‘I realised late, but…’: Sagarika Ghatge on timing of her relationship with Zaheer Khan | Feelings News

In a recent interview, actor Sagarika Ghatge spoke fondly of her husband, cricketer Zaheer Khan. 
Reflecting on their relationship, she told Hauterrfly, “I think today who I am and how I am and you know everything, how I look at life is all thanks to him because he just grounds you, he just is your safe space. There’s this one person I need and that’s him and nothing else matters. And I’m glad I realised that late, but I realised it.” 
When asked whether Khan had to pursue her before dating, she replied, “No, no, as in I’m telling you I met him… I wish I’d met him a little earlier, I would have just been married young maybe with him. I married him 7-8 years back. I wish I’d married when I was way younger. It was not the thing ki (that) I didn’t want to get married young or I had no, I was very open about all that. If I’d met him earlier I would have definitely married him earlier.”
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This raises an interesting question — does the timing of meeting your significant other shape the course of your life in a significant way? 
Gurleen Baruah, exential psychotherap at That Culture Thing, tells , “When it comes to meeting a life partner, people often say things like ‘It happened at the right time’  but honestly, what does that really mean? Sometimes, you meet the right person when you’re least expecting it, and it changes everything. Other times, you meet someone amazing, but if you’re not in the right headspace, it just doesn’t work out. So is it really about timing, or is it about who you meet and how that connection shapes you?”

A life partner isn’t about someone being above or below you, stresses Baruah, it’s about having someone you can truly share life with. And when that companionship is there, it naturally influences both personal and professional growth. When you meet someone and more about who they are — and how the relationship helps you grow, no matter when it happens,” states Baruah. 
Do people tend to idealise alternate relationship timelines?
According to Baruah, people “definitely idealise alternate timeline.” She says that it’s human nature to wonder how things could have been. But the real question is — does timing actually change a relationship, or is it just a story we tell ourselves to make sense of things?
From an exential lens, the expert notes that timing is less about fate and more about meaning-making. “We assign significance to moments in retrospect — seeing some as right and others as missed opportunities. But in reality, a relationship isn’t just shaped when it happens; it’s shaped who you are at that moment and how both people navigate their circumstances.”
Psychological impact of believing you ‘should have met’ your partner earlier
Believing you should have met your partner earlier — especially when the thought comes from a place of admiration and joy — can be bittersweet. “On one hand, it reflects a deep appreciation for the relationship. But on the other hand, it can also carry an undertone of longing or regret,” explains Baruah. Story continues below this ad
Navigating these emotions in a healthy way comes down to perspective. Instead of dwelling on when you met, focus on the gratitude that you did — something not everyone gets to experience. Trust the timing of your growth, recognising that past experiences shaped you into the person who connected with them correctly.