Choreographer Pony Verma’s first memory of actor Prakash Raj was seeing him play an ‘old man in a wheelchair’ in the 2003 Telugu film ‘Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi’. Years later, after working together on several films, their professional association gradually developed into friendship and eventually blossomed into love. However, their relationship did not receive an entirely warm response from Pony’s family and friends, who were concerned about her marrying Prakash, given their age difference and contrasting cultural backgrounds.Pony and Prakash grew close during a difficult phase in their respective lives. She was grieving the loss of her mother, while the actor was going through a divorce from his first wife, Lalitha Kumari, whom he had married in 1994. Recalling how her loved ones reacted when she expressed her desire to marry Prakash, Pony spoke about the cultural differences and reservations they had on Prema’s YouTube channel.“They had no idea about South Indians. They’re telling me, every day you’ll eat sambar, you’ll die. We eat idli sambar sometimes at a hotel; it’s good. I said, no, but I like sambar. My friends were like, why are you getting married to a man who’s 12 years older than you? A big hue and cry happened.”Despite the initial resistance, Pony believes the age difference worked in their favour. She credited Prakash with bringing stability and a sense of calm into her life, explaining how his maturity helped her navigate her emotions and approach life differently.“I think only a man like Prakash could’ve understood me and the depth of my life, where I have come from, how I think, and my struggles. I was like a wave that was going (waves hands)…Prakash came like a shore. To sit down calmly and eat- that was not a part of our life. Prakash was like, leave the spoon to the side and eat with your hand. Be comfortable. Don’t think of anything. This calmness Prakash has brought into my life. To sit and eat food, it’s okay; nothing is going away. No falling behind in life. Only someone, a man with experience like Prakash, could’ve handled it.”Prakash Raj was previously married to actor Lalitha Kumari in 1994, and the couple had three children — daughters Meghana and Pooja, and son Siddharth. Their son died in 2004, aged five, after sustaining injuries in a fall while flying a kite. Prakash and Lalitha divorced in 2009, after which he married Pony in 2010. The couple welcomed their son, Vedhanth, in 2015.