In an interview on a local talk show, Maya Ali explained her reason for not being married yet. Answering in tandem with her business-partner cousins, who were also present at the show, she said, “It’s difficult to explain to the elders that I cannot get married just for the sake of getting married. I need someone who understands my work and me, and also knows how to value a woman like she deserves. Then it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Maya mentioned that her cousins have defended her in front of the family a lot in this sense, especially when someone would push her to settle down. “When the right person enters your life at the right time, you wouldn’t even know it. We talk a lot about destiny and religion, so why is it difficult to believe that this is also written? This, too, will happen when the time is right,” she added.

The Mann Mayal actor agreed that the current generation is accepting this mindset better than the last. “At first, people would get married just because their relatives were as well. When my brother got married, everyone said, ‘Your younger brother has done it, why haven’t you?’ So, I said, ‘How is this possible?’ It will happen whenever it’s written, and once the right person comes along.”

Explaining what her definition of the “right person” is, she said, “I’m looking for someone who respects my mother and I. And it’s not like I wouldn’t do the same. Obviously, I would. This is a two-way road. So, yes. I’ll definitely get married when my heart knows it’s time.”

Although the 35-year-old actor fantasises hearing violins when she’d find her love match, she believes that practicality is the key when it comes to making a relationship last. “Once you cross a certain age, you start thinking about these things practically. Yes, love has its own place, but companionship is also very important and so is understanding each other.”

Mentioning her cousins’ happy relationships, she added, “Arguments break out everywhere. But to understand one another and explain your point gently, that’s something else.”

Maya may still be on the lookout for a man who supports her emotionally, but she is surrounded by a community of women who support her journey with open hearts. Dedicating a women’s day Instagram post to all of them, she wrote, “The strongest women I know, each of them a source of love, strength, and inspiration in my life! Grateful to have them today and always.”