Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna are going to be married on February 26th in Udaipur, in a very private event. Only family and very good friends are invited, and the pair have made a firm rule that no one is to have a phone out. They’ve also organised a month away from work and the public eye after the wedding to enjoy time as a couple.
A private wedding abroad and simple services
The couple decided on a destination wedding in Udaipur, with events starting two days before the actual wedding. Before the ceremony, both families had their own, quiet ceremonies at home, to respect each family’s traditions. The number of people invited is small – just close family and a few really close friends.
Vijay and Rashmika sent out invitations they wrote by hand, and also wrote personal notes to each person, asking for their good wishes rather than presents. Despite being very busy with films in several different film industries, they did a lot of the arranging for the wedding themselves. The result is a small, personal event, showing they’d rather have privacy than something showy.
A strict ban on phones and keeping things secret
To stop photos and videos appearing on social media, the couple have made a definite no-phones rule for those at the wedding. The people professionally recording the wedding are also said to have signed agreements not to tell anyone. These steps are to keep the wedding private and protect the couple from being bothered online.
This is different from what usually happens with celebrity weddings, which generally use social media. By banning mobile phones and legally making the vendors promise to keep quiet, Vijay and Rashmika are choosing to be in charge of their private moments, and stopping pictures and videos going all over the internet.
A month’s rest after the wedding, and time to relax
The two actors have deliberately made a month free in their schedules after the wedding. Because of how much they have to do in Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films, they plan to use this time to calm down, travel and get back in touch with each other, away from the public. The break will also be a chance to pause before they start doing publicity for and shooting films again.
Taking time off after a big event in life is common for people with busy jobs, but is not often seen in the schedules of famous people. For Vijay and Rashmika, the month’s break shows they are seriously trying to put their personal lives and mental health first, even with careers that mean they do projects all over India.
A bigger reception in Hyderabad in early March
Although the wedding will be private, the couple will have a larger reception in Hyderabad in early March. This will include a much wider group of friends and people from the film industry, and give a chance to celebrate in public – but in a way they can control. Guests are expected to come to the party in the evening.
An invitation which has apparently been shared with close contacts describes the reception as a celebration of their relationship so far, and thanks to all who have helped them. The reception allows the couple to have a private wedding and a public thank you to their fans, colleagues and those who work with them.
Their work together and how people are interested in them
Vijay and Rashmika first became famous for their chemistry in Geetha Govindam, and then worked together again in Dear Comrade. Their work together made them one of the most well-liked pairs in regional cinema, and made fans interested in what their relationship was like when they weren’t working. Stories about them being engaged started last October after a private event in Hyderabad.
Both actors have since become well-known nationally. Vijay became famous after good performances which made more people know about him, and Rashmika started doing films all over India, in many languages. Their decision to marry privately, and then celebrate in public in Hyderabad, shows they are carefully balancing their right to privacy with what it is like to be public figures.
