Suchitra and Lars
About the Couple
Actress Suchitra Pillai married Lars Kjeldsen at a small function at Kumarakom Lake Resort on May 20, 2005. Says the dusky Malayali beauty: “The wedding arrangements were done by my uncle Ravi Verma and my mother who reached Cochin a few weeks before. Later me, Lars and some close friends took a flight to Cochin airport, half an hour away from which was Theevara district where the resort is located. Some guests stayed at the Riveira suites in Cochin and others at the resort.”
A taste of God’s own Country
Hindu rites like the saptapadi followed a simple Malayali ceremony, so Lars’ family who are from Denmark got a taste of local Kerala traditions and got to see ‘God’s own Country’– Kerala. The guests from Lars’ side included his mother Bente, sister Laila and brother-in-law Jacques. Suchitra’s friends came from London, Sri Lanka, Madras and Italy. Her friends from Mumbai included Pallavi Symons, model Binal Trivedi, Shruti Desai, actress Sandhya Mridul, singer Sagarika and husband Martin and ex supermodel model Madhu Sapre. After the muhurtam there was a function that showcased the performing arts of the South– like kathakali expressions and mohiniattam. The over hundred guests then feasted on a spread of traditional kerala food, pastas and lobsters.
With a lot of help from friends
“My best pals Pallavi Symons and model/hairstylist Kiran Rao got me dressed for the ceremony. Pallavi did my make-up and Kiran did my hair. The sari I wore was a wedding gift from Shruti Desai and Sandhya Mridhul– it was a traditional Mundu and Meyreud. My accessories included the coin necklace and the gold belt– udyanam. I combined it with modern earings and choker and a pearl necklace gifted by the boys side.”
‘To my wife. I love you’
The morning after the wedding Lars gave Suchitra a heart-shaped pendant on a white gold necklace. It was encrusted with 32 diamonds, because Lars was 32 years old when he met Suchitra. Inside it said, ‘To my wife. I love you.’ Says Suchitra: “It is of course my most cherished wedding gift. Our other wonderful wedding gifts included a diamond pendant from Madhu Sapre and husband Gian Maria, a silver coffee set from Raveena Tandon and Anil Thadani and a gold set from singer Sagarika and Martin.”
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| The ring ceemony |
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| The malayali wedding ceremony. |
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| Lars and Suchitra with (from left) his brother-in-law Jacques, his sister, Laila, mother Bente, Suchitras parents and her brother-in-law Milind |
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| …My friends came from London, Sri Lanka, Mumbai, Madras and Italy, says a very touched Suchitra. |
Second wedding in Denmark
On their return to Mumbai Suchitra and Lars hosted a party at Sejjo and Soul Dish. “And I’m one of the few who had a second wedding too– a white wedding on July 23 in a 800-year-old castle in Denmark. My wedding gown was designed by Lascelles Symons”, says Suchitra.
Future Plans
After a honeymoon in Bali, Suchitra and Lars are back in Mumbai. Lars is quite familiar with Bombay as he spent a lot of time working on civic/ environmental projects in the city. Well-known in Mumbai’s society circuit as Preity Zinta’s ex-boyfriend, he is as familiar with the city’s party circuit as he is with Mumbai’s ground realities– having worked closely with the Bombay Municipal Corporation studying the city’s sewage network. He will be completing a project in the city by September after which the couple will decide on future plans. Says Suchitra: “I do not believe in long-distance relationships. I was married once for seven years and I feel one of the reasons for the marriage’s failure was the distance. I am 34 now and while I want to pursue my career I also want to settle down and have a child. So career can take a backseat for a while and if Lars’ work takes us out of India, then I am not scared to move out of Mumbai.”
