Ameesha Patel says ‘Indira Gandhi’ fixed her parents’ wedding date, opens up on family’s historic ties to Gandhi family

Ameesha Patel reflected on her family’s political legacy and close ties with the Gandhi family, sharing rare personal anecdotes involving Indira Gandhi.

Ameesha Patel has revealed that her family shares a deep and long-standing association with the Gandhi family, so much so that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was closely involved in key personal milestones in her family’s life.

Ameesha Patel discusses her grandfather's bond with Indira Gandhi. (Pic credit: Wikipedia)

Speaking about her lineage with Bollywood Bubble, Ameesha explained that the connection dates back to her grandfather, noted barrister Rajni Patel, who was a prominent legal and political figure. She shared that he was closely associated with the Nehru-Gandhi family through his political journey and advisory role.

Ameesha Patel on her grandfather's bond with Indira Gandhi

Describing the family’s political proximity, she said her grandfather shared a strong bond with Indira Gandhi, with major decisions often being discussed with him. She also noted that he held significant positions within the Congress party and contributed to several public initiatives.

Ameesha further revealed that this close relationship extended to personal family events as well, including her parents’ wedding. “Mrs Indira Gandhi was the one who fixed the date of my parents’ wedding. There was no kundali match to set the date for their wedding. My grandfather, Barrister Rajni Patel, asked Indira Gandhi, 'Indira, when are you free?' She said, 'Rajni, I am free on the 4th of July.' The date was booked on the 4th of July. It was booked in Taj Mahal Palace, South Bombay, Colaba. And that's how my parents got married.”

‘First person to come and see me was Indira Gandhi’

As she recalled, “When I was born at Breach Candy Hospital, the first person to come and see me was Indira Gandhi,” Ameesha said, reflecting on her family’s close association with the former Prime Minister. Ameesha added that her family’s legacy includes contributions to public institutions as well, mentioning that the Nehru Planetarium in Worli was built by her grandfather in honour of Jawaharlal Nehru.

Reflecting on her upbringing, the actor said she grew up around several well-known personalities, including MF Husain and political leaders like Praful Patel and Rajiv Shukla, who often visited her grandparents’ home.

On the work front, Ameesha made her debut with Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000) opposite Hrithik Roshan and later returned to the spotlight with Gadar 2 (2023), which emerged as one of the biggest hits of the year.