Randeep Hooda says he was given a ‘bowl to pee', Lin Laishram was not allowed to smile during their wedding in Manipur

Bollywood actors Randeep Hooda and Lin Laishram tied the knot in a traditional Meitei wedding ceremony in Manipur in 2023. The couple shared some adorable pictures from the wedding on social media. Now, in an interview with Mid-Day, Randeep talked about the wedding ceremonies, which he experienced for the first time, and recalled how there was a lot of drama at his wedding. (Also Read: Randeep Hooda opens up about his low phase: 'I was depressed, had to sell everything') Randeep Hooda talked about his 'dramatic marriage' with Lin Laishram.
Randeep and Lin dated each other for a brief period before getting married. He revealed that there was a stereotype about him not marrying a Jaat girl and said that his marriage itself was a "big drama" in the sense that there was political turmoil in Manipur. He revealed that his friend, Brigadier Sanghwan, who was with the Assam Rifles, helped him plan the wedding in Manipur.
Recalling the trip, the actor said he went to Manipur with a group of 10–12 people and admitted they were unfamiliar with the region's customs and rituals. He revealed that although Lin tried showing him videos to help him understand the ceremonies in advance, he was too occupied editing Swatantrya Veer Savarkar at the time. Randeep Hooda on traditional wedding ceremony
Recalling the wedding ceremonies, Randeep explained, "Then we came to the wedding ceremonies. I had a helper with me, more like a tutor. So once the groom puts his thing on his head, you can't tilt your head. You go to the ceremony and they give a bowl and an umbrella. They then put you in a holding area where everyone is supposed to come and look at you, and you are supposed to look very dignified. And once you are in the mandap, which has got all these midang players summer-salting, and all these pandits chanting mantras, you are not supposed to move; they wrap a blanket around you. So if I sit in rest mode, the helper would correct me and say 'you have to look the best, you are god today.' For two hours I had to sit with my back straight and head up. Then I asked what was the bowl for and he said in case you need to pee, you just open the umbrella and pee over there, you cannot move out of there because you are god."
He added, "And when she (Lin) came, she also had a tutor. She got so much scolding. She was smiling and you are not supposed to smile, so messengers would come and tell you 'stop smiling'. But we all were so taken in. The Haryanvi culture and the Manipuri culture is so different even though both produce the best boxers and sportsmen. Our is so rough and crass and their's is so systematic. She was wearing so much gold and I was like 'chalo ek picture toh yahin bann gayi (now a film can be made)'. It was a civil war going there and as soon as the pheras finished, hundreds of AK-47 went off in the air." Randeep Hooda and Lin Laishram's relationship
Randeep and Lin dated for years before tying the knot. They met for the first time during their theatre days. While they never made their relationship public, they shared pictures on social media during festivals. Lin shared their love story with the news agency ANI: "We actually met at Naseeruddin Shah's theatre group called Motley, and he was my senior. That's where I met him. We were friends, and it's turning into a beautiful journey."

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Time of India

3 hours ago

• Time of India

Randeep Hooda reveals he was given a bowl to pee during his Meitei wedding with Lin Laishram: 'You can't move because you're god'

In late 2023, actor Randeep Hooda tied the knot with actress and long-time partner Lin Laishram in a traditional Meitei wedding in Manipur . While their intimate ceremony won hearts across social media, the actor has now opened up about the lesser-known, behind-the-scenes moments — from cultural challenges to unexpected drama. Randeep, who met Lin years ago through Naseeruddin Shah's theatre group Motley, confessed that marrying someone from a vastly different background was eye-opening. 'There were stereotypes around me not marrying a Jaat girl,' he told Mid-day with a chuckle. But their union was about more than love, it became a testament to cross-cultural respect and learning, especially as the wedding took place amidst political unrest in Manipur. 'I had a cultural tutor' Randeep admitted he was entirely unfamiliar with Meitei rituals. 'Lin tried to prepare me by showing me videos of the rituals, but I was busy editing Swatantrya Veer Savarkar at the time,' he recalled. To ensure everything went smoothly, a close-knit group accompanied him to Manipur, including Brigadier Sanghwan from the Assam Rifles, who played a crucial role in planning the wedding amid the civil conflict. Randeep described the actual ceremony as intense and deeply structured — a stark contrast to his own Haryanvi roots. 'There was a moment where I had to wear a headpiece and sit absolutely straight for two hours,' he said. 'Everyone came to look at me like I was god.' What added to the surrealism was the provision of a small bowl — in case nature called. 'You just open the umbrella and go. You can't move because you're god,' he joked. Lin got scolded for smiling Lin Laishram, too, was navigating the weight of her culture's traditions. Randeep revealed that she wasn't spared from scrutiny. 'She got scolded for smiling during the ceremony,' he laughed. 'They'd send messengers telling her to stop smiling. Everything was so meticulously choreographed.' Reflecting on the cultural contrast, the Sarbjit actor noted, 'Haryana is rough and raw, while Manipur is structured and refined. But both states produce champions — be it boxers or brides.' Watch: Randeep Hooda and Lin Laishram's official wedding video AK-47s and pheras: A wedding like no other While the rituals were rooted in heritage, the wedding also saw a burst of adrenaline typically reserved for a film climax. Just as the pheras concluded, celebratory gunfire broke out. 'Hundreds of AK-47s went off in the air,' Randeep said, describing the surreal blend of tradition, celebration, and regional unrest. Though the couple has mostly kept their relationship under wraps, occasional glimpses on social media — during festivals and special occasions — hinted at their bond. Speaking to ANI, Lin shared, 'We met at Motley. He was my senior. What started as friendship turned into a beautiful journey.'

