Was Deepika Padukone superstitious on secrecy over wedding with Ranveer Singh?

And why the secrecy until a few weeks ago when the couple announced their marriage to the world? The extended period of courtship did not figure in the couple's public proclamations at all. For all we know, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone were never a couple until the wedding announcement. Of course, Ranveer's driver (with or without Ranveer, depending on whether he was in town) always picked her from the airport. The world saw this. But the couple said nothing to explain their behaviour.

So why the secrecy about the relationship?

According to close friends of the couple, it was Deepika who wanted it to remain under wraps. 

"Or, at least not talk about the relationship. To an extent she wanted to safeguard her career. In India actresses in a relationship tend to invite caution from producers," says a friend of the couple.

This lady is not wrong. Years ago I was sitting with the late and much-missed showman Manmohan Desai when the news of Jaya Prada's marriage (to producer Srikant Nahata) came on the television.

"Why did she have to get married?" MKD was genuinely perturbed. "Now she will get pregnant. Who will see my film?"

At that point of time Jaya Prada was starring in Desai's Ganga Jamuna Saraswati opposite Amitabh Bachchan.

The prejudice against married actresses remain unchanged. I am not surprised if Deepika wanted to keep her relationship under wraps for as long as possible. The fortunate part of her marital alliance is that she has a genuinely liberal-minded husband. Like Virat Kohli (married to actress Anushka Sharma), Ranveer would like nothing better than for Deepika to continue with her fabulous career after marriage.

I hear Deepika and Ranveer plan to initiate their joint production house. I am talking about film production (what did you think?). This would be an ideal platform for the couple's career to blossom individually while they grow in their individual space.

I think the bigger reason for Deepika's secrecy about her relationship was a superstitious one. In her previous relationship with Ranbir Kapoor Deepika had gone against her own very private personality to proclaim her love from rooftops . She even had Ranbir's name tattooed on her neck. She was THAT sure of him and a future together.

When the relationship with Ranbir fell apart Deepika was shattered. 

"Never again," she vowed . If love ever happens again she intended to keep her feelings close to her heart. Love did happen sooner than she thought it would. This time she was discreet about her feelings. There were interviews about the love of her life.

Now that they are finally taking the plunge I can tell you this much. This marriage is for keeps. Ranveer and Deepika are fiercely committed to each other. The process of discovering one another will continue for a long time. They are still getting to know each other. 

Oddly, in Padmaavat their last film together, they played antagonists who never came face-to-face. In real life they can't stop staring at one another.

They find each other incredibly good looking. Let's see who blinks first.

(Subhash K Jha is a film critic and movie expert)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)