaib marrying the sporting sweetheart of the nation, Sania Mirza. That was when she realised that it was a do-or-die situation for her.
Sania had attracted the media attention by going public on TV about her wedding with Shoaib. The Ayesha angle to it only made it big. Much bigger than the Naxal mess for the readers and audience. The most interesting bit in the Ayesha-Shoaib nightmare included Shoaib marrying her over phone from Pakistan. What followed was Shoaib playing 'jamai raja' on his visits to Hyderabad, a super happy father-in-law throwing a party for the Pakistan cricket team and Shoaib calling Hyderabad his wife's hometown during a post-match presentation ceremony. And then, things started going downhill when Ayesha had a miscarriage; gained weight and Shoaib lost interest in her to an extent that he denied marrying her. When Sania-Shoaib wedding was announced, she rose from the ashes (yes, like a phoenix) to fight for her rights and get a divorce on a public platform. (By the way, all the above is what was claimed by Ayesha or say Shoaib was accused of).
Twisting turns
Now, what made rounds in the media was the heated chitchat between everybody who was either connected or disconnected with the confusion. Everybody had a say. Shoaib denied marrying anyone. Then confessed marrying over phone, but said the woman he thought he was marrying was not Ayesha and was duped into a marriage.
Then he said that the marriage stands invalid for he saw somebody else's picture at the time of marriage. After all of this, when the police intervened and took away his passport and clerics demanded verification from Pakistan for him to get married to Sania, he went ahead and gave Ayesha what she wanted, a divorce.
Now, Ayesha is all happy for by the end of it she has emerged as 'Haar ke bhi jeetne wala Baazigar.' She went on record saying she may not have won the battle but she hasn't lost it either. Amid all this, she gathered great support and sympathy of the people of Pakistan as well. India saw political parties protesting in favour of her.
Finally, she had stepped into a league where whatever she said not just made news but made primetime news. Now, even she and her family could call for a press conference.
Sania was more like the lead actor's Man Friday who is just supposed to agree with whatever the hero says. Sania-Shoaib joint press conference saw Sania telling the media that she was happy with the wedding and trusted Shoaib. (Gosh! Tell me something new).
The tailpiece
Last but not the least, the role of 'Baigani shaadi mein Abdullah deewana' was played by the Indian media that showed sporting spirit in covering everything that passed from the 14th lane off Sania Mirza's house. Right from Sania's smile when she looked at Shoaib talking to the press to the wrinkles on Shoaib's forehead when he was asked about the controversy, nothing went unnoticed from our ever-vigilant media. The Mirza-Malik wedding saga did not limit itself to just verbal stunts on the camera but made its way into the studios where experts were discussing "the issue".
Now that the wedding is done and dealt with, the next big thing seems to be the reception party on 15 April at the Taj Krishna in Hyderabad. The media is already carrying the write-ups on starters and desserts to be served there. But then who is interested in the mouth-watering menu at the Sania-Shoaib wedding reception? Who wants to know about the 23 main course dishes, seven types of starters, the salad counter and a kebab corner that would serve 'pathar ka ghosh'? Naah! Not me.
Let us wait and see if the media carries its pen and paper along with the camera to their honeymoon destination and manage to get a few shots of their cosy moments together. After all, the media dedicated itself to this wedding. Sania and Shoaib have earned it the flashiest way. Box office success is surely not a cakewalk.
