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Inter-religion Bollywood Celebrity Marriages
Around ages ago, Inter-caste marriages were really a tough affair to get accepted in Indian society. Yet, our celebrities managed to do so, and many such couples became an inspiration. I personally think whether the wedding is inter-religion or intra-religion, it doesn’t matter, you should go for the person you want to be with. And that is what these Bollywood celebrities have done.
Around ages ago, Inter-caste marriages were really a tough affair to get accepted in Indian society. Yet, our celebrities managed to do so, and many such couples became an inspiration. I personally think whether the wedding is inter-religion or intra-religion, it doesn’t matter, you should go for the person you want to be with. And that is what these Bollywood celebrities have done.
As we see in most Bollywood movies, the hero strives and finally gets his true love in the end and then they live ‘happily ever after.’ They have to cross many hurdles like opposition from parents, face a villain who too wants a heroine and many other problems. As we are used to seeing happy endings, our B-town keeps providing us with a lot of it on a frequent basis.
But a movie is not all; Some Bollywood celebs have shown us many live examples too of strong commitment and true love. Our tinsel town has many dilwale’s, who have taken their dulhaniya’s, in spite of many challenges like different religious backgrounds.
RNN would be discussing a list of powerful and famous celebrity couples that went for an inter-religion wedding. Have a close look at it.
Farhan Akhtar and Adhuna Bhabani
The Bhaag Milkha Bhaag star fell in love with Adhuna Bhabani during the making of Dil Chahta Hai. They dated each other for three long years, and then they got married. Both of them belonged to different religious backgrounds. Apart from this, Adhuna was six years older than Farhan as well. The two have two daughters, and the couple got separated in 2016.
Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao
Aamir Khan known as ‘Mr. Perfectionist’ of Bollywood, fell in love with Kiran Rao, a Brahmin from Banglore. They got married in 2005. He was earlier married to Rina Dutta and divorced her in 2002. Later he met Kiran Roa during the shooting of the movie Lagaan, where Kiran was an assistant director. They had not only set an example of inter-caste marriage but were also an inspiration for lots of couples as they announced their child, Azad’s birth in 2011, who came into their life with the help of IVF surrogacy.
Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Chibber
When we talk about First Rank, it has to be Shahrukh and Gauri. They first met in the year 1984 at a party, at that time Shahrukh was just 18! Indian cinema’s king of romance was no less romantic in real life. Immediately they fell in love. And, then all the family drama began when they decided to tie the knot. As Gauri belonged to a Hindu family, a family who only had pure vegetarian food and who had a temple in their house whereas, SRK was a Muslim. Gauri’s father not only had religious issues, but he also had an issue about Shahrukh’s unsettled life and doubtful career. Even after all these huge hurdles, they both managed to get united. SRK and Gauri got married on 25th October 1991. Now they have three children AbRam, Aryan, and Suhana. They have spent a long time of their marriage and still, they are known as the perfect couple and are an inspiration to many couples.
Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor
Kareena Kapoor aka Bebo was born in a traditional, well-known Punjabi family whereas, Saif Ali Khan is the son of the famous Nawab Mansoor Ali Khan Patudi and evergreen Bengali beauty Sharmila Tagore. Kareena was not able to convince her mother to accept her and Saif’s relationship as Saif was of another caste and moreover, was married and divorced earlier. Karishma Kapoor Kareena’s elder sister then convinced their mother. Finally, their entire family member accepted their relationship and they got married on 16th October 2014, after dating for almost 7 years as they were dating each other from October 2007. And, this is how Kareena Kapoor became the ‘Beigum’ of ‘Chote Nawab’. Their wedding was one of the most talked about weddings in Bollywood. Many people expected that Bebo might change her religion after the wedding, but likewise, her mother-in-law Sharmila Tagore, Kareena too chose to stay Hindu even after her marriage.
Kunal Khemu and Soha Ali Khan
Love is the only religion of the Pataudi family, as most of them are married to a person belonging to a different religion. Just like her brother, Soha Ali Khan also chose to marry her longtime boyfriend, Kunal Khemu. Both of them met on the sets of Dhoondthe Reh Jaoge (2009) and fell in love. The couples dated each other for quite a long time before they got hitched. The two got married on January 25, 2014. They were even in a live-in relationship for some time before they tied the knot.
Arbaaz Khan and Malaika Arora
As we all know, Arbaaz Khan is from a well-known Khan family. His family is known as a family with vast diversity in it. Khan family has a very good reputation and is a very powerful family in Tinsel Town. Just like his brother Sohail Khan, Arbaaz too fell in love with a non-Muslim girl. But, he married his lady love only after taking permission from her mother and having a Christian wedding. We all know Mallaika as the ‘Chaiyya Chaiyya girl.’ She belongs to a Hindu family, while Arbaaz is from a Muslim family. Yet, they got married, and the duo has a son, Arhaan, who was born in 2002. They are happily married since 1998. Malaika Arora Khan feels blessed to have such a lovely family.
