They Met On Insta, Dated On TikTok: This Love Story Is As Millennial As It Gets

Mrunal Panchal begins her story with a warning - "Heads up! Our story is as millennial as it gets" - and she could not be more accurate. From meeting on Instagram, sliding into each other's DMs, dating over video calls and bonding on TikTok, Mrunal and Anirudh's love story is truly as dependent on technology as millennials are. In an interview with Humans of Bombay, the couple reveals how they 'met' for the first time, started dating and kept the romance alive thousands of miles apart.

Mrunal confesses that she is the one who slid into Anirudh's DMs when she came across his Instagram profile. "When I came across Anirudh's profile, I loved his feed - it was so aesthetic," she says. "I messaged him-or slid into his DMs if you will! He replied with a 'Hi' instantly and we began chatting."

The two content creators found plenty to talk about, even though with Anirudh in Canada and Mrunal in India, the time difference was tough. 

"We're both content creators, so when Anirudh suggested we do a TikTok Duet video, I was game," says Mrunal, describing the experience as "so much fun". It was making a TikTok video together, from different continents, that made the two millennials realise how much they liked each other. So, very soon, their texting turned into virtual dates. 

"That night, I told him I loved him...and he did too," says Mrunal, describing a date where the two dressed up for a video call and ordered the same food. 

The two met in person for the first time three months after that, when Anirudh flew down to Pune. They spent a month doing everything together, though Mrunal says she knew Anirudh was the one the minute she set eyes on him. "So, we became 'official' and told our family and friends, but he had to go back to Canada to finish his last month-I missed him so much as the long distance resumed."

While Anirudh had the option to stay on in Canada, he chose to return. "He said his heart belongs with me in India," says Mrunal. Mrunal and Anirudh then moved to Mumbai, where they live in separate apartments in the same building. Their Skype sessions have turned into Netflix nights at home, and Mrunal describes their relationship as "a modern day love with an old school heart".

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“Heads up! Our story is as millennial as it gets–we met on Instagram. When I saw Anirudh's profile, I loved his feed. So after I stalked the hell out of him, I messaged him–or slid into his DMs! He replied instantly & we began chatting. I'd never met him but within an hour of texting, it felt like we'd known each other...since forever? ⁣ Soon, we couldn't get through a day without talking to each other. He was studying in Canada & I was in India so the time difference was tough but we found a way to talk–sleep could wait. ⁣ Also, we're both content creators, so when he asked me to do a Tik Tok Duet with him, I was game. We had so much fun! But, we also realized how much we felt for each other. So he asked me out on a ‘virtual date' where we dressed up, ordered the same food & video called each other! It was so romantic–he managed to sweep me off my feet from thousands of miles away! That night, I told him I loved him, & he did too. ⁣ But we hadn't met so there was that fear of things going flat when we met in person.⁣ So, 3 months after our virtual romance, he came to Pune to see me & give this a real shot. For a month, I showed him around, took him to my favorite spots & spent time with him. But I knew he had my heart the second I saw him.⁣ So, we became ‘official' & told our family & friends, but he had to go back to Canada to finish his last month–I missed him so much as the long distance resumed. ⁣ It was also tough because Anirudh could stay there after graduation. But then he told me he was coming back–I was on cloud 9. He said his heart belongs with me in India.⁣ After, we both moved to Bombay & got 2 different flats in the same building. ⁣ Finally, from being a thousand miles away, we're now just a floor apart. Virtual dates have turned into breakfast in bed & Skype sessions are now fairy lit netflix nights at home. ⁣ But he still finds a way to sweep me off my feet. Recently, he gave up a huge work opportunity to stand by my side as I won an award for ‘Iconic Influencer of the Year'! We're only a year old, but somehow time isn't a measure; it feels like a love of a lifetime with him. I guess that's our story–a modern day love with an old school heart!"

A post shared by Humans of Bombay (@officialhumansofbombay) on Apr 15, 2020 at 5:35am PDT

Mrunal and Anirudh's love story has struck a chord with many. On Instagram, it has collected over 1.3 lakh 'likes', along with hundreds of comments. 

"That's how a modern fairytale would be," wrote one person in the comments section. "What a beautiful story. My heart melts," said another.