Actor-comedienne Bhavana Balsaver and her husband Karan Shah (of Jawaani fame) and creative producer to Friday Filmworks, have been together for 26 blissful years: 13 years of dating and 13 years of marriage. The couple spends long spells in Goa, away from the hurly-burly of Mumbai, because they like sand, surf, seafood, and most importantly, each other.
Bhavana, who never wanted to get married to a “chikna” actor or anyone else, is grateful to the Universe for bringing Karan and her together.
Q. How did you meet Karan?
A. Karan wanted to cast my mother in his show, No Problem. When she heard the subject, she candidly said, “The lead role is meant for Bhavana. I can almost see her as the character. Why not cast her?” Karan made some changes in his schedule, gave some excuses to the original heroine, and brought me on board.
Q. Had you seen his debut film, Jawaani, when it was released in 1984?
A. I had not seen Jawaani when it was released, but later, when I heard the songs, I made it a point to watch the film. I am a huge R.D. Burman fan and have seen most films for him and not for the actors in it. Jawaani was no exception.
Q. Did you have a crush on him like the other girls?
A. I definitely did not have a crush on Karan, and much to his chagrin, I still tease him about it. I have never been a fan of the so-called ‘chocolate’ heroes. A lot of my school friends would gush over him, but not me. I still tell him that if it wasn’t for Panchamda, I wouldn’t have even seen his film because he was too “chikna” for my liking!
Bhavana Balsaver and Karan Shah
Q. What was your initial reaction when you met him?
A. He was very charming and a thorough gentleman.
Q. What were the qualities that attracted you to him and vice-versa?
A. He speaks straight from the heart; there is no filter. Similarly, I think what appealed to him about me is the fact that I have no pretenses or airs. I am who I am.
Q. The truth be told—did he seek advice on his relationships?
A. Through the years that we worked together, he would bring his girlfriends to the set and ask me for my opinion on them. If he had issues in any relationship, he would seek my advice. In short, we were ‘Best Friends’ and still are.
Q. Who said ‘I love you’ first?
A. During our pre-courtship days, Karan would talk to me at length on the phone, on his drive back from office to home. He started saying “I love you” to me, but I chose to ignore it. I knew about his various frivolous relationships, and I didn’t want to be just another ‘fling’. It took me almost 8 months to realize that he was serious about me… till then, he kept saying “I love you,” and I kept brushing it off.
Bhavana Balsaver and Karan Shah
Q. Considering that he was very charming and got a lot of female attention, did you ever feel insecure?
A. I know him too well to feel insecure. Even today, he flirts openly, but it has no effect on me. We don’t think of each other as husband and wife; we are still best friends. Also, we give each other space. Karan is very outgoing and friendly. I, on the other hand, am an introvert who hates going out and meeting people. We don’t thrust our lifestyles on each other.
Q. Who proposed marriage?
A. Since an early age, I had decided not to get married. Even after getting involved with Karan, not once did I think of marriage. During one of his birthday parties, his friend’s wife urged him to propose to me. In full view of his entire family—his parents, his siblings, his aunts and uncles, and his friends—he went down on one knee and proposed to me formally. I was stunned, but there was no way I could refuse in front of everybody… I had to accept his proposal. In retrospect though, I am glad he proposed and I am glad I changed my mind about marriage.
Q. Was there any opposition when you both decided to marry?
A. During our initial courtship days, there was opposition from the families for obvious reasons; he was married and had two children. However, after his divorce, both families were very happy about our plan to get married.
Q. What do you call him?
A. Hmm… come to think of it, I don’t call him anything. I never need to address him because he is always around. He calls me Mom.
Q. Whose idea was it to spend half the time in Mumbai and half the time in Goa?
A. Goa is our favorite holiday destination… we would visit Goa at least 3 to 4 times a year with our dogs, Zorro and Pixie. We had a fixed suite in a hotel; it started feeling like home. Then I felt the urge to cook in Goa; have my own kitchen. That’s what prompted us to get a place there. During the pandemic, we spent most of the lockdown months in Goa. That is when it naturally became home.
Q. Who is more possessive?
A. Karan. When I am at work, I don’t keep my phone with me, but Karan wants to ensure I am fine, so he calls my driver to check on me and make sure everything is alright.
Q. Who has a good sense of humour?
A. Both of us have a good sense of humour… but since my profession demands me to be witty, maybe I have a slight edge over him.
Q. Who is the cleanliness freak?
A. I constantly go about the house tidying up even after the maid has cleaned and gone. Karan always complains that I can’t sit still. He says, “You have this obsessive need to unnecessarily create chores for yourself.”
Q. Who is short-tempered?
A. Karan lets a lot of things affect and upset him. He flies off the handle in the wink of an eye, and then there will be a barrage of abuses and expletives. However, that is not the only time Karan abuses. His language is generally very colorful even during normal conversations.
Love is… saying a million things to each other without uttering a single word.
