HELLO! India Exclusive: Sussanne Khan and Arslan Goni on their "old-world romance with new-age energy"

They orbit the illusory world of entertainment but stand far apart, rooted in different talents, experiments, and world-views. Arslan Goni may not be the man of the moment, but he also has no trouble saying so. In fact, his compliance with fashion designer Rocky S’ request to get a buzz cut for this campaign stems from a humble stance of gratitude.

“When I was totally unknown — and I’m still not that famous — I’d often ask him for outfits to wear for Diwali. Once, he was dressed for a party for the festival, and I wanted to wear the kurta he was wearing. He took it off and let me wear it! Who can forget such a large-hearted gesture?”

Beauty and darkness make strange bedfellows, but Arslan is that proverbial dark horse who left a family of bright lawyers, from Jammu and Kashmir, to arrive in the city of dreams and nightmares with his thespianic ambitions. This isn’t the kind of city that cares about where you come from — as long as you can find the right box office formula. So, it may be unsurprising to some that he’s viewed through his connection as soulmate to his accomplished partner, Sussanne Khan.

Whether she’s praising her team of creative gladiators at her Charcoal Project stores, or shopping up a storm on holiday in Los Angeles, Sussanne has established a captivating identity as an award-winning exponent of interiors. With her handsome sons, from her marriage to superstar Hrithik Roshan, her book of life overflows. And now, there’s a love interest she calls “a miracle, a blessing.” As a twosome, they are there. But then, they are not. That’s Arslan’s style — tease the public but keep a personal story personal. Sussanne thinks along the same lines. “When I knew I wanted this bond for life, I told him, ‘I’ll never allow any outside force to infiltrate the solidarity of us.’ It’s important to have that magnetic protection for a couple,” she shares.

So, with Rocky S in tow, the three come together to toast their journeys as friends — and some visual storytelling magic — exclusively for HELLO!. Here are excerpts from the cosy conversation we had at the terrace balcony of Sussanne’s swanky home in Mumbai.

HELLO! India: Sussanne, you thought you had almost outgrown love. Then what struck like a cupid’s arrow? Sussanne: Before meeting Arslan, I had made up my mind that I didn’t ever want to fall in love. That my whole life was going to be about my work and my kids. That I’m going to be in this “no emotional drama” zone. Then I met him, and I remember how everything shifted in my head. It just felt very comfortable, like we had known each other all our lives, like a karmic bond.

HELLO! India: How did your boys calibrate to this new man in your life?

Sussanne: Hrehaan and Hredaan are like my best friends. When I met Arslan, I didn’t talk about him so much in the beginning. I introduced them some time in our second year together. I told my boys, “I met somebody who I really connect with, and I want you to meet him. Tell me what you think.” Then we had this really cute evening together.

HELLO! India: It’s been around half a decade now. Are they comfortable with him in your life?

Sussanne: Back then, Hrehaan was starting his teens, and now he’s 20. That’s an epic five years in a young life. For both my boys, it probably feels like a long time knowing Arslan.

Arslan: I’ve literally seen the kids grow up. There are a lot of sweet nuances in our relationship. It’s great among us, but I won’t say more as it’s very personal.

Sussanne: Through the years, we’ve spent so much time together. The trips, the summers… They think Arslan is a “cool” influence in my life! For example, if there’s something missing in my outfit, maybe the right footwear, my boys tell me, “You should tell Arslan to pick it.” They’ve built trust over the years. The loveliest part is that I never forced it on them.

HELLO! India: Sussanne, you run your business and are always on top of things. Arslan, at 39, you’re building your brand in a world like entertainment. How do you make time for each other? Sussanne: Yes, it’s extremely hectic for both of us. We don’t live together yet, but we make trips together. We try to spend our weekends sharing a live-in kind of bond. We make it a point to try to have the last meal of the day together.

Arslan: We’ve found a beautiful balance where we’re not entirely in each other’s faces and don’t overwhelm each other.

HELLO! India: Does your age difference affect your overall dynamic at all?

