Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda recently opened up about his memorable wedding with actress Lin Laishram, which took place in Manipur in 2023.
The couple tied the knot in a traditional Meitei ceremony and shared heartfelt pictures on social media. Now, in a candid interview with Mid-Day, Randeep reflected on the unique experience — calling it dramatic, culturally rich, and unforgettable.
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Randeep and Lin had dated briefly before deciding to get married. The actor shared that their union defied a few stereotypes — including comments about him not marrying a Jaat girl. But the real “drama,” he said, wasn’t just about breaking stereotypes — it was the political unrest in Manipur at the time. Despite the tense situation, Randeep credited his friend, Brigadier Sanghwan of the Assam Rifles, for helping him pull off the wedding.
Randeep traveled to Manipur with a group of 10–12 people, most of whom were unfamiliar with local traditions. Lin had tried to prepare him by showing videos of the rituals, but Randeep was too busy editing his film Swatantrya Veer Savarkar to pay attention.
Recalling the ceremony, Randeep described the elaborate rituals with amazement. “I had a helper, almost like a tutor, guiding me through every step,” he said. “Once you wear the groom’s headgear, you can’t tilt your head. You’re taken to a holding area where guests come to look at you — you must appear dignified because, at that moment, you are treated like a god.”
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He added, “In the mandap, there were midang players flipping and priests chanting. They wrapped me in a blanket and told me not to move. I had to sit straight for two hours. They even gave me a bowl and an umbrella — in case I needed to pee without leaving the mandap!”
Lin, too, had her own tutor. “She got scolded for smiling — you’re not supposed to smile during the rituals!” Randeep shared with a laugh. “The Haryanvi and Manipuri cultures are poles apart. Ours is loud and rough, theirs is graceful and detailed. Lin wore so much gold, I joked, ‘This looks straight out of a movie scene!’”
Despite the ongoing unrest in the region, the couple completed the wedding rituals. “As soon as the pheras ended, hundreds of AK-47s went off in the air,” Randeep said, describing the surreal mix of tradition and tension.
The actor’s wedding may have had its fair share of challenges, but for Randeep and Lin, it was a celebration of love that beautifully bridged two cultures — and became a story worth telling.