Raghav Chadha recalls his first meeting with Parineeti Chopra’s parents in Ambala: ‘Supposed to be 30-40 minutes, ended up…’

Chadha’s anecdote reminds us about how relationships are built in Indian families. What he described is something many couples go through. The first meeting with a partner’s parents is not just a social courtesy. “It is a psychological moment that carries layers of meaning. It is where two worlds meet, two value systems collide, and two emotional histories try to find harmony,” shared psychotherapist and life coach Delnna Rrajesh.

She said that whenever two families meet for the first time, everyone is silently looking for emotional safety. “A four-hour organic conversation is a sign that the nervous systems on both sides have relaxed. Nobody felt judged. Nobody felt the need to perform. They felt seen, welcomed, and accepted. When that happens, time expands without anyone noticing.”

Parineeti Chopra with her parents, Reena and Pawan Chopra (Parineeti Chopra/Instagram)

It is also a reflection of something India still values. Relationships here are not just between two people. They are between systems, histories, cultures and emotional environments. When someone is nervous, time usually feels slow. For Raghav to be more nervous about speaking in Parliament than about speaking in Parliament, yet still end up spending four hours, means something powerful happened. “His anxiety melted in the presence of warmth. This is what healthy families do. They co-regulate you, calm you, settle you, and hold space for you. That is why the only chai meet became lunch. That is why 40 minutes became four hours,” shared Delnna.

At a deeper level, long first meetings like these are powerful for couples too as it “takes off a huge emotional load from both partners”. When your families connect effortlessly, you stop operating from fear. You stop wondering how your worlds will merge. You stop preparing emotionally for conflict. Instead, you begin the relationship from a space of expansion, not protection,” said Delnna.

When a 40-minute chai becomes a four-hour emotional connection, that is not a coincidence. “That is resonance. And relationships built on resonance often stand the test of time,” shared Delnna.