Sussanne: He may be eight years younger to me, but I’m the one who behaves like the silly one at times. He acts like the wiser, more mature one 90 per cent of the time.

Arslan: There’s a different mentality. I come from North India, where every son is a tiger’s son! I can take something entirely different from a certain situation than others. It boils down to your education, exposure, and maturity. We’ve both been through enough hardships in life. Now we want a soul-bonded connection, not chaos.

HELLO! India: How much time is enough time together?

Arslan: It really depends on the lifestyle. Last year, when I was shooting rigorously for my show, we didn’t see each other for a month. But I think when two people are in love, they manage to find time. Anyone who claims to be in love but can’t find time for their partner… That’s nonsense, not love!

Sussanne: Everybody has their own definition of “enough time together.” There are days when we can’t meet but can be on a video call all through.

Arslan: Sometimes, either one of us is too tired to meet, but we manage at least a 30-minute conversation five times a day. She’ll be in bed, telling me about her crazy week… It’s just about being there for each other. If she gets off work at 11pm one day, that doesn’t mean she loves me any less. We’re too mature to think like that.

HELLO! India: We recently interviewed a Bollywood couple who follow rituals of bonding, suggested by a therapist. What’s your take on that?

Sussanne: While I’ve had therapists help me in the past, it feels like he’s my therapist at present! We’ve never been to a therapist together — not yet, at least!

Arslan: Whenever there’s a tense situation, or we aren’t getting time together, we try to discipline our lives. Both of us love to have fun. We love to explore new places, learn new things… So, we just promise each other that for the next three months, we’ll follow military-like discipline, accomplish things, and then relax. We keep tabs on each other. In that sense, she becomes my therapist and I become hers.

Sussanne: Although we love each other so much, we never sugarcoat things. We’re very blunt and honest with each other, which is quite powerful. In the beginning, I used to be a little on edge about this, but then I started realising that I loved this because it’s so freeing when a person is real!

THE DESIGNER & HIS MUSES

From idea to execution, the entire concept of this shoot — presenting Sussanne and Arslan in nevere-beforeseen avatars — was driven by fashion designer Rocky Star. So much so that he even advised the couple to “chisel down” and made Arslan get a buzz cut! “At the time, Arlsan and I were both carrying a lot of holiday weight. So we got into shape!” shares Sussanne. “When people with good energy come together and collaborate, good things happen. There’s a multiplier effect. So here, all three of our energies came together!” The two have known Rocky since they were roughly 17 or 18 years old, although in their own capacities. Rocky was simply surprised that no one had thought of shooting them together in the past five years.

“I myself had never seen them posing together,” the designer says. “So, this shoot was actually a projection of what they are like in real life. The pictures captured their ethereal chemistry.” And Sussanne agrees: “It’s an oldworld romance with a new-age energy! You’ll never get to see the BTS chaos, or can even imagine it, thanks to the look and feel of the shoot. I think that chemistry shows because of how Arslan and I are. The idea was also to have a lot of fun in Rocky’s outfits.”

Explaining his collection, the designer says, “Women today want multipurpose formal wear. So, Sussanne’s look is not too heavy, yet rich in detail. Since it’s our bridal collection, the outfits won’t weigh a bride down.” For Arslan, Rocky “wanted a bit of stubble, yet a sharp hairstyle, which resulted in a total makeover of his vibe.”

As we leave the trio to savour their Friday dinner out, Arslan’s simple words ring in our ears: “How you feel is primary. If she feels good being with me, and I feel good being with her, everything else falls into place. That’s so profound, yet so simple. To me, this bond is sacred, which is why I don’t speak about it publicly. I complied this time because of Sussanne and Rocky. It’s still sacred territory to me!”

Spoken like a true Sagittarian — one whose feathers only his soulmate Sussanne might dare to ruffle!

PHOTOGRAPHY: MADHU AKULA
STYLING: ROCKY S
HAIR & MAKEUP: ELENI CHATZINIKOLIDOU
PRODUCTION: MAKE IT WORK PRODUCTIONS