E-Paper
He says, she says: Shweta Tripathi Sharma & Chaitnya Sharma on life + love
Best friends, partners & actors Shweta Tripathi Sharma and Chaitnya Sharma answered the same questions in their first joint interview. The results: Couple goals
“I’ve hit the jackpot,” says Chaitnya Sharma. The 33-year-old rapper, music composer, actor and producer played striker PK Banerjee in Maidan (2024), but that’s not what he’s talking about. As rapper SlowCheeta, he recently released the song Kar De Kaa?, from the EP Scene Main Bawaal. The video features actor Ranveer Singh. That’s not what he means, either.
The jackpot Sharma is referring to is marrying actor Shweta Tripathi Sharma, 38, in 2018. Tripathi Sharma is currently gearing up for the release of Mirzapur S3, and S2 of Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein. Sharma, meanwhile, has five more songs that will be launched over the next few months. He’s also playing the lead role in the upcoming, Sumo Didi.
It’s a busy year at home. But there’s always time to talk about love. We asked Sharma and Tripathi Sharma the same questions, but separately. Are they in sync? Do they magically fill in the blanks for each other? Are they on their way to becoming the next power couple in entertainment? Take a look.
Did you like them when you first met them?
Sharma: We met in 2013, when Shweta and I were cast in a play. The director told me it was a corporate show and involved a free trip to Delhi, a stay at a five-star hotel, a party and free alcohol. And that there was a very cute, single girl coming. I was 23. I just wanted to have fun. I met Shweta and I found her cute. She, however, was nervous about her part, fully focused, not paying me any attention. I figured nothing was going to happen. But the flight back from Delhi to Mumbai changed everything. We found out we had many common interests. In the middle of the conversation she said, “I am a scuba diver”, and I said “No way!”. Because so am I. This was just too good to be true. After that, there just no looking back.
Tripathi Sharma: We were both understudies and thankfully the main actors weren’t available. I remember we were on our way back, on a 5am flight, and I just couldn’t stop laughing and talking. By the end of that trip, I knew I wanted him in my life. I didn’t know in what capacity. And before we knew it, before we could properly get to know each other, we were dating. He’s my best friend, he’s my favourite human being.
Which has been you most memorable date yet?
Sharma: Our honeymoon in Capri, Italy. There’s this beautiful phenomenon, in a sea cave called the Blue Grotto, in which sunlight reflects through the seawater, giving it a blue glow that illuminates the whole cave. But when we got there, it was so crowded it felt like Linking Road. Luckily, a cafe owner had helped us out with which bus to take, which stairs to take and what else to see. We saw locals cliff-jumping into the sea, despite a No Diving sign. I took off my T-shirt, jumped into the ocean, and asked someone where the Blue Grotto was. They took me near a cave and told me to start swimming underwater, and there it was! It was five in the evening, the sun was setting so everything was neon blue. There were no other people. I lost my mind. I swam back to Shweta and told her to follow me, and she just jumped in. We got into the cave, we swam around for 20 minutes, all by ourselves. It was outstanding.
Tripathi Sharma: When I got a private concert from Cheeta. When he writes his music, even five or 10 lines, he always tells me so he can see my reaction. When his EP was going to be released, he did a rehearsal with just me. There was wine, food, and cake. He performed his EP for me, and I was just jumping on the bed. That was very special!
What’s the secret sauce for making a relationship work when you’re both in the same field?
Sharma: I was sure I didn’t want to marry an actor. I definitely wanted someone from Mumbai. I did the exact opposite. It’s the most important, most rewarding decision of my life. But companionship is important. We’re very different versions of the people we were when we met in 2013. We grew together and learnt to fall in love with every version: The anxious version, the not-having-work version, the successful version.
Tripathi Sharma: Conflict is good, but respect your partner’s dreams even if you don’t understand them. Give them space to grow. There are two bodies, two souls making the journey together. Be your partner’s well-wisher, anchor, critic.
What are the occupational hazards in this relationship?
Sharma: I’m not complaining, because we signed up for this, but lack of time. When we’re working, we don’t get much time to spend with each other. Four days after we got married, Shweta went off to shoot a show, for a month.
Tripathi Sharma: In my experience, there are more perks. With a spouse in the same field, you don’t need to explain to them what you’re going through before a big release or an event. Or when you have to look a certain way and meet people on a day when you have no energy. When one of us learns something, it helps the other.
How often do you discuss work with each other?
Sharma: Very often. She’s the first listener for all my songs, the first viewer of all my films. She makes playlists for all her characters and I’m in charge of finding music for them. We love talking shop because we call each other out, but also back each other up.
Tripathi Sharma: We’re fortunate that our work is interesting. But I never know the script of anything he’s working on and he doesn’t know mine. I think that surprise, that joy, when you see it on screen for the first time, is nice.
What’s the last piece of advice you gave your spouse?
Sharma: That she can be better at saying no. I think it’s important for her and her self-preservation to just say no when she wants to.
Tripathi Sharma: How to manage expectations. As artists, our job is to create something, put in our best and let go. What happens after that is somebody else’s choice.
What are the biggest arguments about?
Sharma: Time! Not getting time with each other. The argument will be about something silly. When it’s over we realise that we haven’t spent time with each other and that’s why we’re snapping. And then we find a day, go on a date, maybe take a holiday and just catch up.
Tripathi Sharma: We argue only when we haven’t spent enough time together. And that argument could be about anything, mostly something trivial that doesn’t matter. We end up laughing about it later.
What’s on your bucket list?
Sharma: I want to buy a Range Rover! I love that car, yaar. I watched a lot of Entourage and have been in love with the car, ever since. I’d love to get a lead role in a Zoya Akhtar film. And for my rapper self, a song with Divine.
Tripathi Sharma: Travel to some offbeat places, some smaller towns. Professionally, I would love to do a love story with Cheeta.
Who have been your role models when it comes to relationships?
Sharma: My parents. It’s a little weird, but I think my parents have the loveliest relationship. They’ve been married for over 35 years. They will not eat from two separate plates at a party. On a flight, they must hold hands during take-off and landing. I’ll walk into the house and my dad will be singing to her. He won’t sing Kishore Kumar songs when she’s not around. Watching them live through their problems, having arguments but still keeping the love alive is my inspiration. My second is romantic Bollywood films – they made me fall in love with love. They don’t make enough of them now.
Tripathi Sharma: My parents and his parents. And all those romantic movies: PS I Love You, The Notebook. And songs. And poetry. Whether we know it or not, like it or not, it all has an impact on us.
