Actor-filmmaker Sohail Khan has opened up about the behind-the-scenes story of his marriage to ex-wife Seema Sajdeh, revealing that her father had insisted the couple wed in the Hindu tradition and urged Sohail to first seek the blessing of his father, veteran screenwriter Salim Khan. Sohail made these disclosures on the reality show Alliance, where both he and Seema are currently contestants.

The Emotional Meeting That Changed Everything

Speaking to fellow contestant and actor Kushal Tandon on the show, Sohail recounted how the turning point in their relationship came when Seema's father and brother flew in from South Africa to meet them. The reunion was charged with emotion. 'I told Seema, 'You go, meet Papa.' She hugged him. They both started crying,' Sohail recalled.

It was during this meeting that Seema's father set out his conditions. 'The first thing he told me, 'You get married in the Hindu way,'' Sohail said. The father also made clear that family approval was non-negotiable: 'But discuss it with your father at least before you do this.'

Sohail admitted he was uncertain how Salim Khan would respond, but he took the step anyway. 'I said, 'Daddy, Papa would like to meet you,'' he recalled. The two families eventually met, clearing the path for the wedding.

How Sohail and Seema First Met — and Almost Didn't

Sohail also traced the couple's unlikely love story to its beginnings. He said he first encountered Seema at a wedding in Delhi. When her parents discovered the relationship, they disapproved, and the two stayed out of contact for nearly four months.

Their paths crossed again at a popular Mumbai restaurant. 'One beautiful night at a restaurant I was partying with my friends. She walked in. Then we met,' Sohail said. By that point, he had heard Seema was engaged to someone else, and he told her she should avoid meeting him to protect her reputation. It was then, according to Sohail, that Seema confessed she was unhappy in the relationship with her then-fiancé.

A Filmy Sequence of Events

Soon after, Seema left for the home of mutual family friends Chikki Pandey and Chunky Pandey, while her family searched for her. Sohail informed her family of her whereabouts, leading to the emotional reunion that set events in motion. Calling it 'a filmy story,' Sohail said once both families came together, everything moved at speed.

When Kushal asked how long it took them to decide on marriage, Sohail's answer was unambiguous: 'One week.' The couple tied the knot within days of the families meeting.

Marriage, Divorce, and Co-Parenting

Sohail Khan and Seema Sajdeh married in 1998 and have two sons, Nirvaan and Yohan. After more than two decades together, the couple divorced in 2022. They have since continued to co-parent their children amicably. Both are now appearing together as contestants on the reality show Alliance, bringing their story full circle in the public eye.