Samir Soni Says He Had A Panic Attack On First Date With Neelam Kothari: 'I Was Drenched In Sweat'

Neelam Kothari and Samir Soni’s love story may have ended in marriage, but their first date was far from the dreamy Bollywood moment one might imagine. In a new video on Neelam’s YouTube channel, the couple looked back at the early days of their relationship, with Samir revealing that he had a panic attack during their very first date.

Neelam, who was one of the most popular faces of Hindi cinema in the 1980s and 1990s, has stayed away from films in recent years but returned to public attention with Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives. She has now launched her own YouTube channel, where she has been sharing personal conversations and glimpses from her life.

Samir Soni Says He Had A Panic Attack On His First Date With Neelam Kothari

During a lunch

date in the video, Samir asked Neelam if she remembered their first date. Neelam immediately replied, “Yes, I remember. I can never forget it. You say, I want to see if you remember.”

Samir then recalled the incident in detail and admitted that he became extremely nervous soon after they reached the coffee shop. “I remember very well. I don’t remember which coffee shop we went to. Right after reaching there, I got a panic attack and was drenched in sweat. We were drinking coffee, that’s why I asked you if we could sit in the car. You made me so nervous on our first date itself,” he said.

Neelam then revealed that she and Samir had hardly gone on traditional dates as a couple. The Hum Saath Saath Hain actor said, “Sameer and I have only been on one date. We’ve gone on a date once, and this is the second one. Yes, we go out with Ahana and that’s fine, but our romantic dinner date only happened once.”

Samir smiled and added that Neelam would only speak to him on the phone for a long time before they finally met. “She used to only talk over the phone for around three months, and then I asked her to meet at least,” he said.

How Neelam Kothari And Samir Soni’s Love Story Began

Samir had earlier opened up about how his love story with Neelam began. In a 2024 conversation with Ujjawal Tridevi on his YouTube channel, the actor recalled seeing Neelam at a party and being struck by her presence.

He also shared an unusual story involving a tarot card reader, who had predicted that a woman whose name started with the letter N and who worked in jewellery would enter his life. “I met someone who was a tarot card reader. I don’t know if she paid him. That person told me that there will be a woman in my life whose name starts with an N and she would be working in jewellery,” Samir said.

He admitted that Neelam immediately came to his mind, but he dismissed the thought as too much of a coincidence. At the time, he also felt she was beyond his reach.

“At her time, and she still is, one of the prettiest actresses. And my friends would say she is out of your league, don’t even think about it,” he said.

However, fate brought them face to face again one and a half years later at a Diwali party. Samir recalled telling producer Ektaa Kapoor that he was attracted to Neelam. “Ekta introduced us,” he shared.

Samir Soni Once Told Neelam Kothari She Was ‘Very Cute’

After Ektaa Kapoor introduced them, Samir decided to say something to Neelam. He recalled, “I told Neelam I normally don’t say this, but I think you are very cute. Then I said I would call you and I left. I didn’t even have her number.”

Interestingly, Samir said the same pattern repeated a few times. He would meet Neelam, tell her the same line and then leave without actually having her number. It was only years later that he finally decided to take a step forward.

“Ultimately, three years later, Samir called her. I asked myself, why am I doing this? I should just talk to her. I called her but she didn’t pick up. It was 3 am. The next morning, my ego kicked in, and I texted her. ‘You don’t believe in returning calls,’ and she texted back, ‘How do I know it is you?’” he revealed.

Despite the slow start, Samir said both of them were clear about the seriousness of the relationship from the beginning. “If we are together, we will marry, so that’s how we looked at each other from the beginning,” he shared.

Neelam Kothari And Samir Soni’s Marriage

Neelam Kothari and Samir Soni got married in 2011. The couple welcomed their daughter Ahana Soni in September 2013.

Over the years, Neelam and Samir have often spoken about their relationship with warmth and humour. Their latest video gives fans another personal glimpse into their marriage, from Samir’s first-date panic attack to the unusual way their romance unfolded over several years.