Farhan Akhtar recently told Elle that Shibani Dandekar can even communicate with trees. The duo was open and honest about what drew them together and their personalities. When he first met Shibani, the singer-actor-director said her pleasant and easygoing demeanour was the highlight.

Revealing that she’s a talker, Farhan said, “There’s a certain vibrancy about her that I instantly found attractive. Plus, she is fun, has a great sense of humour, and is adventurous. So, there are many traits in her that I liked right from the word go. While I am the non-talker, she can talk to anyone and anything! Even a tree! She can have conversations with just about anyone and has this childlike curiosity about people, their stories, their dreams, and hopes. And all this appealed to me. It brought in a kind of a sweet balance in our relationship, now marriage.”

As for Shibani, Farhan’s off-screen personality came as a surprise. “Farhan is a private guy and drastically different from his on-screen image. Yes, when the camera comes on, he turns into the Farhan Akhtar that the world knows, but otherwise, he is closed and it takes time for him to warm up to people. When you meet him for the first time, you cannot gauge him at all. It’s only when he gets comfortable that he starts warming up. He may come across as aloof or cold, but he is very genuine and cannot fake anything for anyone. What you see is what you get,” Shibani told Elle.

She added that he is also a nerd. “As I got to know him, I found that he was really interesting to talk to. You give him a subject that he’s into and he can give you all the possible information. Also, you should know he has an inherent geek inside him. And I think that’s what I found endearing. Everyone has this outgoing, fun image of Farhan but behind closed doors, he is this silent, artistic, and nerdy person. We are both opposites in that sense. Like, even when we travel, I am easy-going and like to go with the flow whereas he likes to plan and put a proper agenda. He is a full-on explorer.”

However, it was Farhan’s emotional quotient that Shibani truly loved. “Also, on an emotional level, he’s the kind of guy that has got my back no matter what. I don’t have to ever question that. And it’s from like the smallest day-to-day things to the larger things in life. He’s there for me on an emotional level and that is extremely important,” Shibani remarked.