Actor and documentary filmmaker Suhasini Mulay was 60 when she got married for the first time.
Known for her work in films such as Lagaan and Jodhaa Akbar, as well as her award-winning documentary career, Mulay spent much of her life focused on work. Marriage was never something she ruled out. She simply never felt the need to rush into it.
Then a Facebook message led her to scientist Atul Gurtu.
More than 15 years later, the couple are still together.
Why Did Suhasini Mulay Stay Single For So Long?
In a recent interview with Suhana Safar, Mulay reflected on her decision to marry later in life.
"I married for the first time at the age of 60. Until then, I hadn't found the right match," she said.
Speaking about her husband, she added: "My husband is a very well-known scientist. When he talks about science, I don't understand a thing, but he is a wonderful human being."
Mulay has also spoken in previous interviews about the kind of relationship she wanted. One quality mattered deeply to her: equality.
According to the actor, she was looking for a partner who respected individual choices, believed in equal relationships and was not judgemental of people who lived differently from him.
That search took longer than expected.
How A Facebook Conversation Turned Into A Relationship
The story began with science rather than romance.
Speaking on actor Sulekha Talwalkar's YouTube channel, Mulay said she joined Facebook only after someone suggested it could help her connect with people professionally.
While browsing the platform one day, she came across the profile of Atul Gurtu.
What caught her attention was his profession.
"I saw Atul's profile and thought, 'Physicists are on Facebook too?'"
At the time, Gurtu was associated with work on the Large Hadron Collider. Curious about the project, Mulay decided to send him a message.
Her opening question was simple:
"What is LHC?"
The exchange that followed gradually turned into regular conversations over email.
As they continued talking, the discussions moved beyond science and into their personal lives. It was during these conversations that Gurtu mentioned he was looking for a life partner.
Why She Refused To Give Him Her Phone Number
Despite enjoying their conversations, Mulay was careful.
The two had met online, and she was not prepared to take everything at face value.
When Gurtu asked for her phone number, she declined.
Instead, she took time to verify who he was. According to Mulay, she checked information connected to his workplace and compared it with details on his Facebook profile before deciding to trust him.
Only after satisfying herself that he was genuine did she become open to the possibility of a relationship.
From Emails To Marriage
Months after their first online interaction, the pair met in person.
By then, they already knew a great deal about each other through their conversations.
Their first meeting strengthened the connection they had built online.
Mulay later told ABP Live that they met towards the end of November and spent weeks talking extensively.
By January 16, they were married.
"Once we had made the decision, there was no point waiting," she said.
A Relationship Built On Shared Values
What stands out about Mulay's story is not simply that she married at 60.
It is that she spent decades refusing to compromise on the qualities she wanted in a partner.
When she finally met someone who shared those values, age did not matter.
Today, she and Gurtu have been married for more than 15 years.
Their story is a reminder that relationships do not always follow a timeline and that sometimes the right person arrives later than expected.
