Mohit Chauhan talks about his hush-hush wedding

Why so secretive about your marriage, Mohit?
(laughs in embarrassment) I am here in my hometown in Himachal still going through the post-wedding rituals. My wedding was a very private affair for close family only. I will now have a reception for all my friends in Mumbai or Delhi. There are too many friends to be invited. As soon as I am back in Mumbai I’ll we’ll take a call on the reception.

You seem to be completely cut off from Mumbai right now?
Yes. I took a firm decision on making the wedding a very private affair.

Tell me about your wife.
Her name is Prarthana. So I’ve no choice but to be deeply religious in life (laughs). It an love-cum-arranged marriage. Prarthana and I have known each for some years. She was my friend, and then we thought we should take our friendship to another level.

So you married your best friend?
Ha ha. Not quite. She was a friend. I liked spending time with her. Zindagi mein bahut dost milte hain. Some turn out to be extra-special.

And if you’re lucky one of them turns out to be the one you want to spend your life with. The vibration between the two of us is wonderful. With Prarathana I felt she was not just a friend but also someone who contributed substantially to my singing.

Is Prarthana interested in music?
She is interested in music. But she isn’t a singer. She is a writer and journalist. But she loves music. And she is contributing in terms of ideas and lyrics to my songs in my new album which would be out soon.

So did you go through all the rituals like a good boy?
(laughs) Traditionally our Himachal weddings take a week. My marriage took two days.. I return to Mumbai in some time. I’ve been getting calls asking where I am. I need to get back to work.

Tell me about your new album?
This would be my third solo album. There will be one song in the English language. I’ve also dedicated one song to my roots in Himachal. I’ve composed all the tunes.

My wife is part of the album. The whole idea of doing a non-film album is to make it a personal statement. A private album has to be about the artiste. It gives the musician complete freedom to say what I want to.

Have you had anything comparable to Rockstar coming your way?
That was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am thankful to God I got it. No, I haven’t got a similar offer. Yes, I am working with Rahman Saab again. But for an opportunity like Rockstar I’ll have to wait a while.

Do you feel more complete after marriage?
Getting married is definitely a very comforting feeling. I didn’t take the plunge for a long time. Now I am glad I did. I now have someone to share my thoughts and my creative ideas with. Most importantly I now have someone to come back home to in Mumbai.