Subhash K Jha/IANS

Mumbai, Aug 4: Sounding excited after her engagement to NRI businessman Elesh Parujanwala, item girl Rakhi Sawant says she wants all her friends, including her former boyfriend Abhishek Awasthi, to attend her wedding but will not invite her mother.

"I completely forgive Abhishek Awasthi. I was very surprised to know that he showed up on Sunday for my scheduled wedding. Surprised and touched. If I knew, I'd have welcomed him. Yesterday, he was my boyfriend. Today, he's my friend," said Rakhi.

But she hasn't forgiven her mother. "Please, all that nautanki on television for five minutes can't take away the pain I've gone through. As far as I'm concerned that chapter of my life is closed," she said.

Eliminated contestants from the "Rakhi Ka Swayamvar" reality show were among those who had showed up to wish the couple on Sunday. But although a wedding was expected, Rakhi and Elesh only got engaged.

"I was all set to marry Elesh on Sunday. But it was Elesh who said he wanted more time to get to know me. I'm very confident of him. But if he needs more time to get to know me, how can I force myself on him? I'm ready to wait as long as he wants," said Rakhi.

But although she is willing to wait for Elesh to make up his mind about the wedding, she doesn't want to shift base to Canada, where he runs a business.

"I'm completely sure Elesh is the man for me. But I do have a career in Mumbai. So he'll have to plan our future accordingly."

They are planning to go to Toronto together for the wedding of Elesh's sister.