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Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza are all set to tie the knot on February 4 after dating for almost a decade. In a candid chat, Ritz and Genie talk about their love story. Here’s a flashback into the prem kahani that has never been told.

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Ever since Genelia D’Souza’s wedding to boyfriend, actor Riteish Deshmukh has been announced, the actress has been inundated with calls and congratulatory messages. Apparently, while many of her co-stars here were aware of the duo dating, as their affair was an open secret in Bollywood, down South it came as a surprise to everyone.

Many felt that though Genelia feels as much at home down South, as she does here in Bollywood, the actress had never shared that aspect of her life with anyone there. But a source close to the actor says that for her there’s never been any distinction between the two industries. “Genelia has never spoken about her personal life either in South or in Bollywood. But it was less of a surprise here for natural reasons — Riteish has a strong Bollywood connect. In fact, even today, Gen prefers not to talk about her personal life at all,” says a source.

Sources agree that the affair that’s being tagged as the ‘best-kept open-secret’ remained speculative until the marriage date was declared and that the only ones who knew about it for sure, knew it as friends, not co-stars or colleagues. “Riteish has more friends in Bollywood than Genelia. Most of her friends are outside of the industry, so those close to the couple were well-aware, but none of them ever acknowledged the two as a couple publicly. It’s not that they were requested not to speak about them dating, but it’s something that they understood and respected the couple’s need to keep it private,” adds another source.

Explaining her reasons, Genelia says, “Once you start talking about personal matters, there’s simply no stopping them. First it’s buzz of link-ups, the moment you’d admit to that, next people start speculating and talking about a break-up! No matter how much you clarify, speculations anyways won’t end, so why get into that space in the first place? I don’t feel the need to clarify, justify or simply talk about my personal life. Of course, I am ready to be grilled as far as my professional life is concerned.”

For now, the actress has just wrapped up a film down South with actor Rana Daggubati and is gearing for the release of Tere Naal Pyaar Ho Gaya, her film here with Riteish. “But right now, Genelia’s planning to focus only on the wedding and the preparations. She, her family and friends are all super-excited about the wedding and helping her out with the trousseau, et al. It will be a super-busy month for her, but she’s a hassle-free girl, so it’s unlikely for her to be stressing out about anything,” adds the source.

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embarrassing red sweater with a huge patch of a colourful Christmas tree on it,” she smiles.

“Now that I think back, it looked pretty ridiculous, but it was my favourite and I wore it for three Christmas dinners back to back. Later of course, I started dolling up.”

Complete Family Time
Christmas has always been Genelia’s Most Favourite festival.

“You can feel the spirit of Christmas in the air,” she says.

“The city is completely lit up and the year is coming to an end. It’s almost poetic. For me it’s complete family time the tree, presents and extravagant lunch.”

When she was a kid, Genelia and her brother would prep for the big day a week before it. They’d choose their stockings, tree, get decorations together, and search frantically for gifts.

“Once the star was up, we knew Christmas was here,” she recalls. “Instantly, we’d start looking for our presents. But my mom would find new places to hide them every year!”

Ask what her favourite memory is and she almost shouts The treeee! She used to hate it, she remembers, when she couldn’t reach the top of the tree to place the star, but her brother could.

“Apart from that, everything about the tree made me happy,” says Genelia.

“Shopping for the decorations was such a task, but I loved doing it. We’d go all over the city looking for ornaments, and the tree always looked gorgeous.”

Of course no Christmas is complete without Santa Claus, but Genelia was quick to realise that the fat bearded man with a sack full of goodies was not Santa but her parents.

“I think every kid believed in Santa, I think somewhere I still do,” she says.

“But from the Santa in the books we read when we were little, we soon realised that our parents were Santa and we were okay with that too. My letters to Santa obviously worked because somehow whatever I wanted was always under the tree. I always thank my parents for that.”

We Stick To Tradition
Christmas for the family means being together and Genelia makes it a point to be home for Christmas.

“There is always such a sense of warmth, joy and celebration,” she says.

“Christmas lunch is the best and it’s always home cooked. Even now, we make sure we stick to traditional food. But what a feast it is!”

So does she ever step into the kitchen herself?

“I stay out of the kitchen because there probably wouldn’t be a Christmas dinner if I went in,” she laughs.

“But I do help my mother bake cakes and kalkals.”

This year too, by the time you read this, Genelia will be with her family.

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else in the world but home,” she says. “Christmas has remained the same for me because I have consciously made an effort to keep it that way. So I could be shooting anywhere in the world, but I will make sure I make it back home in time for the celebrations. I am very traditional in these matters.”

Her sense of tradition extended to Christmas Eve as well. Only once did Genelia ever attend a Christmas Eve Ball, when she was in her first year of college.

“It felt like a mixture of a fairy tale and a prom. So exciting! But I preferred to be with my family.”

Her home will be decorated with mistletoe, stars, wreaths, stockings and fairy lights.

“We go all out for Christmas. We take special care while decorating and setting up our crib which is the ultimate symbol of Christmas in every Catholic home.”

It’s evident that talking about Christmas makes Genelia very happy. Her eyes light up, she gets animated, and a barrage of stories from her childhood comes rushing out.

“I can’t help it,” she says. “I just love Christmas!”

What you love to eat?
Roast chicken with stuffing and palm sauce and of course-Christmas pudding

Something you want for Christmas?
This year, like every other year I just want a fantastic Christmas dinner with my family

Something you’d like to give this year?
I spend a lot of time planning my presents. It’s all very thought out and researched so I’m not going to give out my ideas here

A Song you love listening to?
I am very traditional, so we usually bring out the old CDs with different covers and versions of carols

Where you celebrate Christmas?
At home. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else

Your Fave Christmas movie?
Home Alone