A random ice cream outing with her friend at 13 led to Aishwarya Bhatte and Jay Munagekar’s first meeting—it was random and out of the blue, but it was comfortable. Right from the very first day, they caught each other’s attention and a piece of each other’s hearts, and maybe that’s why age truly doesn’t matter, isn’t it? As How I Met Your Mother’s Robin Scherbatsky says, ‘Timing is everything!’
Aishwarya and Jay have developed a beautiful relationship during their time together – over a decade, that is! And while love conquers all, one must also put in efforts and a fight, as and when needed. And so, that’s exactly what they did—from meeting as teenagers and getting married to starting a business together and now, gearing up to embrace parenthood.
How Aishwarya & Jay’s friendship evolved into love
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Aishwarya comes from a family with separated parents, and while she was dealing with it, Jay helped her with not just that, but also everything beyond.
Ask her how their friendship developed over the years, especially during her school and college days, and she tells us, “Acknowledging the age gap between us, Jay always treated me like a baby. His motivational spirit extended beyond our relationship; he inspired me to work diligently towards my goals, encouraging me to focus on my aspirations despite ongoing issues at home.”
For the longest time, they spoke once in a few months as Jay was in a relationship. However, he did check on her, and she only came to know about his feelings after the relationship ended in 2021.
Age is just a number, but is that it?
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Ask Jay if the age gap bothered him and he says, “I can’t deny it because I still treat her like a baby. The six-year age gap has always been on my mind, but I see it as a positive. It has allowed me to care for her. Despite her age, I appreciate how mature and ahead of her time she has been since childhood. Things would have been different if she was closer to my age, but I appreciate our dynamic just the way it is!”
Aishwarya, lovingly speaking about her husband, reveals how she always felt a connection and that it was more than just friendship.
She elaborated on the same and said, “The connection began the day I saw him, and even after being married, something about him still makes my heart skip a beat. I openly admit to him, ‘I think I’m obsessed with you’. It’s a unique and endearing feeling that I’ve cherished for 15 years. It was all meant to be, and I’m grateful for him.”
The proposal, the wait, and the grand wedding
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Interestingly, the proposal came to her on a drive around Mumbai in 2016 on the occasion of Anant Chaturthi. That’s when Jay told her that he was ready to marry her. However, she was still in college and had a long way to go.
Ask Aishwarya how they navigated the period between the engagement and completion of graduation and post-graduation, and she said, “While he was supportive of my career, we faced challenges with family pressure and constant inquiries about marriage. Our marriage faced delays due to my aspirations, and later, it got postponed due to the pandemic. It was indeed a long wait. Despite our arguments, his patience always prevailed.”
credits: Instagram/aishwaryabhatte
For their big day, Jay wanted to make sure that Aishwarya’s parents came together for the kanyadaan. Ask him how that happened, and he tells us, “Aishwarya felt it was impossible, but I believed I could make it happen. While her parents hadn’t met since their split in 2011, I successfully made it happen. My equation with Aishwarya’s parents helped me convince her father.”
If all that’s now enough, they are also now owners of a beach property they built from scratch. Truly, partners in all aspects of life, aren’t they?
Partners and soon-to-be parents…
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Talking about how they started their business, Aishwarya tells us, “Jay’s enthusiasm convinced me to be his biggest supporter throughout the plan. We moved out of Mumbai two years ago and stayed close to the plot of the resort. As the only children to our parents, accustomed to a luxurious life, the move required adjustments—cooking, cleaning, and enduring the sun at the construction site. Today, as the resort stands complete, it feels like a dream. With pride, I attribute it all to Jay’s efforts while he insists it’s all because of me.”
Go team!
credits: Instagram/aishwaryabhatte
Aishwarya and Jay are all set to embrace parenthood in a couple of months, and it indeed was a new year when they found out about it on December 21. Talking about the same, they said, “It gave us mixed feelings and of course, that of nervousness too. We’re still soaking it all in. Planning for the baby’s arrival has become our focus, giving us a sense of purpose. Every little thing we do now carries thoughts of our baby.” Aishwarya says she’s extremely excited about the baby bump!
On a closing note, they also spoke about how their relationship has evolved over 15 years. They added, “Our relationship continues to evolve and grow as each day passes. We take pride in how we have handled everything since our teenage years.”
Lead image credit: Instagram/aishwaryabhatte
