HELLO! India Exclusive: Farhan and Shibani Akhtar's love story beams with euphoria

A small ritual that helps Farhan Akhtar and Shibani Dandekar feel deeply connected is what they call the “20-second rule.” Whenever one of them asks for “20,” the other drops everything — setting aside the mood they’re in, any lingering emotions, or the situation at hand — and hugs the other for a full 20 seconds, no questions asked. This simple practice, they say, has become a quick yet powerful way to reconnect and feel emotionally grounded with each other.

And that’s why they may say that love lies in the small things. In a popular dialogue from his film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, when Farhan’s character says, “Mere dost mujhe Majnu bulate hain,” he plays a young man who falls in love at the drop of a hat. But in real life, for Farhan, it feels like a slow simmer of emotions, vulnerability and intentionality.

Shibani, on the other hand, complements his pace, speaking about how centred she feels in this relationship. We chat with the couple on the set of our cover shoot about love, relationship rituals, couple’s therapy and more.

PHOTOGRAPHER: TARAS TARAPORVALA 
CREATIVE DIRECTION: AVANTIKKA KILACHAND RAJU
STYLING: ANUSHREE SARDESAI

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