Pranav Suresh Babu and Shahna Pranav's story is something which isn't quite common. Talking bout how they met and fell in love, Shahna says, "I happened to see Pranav's videos through Facebook which were viral then. He was cheering with his friends during temple festivals. I don't know why, but I kept watching his video repeatedly. My friends even asked me if I was insane," and continues, "I sent him friend requests on Facebook from two different accounts, but still he did not accept. I was mad at him. Then I managed to get his WhatsApp number and messaged him," laughs the 19-year-old.
Pranav, who understood that she was getting a little obsessive, from her texts, chose to ignore it. "From the way she messaged, I was sure that she liked me. Knowing my condition, I did not push it too much. One fine day she confessed her love. I explained my current condition, but she did not change her mind. Finally, I told her that I was in love with another woman and made my friend talk to her," shared Pranav. Shahna who knew that Pranav was spinning a yarn, stood firm, "I knew it was a lie. Because, when he tried to discourage me from this relationship, I was sure that it was some plan of his to dissuade me again."
Finally, Pranav fell for her and confessed that he loved her too. All these incidents happened less than a year ago. Her parents were against this relationship, but Shahna was firm in her decision, and she moved out of her home in Trivandrum and moved into Pranav's place in Irinjalakuda. Pranav's parents also tried explaining his condition to her. "She came here on March 2. My friends and parents showed her my condition. As I am paralysed, someone has to look after my chores (previously done by his friends and mother). We presumed that she would go back after seeing all this, but she said she knew this well in advance and she does not have a change in mind. Finally, I tied the knot on March 3," tells the 28-year-old.
If you are wondering how he ended up paralysed, Pranav tells us about how he was in a bike accident, as a pillion, which resulted in the loss of his lower body functions. "I was in the hospital for about a year. Since it is a spinal cord injury, it is incurable. Since there is a plate on my neck, I rarely eat with my mouth. Usually, a semi-solid feed is injected using a tube to my stomach once in two hours," says Pranav. When we asked Shahna if she has gotten used to this routine, she enthusiastically says, "Yes! It is not a big deal to me. Any one of us may be faced with a situation like this in life. I don't find it as an excuse to not love or reject someone."
Since Pranav has been living with this condition for years now, several friends support them financially and in person. "They take me out for every festival, and also I don't miss movies too," he laughs. "My father works as an electrician in Muscat. Soon, I will try for some work from home opportunities as I have a family now," says the BCom graduate.
