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As Paresh Rawal turns 70, he's once again made headlines-this time for his decision to step away from Hera Pheri 3, a franchise that helped define early 2000s Hindi comedy.

Known for bringing the eccentric Baburao Ganpatrao Apte to life, Rawal's absence in the upcoming film has sparked widespread disappointment. But his reasons are clear, and his exit, deliberate.

He returned the ₹11 lakh signing amount, along with 15% annual interest, citing creative differences and a misalignment with the project's evolving direction. The decision, though unexpected, appeared to stem from careful consideration rather than impulse. While the situation has raised questions, Rawal's move reflects his long-standing principle of aligning with work that resonates with his artistic instincts and professional standards.

It's this same unwavering clarity that shaped his life off-screen especially in his relationship with actor and former Miss India, Swaroop Sampat.

The First Spark : A Play, A Pink Saree, A Bold Declaration

Their story began far from film sets or glam parties, it was an intercollegiate play. Rawal was performing. Sampat, fresh out of school, was handing out brochures, dressed in a pink saree. That image stayed with him.

"I was kind of yeh ladki meri wife banegi (This girl will be my wife)," Rawal once recalled. His friend Mahendra Joshi warned him that Swaroop was the daughter of their boss. Rawal didn't flinch: "Kisi ki bhi beti ho, behen ho, ma ho-main isse shaadi karunga. (She can be anyone's daughter, sister or mother but I will marry her)"

That moment wasn't poetic. It was precise, certain, and typical of Rawal's nature. For a year, they didn't cross paths again. But when they did, after another play performance, the connection picked up without hesitation.

Backstage Support : The Miss India Chapter

When Swaroop's father encouraged her to enter the Miss India pageant in 1979, she wasn't convinced. It was Paresh who offered to accompany her. That show of faith tipped the scales.

She went on to win the title.

By then, their relationship had settled into something solid, forged through conversations, theatre rehearsals, and mutual respect. They didn't second-guess their bond or get caught up in pretence - it was steady, genuine, and unquestioned from the start.

The Proposal : No Frills, No Filters

"After two or three months, I told her, 'I want to marry you-but don't say let's grow together or get to know each other. Marte dum tak koi kisi ko nahi jaan sakta (No one can truly know anyone until their last breath). Commit yourself.'"

This wasn't Rawal trying to be dramatic. He was eliminating fluff. He didn't believe in rehearsed romance. Neither did she.

They waited 12 years-not out of indecision, but to build their individual careers, care for family, and align timing. Swaroop, being the only daughter, didn't want to elope. Paresh wanted to be financially stable first. Both knew what they were doing.

The Wedding : Under Trees, Without Rituals

In 1987, they married in a quiet ceremony, standing beneath ancient trees. No mandap. No fire. No priest. Just presence and intention. Swaroop later described it as historic for her family and for them.

The simplicity wasn't an aesthetic choice. It was a reflection of who they were: people who chose meaning over optics.

Two Sons, Two Journeys

Today, their sons have inherited their creative DNA. Aditya Rawal is building his career in acting and writing, with films like Bamfaad on ZEE5. Anirudh Rawal works behind the camera, involved in film development and production.

They weren't pushed into the industry. They watched their parents live it-quietly, intelligently, without selling their personal lives to public consumption.

Enduring Love, No Performance

Through nearly four decades of marriage, Paresh Rawal and Swaroop Sampat have kept their relationship out of the spotlight-not out of secrecy, but out of choice. There are no grand declarations, no talk show confessions. What they share is deep and deliberate: a relationship shaped by theatre, discipline, and choice.

As Rawal celebrates his 70th birthday, he stands as someone who walked away from a ₹25 crore storm without blinking, and had once walked into a theatre and decided-this is the woman I'm going to marry.