Akki's engaged to Twinkle!

Pradeep Bandekar

Twinkle Khanna and Akshay Kumar have have been going steady for a while now.

But an engagement between the two came as quite a surprise.

The venue? Samudra Mahal, Bombay -- Dimple Kapadia's residence.

The date: December 12, 2000.

The engagement, which began at noon, went on till 7 pm. It was followed by a party at 9.30 pm. The whole affair was strictly out of bounds for the press.

Dimple Kapadia had earlier beseeched the swarming mediapersons blocking the road to the bungalow to leave them alone, promising, "Everyone is welcome to the wedding. But please leave us alone today."

To a request to Twinkle's father, yesteryear superstar Rajesh Khanna, from the press photographers wanting a photograph, he replied, "You'll have to ask Dimple for permission. This is not my house."

It is reported that before the function, Rajesh Khanna, Dimple, Sunny Deol, Twinkle and Akshay Kumar had a long meeting. Akshay is said to have agreed to the function, on one condition: That the press be kept away.