Mumbai: Actor Randeep Hooda opened up about his unique and unforgettable experience with traditional Manipuri wedding ceremonies, including a moment that left many amused and amazed. The actor, who married actress and model Lin Laishram, shared in an interview with Mid-Day that he was given a bowl in case he needed to pee during the long rituals.

Recalling the elaborate traditions, Randeep shared that he had a local helper, almost like a tutor, guiding him through every custom. “Once the groom puts his thing on his head, you can’t tilt your head,” he explained. “They give you a bowl and an umbrella, and then put you in a holding area where everyone comes to look at you. You’re supposed to sit there looking very dignified.”

He further revealed the discipline involved in the ceremony. “Once you are in the mandap, which has all these midang players somersaulting and pandits chanting mantras, you cannot move. They wrap a blanket around you, and I had to sit with my back straight and head high for two hours.”

When Randeep asked what the bowl was for, his helper replied bluntly: “In case you need to pee, you open the umbrella and pee there. You cannot move out of there because you are god.”

The actor also shared how Lin had her own guide during the rituals. “She got scolded so much for smiling, apparently, you’re not supposed to smile. So messengers kept coming and telling her to stop.”

Comparing their cultural backgrounds, Randeep humorously noted, “The Haryanvi culture and the Manipuri culture are so different...Ours is rough and crass, and theirs is so systematic. She was wearing so much gold, I felt like, ‘Chalo ek picture toh yahin bann gayi (a picture alone can be made).'”

He added that the celebrations were capped off with dramatic flair, “As soon as the pheras ended, we could hear hundreds of AK-47s went off in the air.”

Randeep and Lin first met during their theatre days at Naseeruddin Shah's Motley group, where Randeep was her senior. The couple kept their relationship mostly private; they occasionally shared moments on social media before marrying each other in 2023.