The Queensland town of Chinchilla has given Dr Tushaan Bhindi plenty to smile about – and he’s returned the favour many times over.
The dentist, who has a passion for giving patients their dream smile, moved from Sydney to the Western Downs in 2018 to become a partner in the local practice.
“I fell in love with the laid-back lifestyle that a smaller community provides when I worked in other country areas earlier in my career,” Dr Bhindi says.
But there was a small complication. In 2018, Dr Bhindi also fell in love with Bollywood movie star Evelyn Sharma, whom he met through friends while on an extended visit to India.
For a moment it was touch and go as to whether Evelyn would abandon Mumbai – home to India’s film empire and one of the world’s megacities – for life with Dr Bhindi in rural Chinchilla, population 6,600.
“I’d almost said to myself, well there’s nothing I can do about it, I’ve already made this decision (to live in Chinchilla) and I really hope Evelyn comes, but I understand if she can’t, given who she is,” Dr Bhindi recalls.
But in a movie-made happy ending, Evelyn said yes, the couple got married and they now have a home in Chinchilla and their first child on the way.
“Chinchilla has a fantastic, close-knit community with friendly people who are always willing to lend a hand,” Dr Bhindi says.
“Living in a regional town allows us to claim balance in our busy lives and enjoy having time either side of the workday to exercise, spend time with family and friends, and experience the country lifestyle.”
And it’s not every day that a regional town can claim an international film star in its midst. Just another reason to flash those pearly whites in Chinchilla.
