Love stories that unfold unexpectedly often capture people’s attention because they echo the hope, and serendipity many experience in their own lives. In an old interview, actor Mouni Roy, who recently announced her separation from husband Suraj Nambiar, shared how she met him, describing the moment as “a page out of a storybook quite literally.”
During a chat with , she recalled spending New Year’s Eve with her childhood best friend, surrounded by “nine couples” while being “the only single one.” Watching all the couples “getting mushy,” she turned to her friend and confessed, “I’m never going to find anyone.”
What happened next felt nothing short of cinematic. Her best friend insisted, “Wait, let me find you somebody from tonight itself,” and after scanning the crowd, pointed out “the guy in the white shirt.”
Roy remembered their eyes locking at the same time. “He looked at me, and I looked at him, and somehow he just came… he had no idea who I was.” She admits her first instinct was curiosity about his background because, as she said, “he was a very good looking guy,” prompting her to ask what he did.
The story continued with a moment that surprised her: “I was getting phone calls, he snatched the phone from my hand, he dialled himself and gave it back.” The confidence impressed her, and subsequent work trips to Dubai meant they naturally crossed paths again.
Reflecting on her eventual choice to marry someone outside her industry, she said, “I have seen… It’s very personal. I wanted it very, very normal… if I have somebody who’s not from the industry, it brings you perspective.”
Sonal Khangarot, licensed rehabilitation counsellor and psychotherapist, The Answer Room, tells indianexpress.com, “Feeling like ‘the only single one’ in a room full of couples can such as self-doubt, comparison, loneliness, and a subtle pressure to ‘catch up.’ These reactions often stem from one’s relationship with the self—how secure, fulfilled, or content they feel in their current season of life.”
Being single is not a forced state; at times, it’s also an active choice rooted in clarity, standards, or personal growth. “To manage these emotions without slipping into fear-based decisions, individuals can ground themselves in what they value, remind themselves of the life they are intentionally building, and stay connected to supportive friendships,” states Khangarot.
“Moments of sudden chemistry aren’t reliable indicators of long-term compatibility,” says Khangarot, adding that we’ve grown up on films and conditioning that tell us violins will play, the breeze will blow, and we’ll just know when we meet “the one.”
In reality, she adds that instant attraction often reflects familiarity, not certainty. While these connections are meaningful, compatibility builds slowly through consistency, communication, and shared values—not just chemistry.
Khangarot mentions, “Individuals should look at whether the partner brings emotional stability, curiosity about their world, and the ability to hold space without being consumed by its pressures. Shared values, , and respect for each other’s routines matter more than matching industries.”
A partner from a different lifestyle can also help widen one’s worldview, regulate the nervous system, and create a life that feels bigger than career identity. “Ultimately, long-term health comes from the quality of connection, not professional similarity, and sometimes ‘different’ becomes the very thing that nurtures balance and emotional well-being,” concludes Khangarot.
