Both are players in the big league—that’s a given—the Indian Premier League of Romance. But hey, I’ll be damned. Thought I had seen sab-kuch in media/showbiz, despite that, cynical old me was taken off guard by the ‘loved up’ tweet from super khiladi Lalit Modi, identifying his companion as the former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen and declaring they are officially together. Whhhhhhaaaaaat? The news shocked friends and acquaintances—even complete strangers.
Lalit referred to Sushmita’s role in his life with a telling hashtag (#betterhalf). Folks here understand the term (‘better half’) to mean ‘wife’… ‘Dharam patni‘. Sorry! Our bad. The lady being thus referred to promptly countered with her own tweet: ‘NO RING, NO MARRIAGE.’ The bashful, newly-minted bf swiftly clarified with a duh ‘just dating’ tweet. The rest of us said, ‘Huh?” Don’t you love it? The juicy scoop is exactly what the drippy monsoon ordered—a drippy love story. Get me the roasted bhutta, quick! Decoding those tweets, one has to concede the first fast and furious T20 match to Sushmita: Here’s a lady who clearly keeps all her options open. Why not? Who knows who she could be seated next to flying First Class to London? Is Elon Musk still lookin’?
The ekdum brand new prem kahaani of these two celeb love birds billing and cooing like teens experiencing a sudden and uncontrollable hormonal rush has got India’s knickers in a twist. For three straight days after Modi (Lalit, baba—not any other Modi…relax), there has been a wild meme fest that’s swept aside all other news and reduced it to a heap of kachra. I mean, does anyone really care whether or not Sunak becomes the next British PM? All we want to know is this—Shaadi ki date. Sangam hoga ki nahi.
Just back in london after a whirling global tour #maldives # sardinia with the families – not to mention my #better looking partner @sushmitasen47 – a new beginning a new life finally. Over the moon. ??????????. In love does not mean marriage YET. BUT ONE THAT For sure pic.twitter.com/WL8Hab3P6V
— Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) July 14, 2022
Also Read: Netizens starts meme fest after Lalit Modi confirms dating Sushmita Sen
Sushmita recently confided she’d come close to signing on the dotted line with three potential husbands. On Nikki Bedi’s chat show on Channel 4, the British TV presenter had asked the freshly minted pageant winner, “What do you look for in a man?” And Without missing a beat, Sushmita, then 18, had answered, “he has to be good in bed.” Hit the gym now, Lalit! It is safe to assume that the last ‘official’, in-residence boyfriend, Rohman Shawl, wasn’t a contender. I like Sushmita’s clear-headedness and priorities—boyfriends stay in the designated boyfriends’ compartment. The compartment does not change, but boyfriends do. I’m still not sure which compartment Lalit fits into. By the looks of it, it’s a jodi made in heaven—Sushmita Sen (46) and Lalit Modi (56)—the star billing for publicity is important in their case: Sush before Lalit. You can call them the ‘odd couple’, but do read the subtext. Not so odd, after all. Sushmita, despite the success of the web series Aryaa, has not been flooded with offers. She is now referred to as a ‘veteran’ star, which diminishes her status—automatically reducing her positioning to a ‘fading-in-the-firmament’ level.
As for Lalit…he is way too seasoned to get run out at this stage of his life. He is known to be an ustadon ka ustad. So what if he has to spend his life as a persona non grata and cannot come back to India? Between Sushmita and Lalit, they have five children—Sushmita’s two adopted daughters and Lalit’s three, two with his late wife Minal (who passed away in 2018, aged 64). Minal had a daughter from her previous marriage to a Nigerian-Indian businessman with dodgy antecedents, according to records. Significantly, Lalit had paid a lovely and heartfelt tribute to Minal after she succumbed to cancer, describing her thus: “My love. My life. My soulmate…” Ending with “I love you with all my heart…” Well, that same heart has been pledged to Sushmita Sen… for now.
Strike me down for saying this, but something seems a bit off in this romance. A publicity stunt? But who needs it more? A business association to be announced shortly? Possible. Sushmita is a very high-maintenance lady, going by her own hyper luxe social media posts.
Also Read: I’m in a happy place, surrounded by love: Sushmita Sen
Yes, she loves her rocks—the bigger the better. She has raised her daughters as a single mother, but going forward, they’ll need to be financially secure. She is known for being ferociously independent, living life on her own terms. Traditional wife-material, she sure as hell ain’t! Then again, is the high-flying Lalit looking for a ‘trad’ patni who will host elegant soirees for well-heeled pals at this stage? Or is he looking for a high-profile Miss Universe ‘trophy wife’ he can flaunt as he jets from one hedonistic R and R trip to the next? Yacht-hopping is more his style—and hers. Even so, considering he got her Insta handle wrong in that crucial, epic tweet when he went public with their new relationship, doubters will doubt! About those old pics of them together? Forget it… Sush knows a lot of influential men, and Lalit, a lot of attractive ladies.
Going by some of the meanest memes that instantly went viral, Sushmita’s love life is the envy of many—the names of suitors read like a laundry list of unusual characters. Those who compared it to a cricket eleven referred to Lalit Modi as the twelfth man. Not that any of this is likely to bother either. And since everybody swoons over a love story that comes with a happy ending, here’s wishing ‘Sushla’ all the excitement and drama the two deserve. Life is so blah, yaar… maza karo! From a modest handwoven shawl to a Cashmere cardigan…that’s our Sush!
Oh… btw… “please reply my SMS,’ Lalit. Ignore the grammar.
The author is a columnist, social commentator, journalist and opinion-shaper. She has written 20 books. She tweets @DeShobhaa. Views are personal.
(Edited by Srinjoy Dey)