Sohail Khan and Seema Sachdev
Sohail Khan fell in love with a Punjabi girl, Seema Sachdev. They have an exciting love story, which is no less than any Bollywood movie. The two fled away when Sohail’s first movie as a director, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, was released. They first married as per the Arya Samaj rituals, and later in the evening, they had a nikah. However, later, their families accepted them, and they are now blessed with two sons.
Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’souza
The sweetest and the most gorgeous couple in Bollywood met on the set of Tujhe Meri Kasam and fell in love with each other. This super-cute couple from Bollywood is one of the best examples of inter-faith marriage. As Riteish is a Maharashtrian Hindu and Genelia, on the other hand, is a Mangalorean Catholic. The two got hitched in 2012, in both Maharashtrian and Christian styles. They are blessed with two baby boys and still make the perfect couple.
Hrithik Roshan and Sussanne Khan
The hazel green eye actor Hrithik Roshan got engaged on 20th December 2000. As we all know the cool dude and his beautiful wife was in love since their childhood. India’s superstar belongs to a well-known ethnic Punjabi family, whereas Sussanne was from a Muslim background. But do you think this religious gap would end a childhood love story? Nope! Never! They got married. The lovely couple has two sons Hrehaan and Hridaan. Unfortunately, a huge controversy took place all over the world, when Hrithik declared in 2013, that he wants to end their relationship and separate from his wife. They officially got divorced on 1st November 2014 in Bandra Court. Yet, we can say that once the couple has given us an example of true love and commitment. There are rumours that the main reason behind their split was Arjun Rampal.
Preity Zinta and Gene Goodenough
Preity Zinta got married to her longtime beau, Gene Goodenough, on February 28, 2016. The couple dated each other for quite some time before tying the knot. The couple tied the knot in a Hindu wedding ceremony in Los Angeles with an intimate gathering of family and very close friends. Preity Zinta belongs to a Punjabi family, while Gene Goodenough is a Christian from the USA.
Irrfan Khan and Sutapa Sikdar
It was during one of the practice sessions when Irrfan noticed Sutapa Sikdar and fell in love with her. Irrfan took the risk and introduced himself. Gradually they became good friends, and finally, they decided to take their friendship to the next level. They got married On February 23, 1995. Sutapa Sikdar is Bengali. The two have two sons. Bollywood actor, Irrfan Khan is now late.
Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah
The two met during the rehearsal of a play, in the year 1975. Naseeruddin Shah was already married and had a daughter from his first marriage. However, that didn’t make any difference in their relationship. And they got married in 1982 and have two sons.
Manoj Bajpayee and Shabana Raza (Neha)
The most versatile actor in Indian Cinema, Manoj Bajpayee, also got married to a non-Hindu girl, Shabana Raza. Shabana Raza was very famous by her screen name Neha. The two met a short while after her first movie Kareeb was released in 1998. They got married in the year 2006 and are blessed with a daughter.
Sanjay Dutt and Dilnawaz Sheikh (Maanyata)
Sanju Baba and Maanyata, whose real name is Dilnawaz Sheikh, met in the year 2006, through a common friend. Sanjay Dutt fell in love with Maanyata, and soon the duo got married despite different religious backgrounds, too many rumours about Maanyata’s previous marriage, and a substantial 19-year-old age gap.
Dia Mirza and Sahil Sangha
Undoubtedly, Dia Mirza is one of the most gorgeous actresses in Bollywood. Dia won Miss Asia Pacific 2000 title and made her acting debut with Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein (2001). She is half German and half Bengali Hindu by genes and half Muslim by parentage as she uses her stepfather’s surname, Mirza. She got married on October 18, 2014, to her longtime business partner Sahil Sangha. However, the two got separated in August 2019.
Urmila Matondkar and Mir Mohsin Akhtar
Urmila Matondkar and Mir Mohsin Akhtar are the latest entrants on the list of Bollywood couples who had an inter-religious marriage. Urmila, who was the famous 90s heroine, got married to her boyfriend, Mir Mohsin Akhtar, in a private ceremony on March 3, 2016. Urmila is a Maharashtrian, while her husband Mir is a Kashmiri Muslim. Not just that, Urmila is ten years older than Mir, however, that didn’t make any difference.
Zayed Khan and Malaika Parekh
The Main Hoon Na Actor, Zayed Khan, married his childhood girlfriend, Malaika Parekh on November 21, 2005. Zayed had a crush on Malaika from school days. After years of dating in school, both of them decided to venture out and face the world. The couple is happily married and has two children now.
Arjun Rampal and Mehr Jesia
Arjun Rampal is a renowned Bollywood artist, and Mehr Jesia is a Model (Winner of Femina Miss India Universe 1986), by profession. The duo got married in 1998, and now they have two daughters Myra and Mahikaa. Mehr belongs to a Parsi family, whereas Arjun is a Hindu Sikh. Unfortunately, the couple decided to separate and applied for divorce in 2015.
Conclusion
Indubitably, love knows no religion, and this is what Bollywood stars have been proclaiming since its outset. No matter how hard the battle of love goes, one wins at the end.
All these couples got hitched with partners from other religions. For some, it was a cakewalk, and for others, it was no less than a battle.
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