The lissome blue-eyed actress of the Indian celluloid screen, Karishma Kapoor, on Monday (September 28, 2003) tied the nuptial knot with her childhood friend and Delhi-based businessman Sanjay Kapur at the family's Deonar residence in Mumbai. Dressed in a Manish Malhotra-designed light pink wedding apparel, encrusted with crystals and bedecked in a dazzling set of diamonds, a ravishing Karishma was brought to the wedding mandap by her family members, including sister Kareena Kapoor, dressed in a light green apparel.

 
The couple completed the marriage rites by going around the Holy Granth Sahib as per the rituals followed in a traditional Sikh wedding, according to sources at the R K Studio. Among those who attended the ceremony were actor Vinod Khanna, Rajesh Khanna, Govinda, actress Sridevi, cricketer Azharuddin and wife Sangeeta, industrialist Rahul Bajaj, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and film producer Smita Thackeray.

However, conspicuous by their absence was the Bachchan family. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan had in 2002 announced on his birthday his son's engagement to Karishma but it was called off due to some disagreement. The huge wrought-iron gate of the Kapoor residence was covered with strings of fresh jasmine and crimson red roses, lending an air of festivity to the much-looked forward wedding in the film industry.

Private security guards stood guard at the entrance to prevent anyone from gatecrashing. The media was kept out of bounds of the venue as per the wishes of the bride. The road opposite the Deonar residence was choc-a-block with onlookers, fans and media persons, who spilled into the streets, bringing the traffic to a standstill.

Media persons, to gain bits of information about the much-talked wedding, mobbed celebrities coming out of the mandap. Though the wedding was supposed to be a close family affair, the guest-list far exceeded expectations. Those who were cheered as they made it to the wedding venue included a ravishing looking Sridevi, dressed in a heavily embroidered alluring saree, accompanied by her two daughters, bedecked for the occasion.

Actor Jackie Shroff, to the glee of bemused onlookers, left in a motorbike to avoid the traffic jam and the barrage of questions from the media. Directors J P Dutta, Rakesh Roshan, David Dhawan, producers Bharat Shah, Bonnie Kapoor, actors Vivek Oberoi, Akshay Kumar, actress Poonam Dhillon also made to the venue after jostling with the media and onlookers.

The wedding feast -- a multi-cuisine menu of over 120 dishes, included Swiss cheese, French breads, Italian pastas, Thai curries, Chinese soups and a mix fare from the traditional Indian thali, including hot malpuas. As hot rotis flew from the warm hearth of the tandoor, the aroma of hot spicy paneer tikka and kebabs wafted in the air even as the guests sipped glasses of the best wine, vodka, cocktail and gins.

As the guest dug into succulent lobsters, the sweet strains of Shehnai filled the garden converted into a 'Sheesh Mahal', adding an ostentatious colour to the off screen wedding.

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