India Today

3 hours ago

• India Today

Was given a bowl to pee: Randeep Hooda on his wedding ceremony with Lin Laishram

Actor Randeep Hooda recalled that he was given a bowl to pee during his traditional wedding ceremony with Lin Laishram in 2023. He also shared he got married in a 'civil war-like situation'.In an interview with Mid-Day, the 48-year-old said, "It was a big thing where people said I wasn't getting married to a Jatt girl. My marriage itself was a big drama since there was a problem going on in Manipur, and we were thinking of getting married."advertisementHowever, he said he was adamant that he would get married there as, 'Ladki ke ghar jaake shaadi nahi ki toh kya shaadi hui (Is it even a marriage if you don't get married at the girl's house)?" The actor shared how a friend who was a brigadier with the Assam Rifles helped him. "I called him, and he said, 'Come, I'll get you married.' So 10-12 of us went there, and we had never been there. We had no idea about their ceremonies," Randeep though Lin tried to show him videos, he only pretended to watch them as he was busy editing 'Savarkar' at that recalled having pure vegetarian food when they reached her house and worshipping all their gods before getting married. He further commented that his friends also joked about whether he had brought them to a wedding or a sacred then spoke about how he was supposed to behave in a dignified manner during the ceremony and recalled the bowl said, "I had a helper with me, more like a tutor. So once the groom puts his thing on his head, you can't tilt your head. You go to the ceremony, and they give you a bowl and an umbrella. They then put you in a holding area where everyone is supposed to come and look at you, and you are supposed to look very dignified."Watch their wedding video here: "I asked what the bowl was for, and he said if you need to pee, you just open the umbrella and pee over there, you cannot move out of there because you are god," he added. Randeep said, "Haryanvi (culture) is rough and crass, theirs was so systematic and elegant.'The actor concluded that hundreds of AK-47s went off in the air as soon as the pheras finished since there was a civil war going the professional front, Hooda was last seen in 'Jaat'. It is currently streaming on Watch

News18

5 hours ago

• News18

Randeep Hooda Was Given A Pee Bowl At His Wedding: ‘You Can't Move, You Are God Today'

Last Updated: Randeep Hooda reveals unique wedding rituals from his Manipur ceremony with Lin Laishram, including a pee bowl and smile restrictions during the ceremony. In 2023, actor Randeep Hooda tied the knot with long-time partner and actress Lin Laishram in an intimate yet culturally rich Meitei wedding in Manipur. While the pictures from the ceremony had already won hearts online, the actor recently opened up about the behind-the-scenes drama and beauty of the rituals in a candid interview with Mid-Day. Randeep, who had dated Lin for several years after meeting her at Naseeruddin Shah's theatre group Motley, admitted that marrying someone from a completely different culture was both challenging and enlightening. 'There were stereotypes around me not marrying a Jaat girl," he said with a chuckle, adding that the wedding itself unfolded amid intense political unrest in Manipur. The actor revealed that he was completely new to Meitei customs. 'Lin tried to prepare me by showing me videos of the rituals, but I was busy editing Swatantrya Veer Savarkar at the time," he admitted. Randeep traveled to Manipur with a group of close friends and family, with Brigadier Sanghwan from the Assam Rifles playing a key role in helping plan the ceremony amidst the prevailing civil tensions. Describing the wedding day, Randeep said the rituals were far more intense and detailed than anything he had experienced before. 'I had a helper, sort of like a cultural tutor, who guided me through it. At one point, I had to wear a headpiece and keep my posture absolutely straight for two hours while everyone came to look at me like I was god," he recalled. 'I even asked about a bowl they handed me, and the helper said it was in case I had to pee — you'd just open the umbrella and go. You can't move because you're god." Lin too had a mentor helping her through the customs. 'She got scolded for smiling during the ceremony," Randeep laughed. 'They'd send messengers telling her to stop smiling! It was all so meticulously choreographed." Reflecting on the cultural differences, he added, 'Haryana is rough and raw, while Manipur is structured and refined. But both states produce champions — be it boxers or brides." Despite the solemnity of the rituals, the wedding was not without some action-movie drama. As soon as the pheras concluded, celebratory gunfire erupted. 'Hundreds of AK-47s went off in the air," Randeep said, describing the surreal mix of love and civil unrest. The couple, who mostly kept their relationship private over the years, had shared glimpses of their bond during festivals and special occasions on social media. Lin, speaking to ANI, said, 'We met at Motley. He was my senior. What started as friendship turned into a beautiful journey." First Published: June 21, 2025, 16:07 IST