It's decision time for Bollywood star Rakhi Sawant on Rakhi Ka Swayamvar

It's decision time for Bollywood star Rakhi Sawant on Rakhi Ka Swayamvar

Whom will she pick and will she or won’t she?

Those are the big questions in India today (Sunday) as the finale of the reality TV series Rakhi Ka Swayamvar airs on NDTV Imagine.

Bollywood actress Rakhi Sawant has revived the ancient Indian practice of swayamvar to select a suitable husband. She has whittled a field of 16 contestants down to three, and she will announce her decision on tonight’s broadcast, which airs at 9 p.m. in India.

Most fans of the show are convinced that Rakhi will choose Canadian businessman Elesh Parujanwala. But even if they are correct, some drama remains. No one, not even Rakhi herself, seems absolutely certain if she is going to go through with a marriage ceremony on the spot.

In ancient India, when the swayamvar competition was over, the bride married the selected groom immediately. Rakhi has gone back and forth in interviews on the subject, one day insisting she would marry and the next day insisting she wouldn’t.

“I’m not getting married, now,” she told the Times of India in her most recent pronouncement on the subject. “I’m selecting someone from the show to be my life partner. It’s more of an engagement.”

Just a couple of days earlier, reports were that Rakhi intended to get married today and even had her bridal outfit ready to go. One source said Rakhi was contractually obligated to get married in the show’s finale. However, reports in recent days have emerged suggesting that a way out had been formulated for Rakhi, with the man she selects given the option of choosing to marry her or walking away with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Such conjectures can only serve to boost the ratings for the final show and, should Rakhi wind up not getting married this time, even possibly lead to a sequel.