Some of our Bollywood actors weren’t just stealing the hearts of fans but of their co-stars and industry mates as well!
5 Epic Real Life Bollywood Love Stories:
1. Dilip Kumar-Madhubala
Remembering the late legendary actress Madhubala on her birth anniversary today, we’re starting off with one of the saddest love stories in Bollywood. Late actors Madhubala and Dilip Kumar were reportedly in a relationship for nine years before parting ways rather tragically. The couple were also engaged but the union was broken off due to the Naya Daur movie case where Dilip Kumar insisted Madhubala’s father was ‘dictator and difficult’. The pair shot the iconic film Mughal-E-Azam in 1960 during which they had completely stopped speaking. Post the release, they never met again. During this period, Kumar wed actress Saira Banu while Madhubala got married to late singer Kishore Kumar. Madhubala breathed her last in 1969 and as per a report, she had expressed a desire to meet him a day before her passing away. That unfortunately had not been fulfilled.
2. Dilip Kumar-Saira Banu
Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu made for one of the most evergreen jodis in the Hindi film industry. Even the age difference of 22 years was no barrier to their timeless love story. On 11 October 1966, the duo tied the knot when the actor was 44 and Saira was merely 22 years old. They completed 54 years of marital bliss before Dilip saab passed away. At the tender age of 12, Saira was head over heels for Dilip Kumar at first sight!
When she finally met him at a later age, she had swooned at his compliment. “When he smiled at me and remarked that I was a pretty girl, I could feel my whole being taking wing and flying rapturously. I knew somewhere deep within me that I was going to be his wife,” she’d said.
Saira Banu’s mother Naseem Banu played cupid and brought the two together – which gave way to their marriage union. Though Saira worked after marriage, she decided to become a homemaker later on. In 1972, the couple got pregnant but due to complications, Saira suffered a miscarriage and couldn’t conceive again. Moreover, after 15 years of marriage, Dilip saab secretly got hitched to Asma Rehman, whom he met at a cricket match in Hyderabad, while still married to Saira. His marriage with Asma lasted only for 2 years; 1981–1983, after which he returned back to Saira. The couple’s relationship stood the test of time and Saira stayed devotedly at her husband’s side till his last breath. She used to lovingly refer to him as her ‘Kohinoor’.
Also Read: Lata Mangeshkar-Raj Singh Dungarpur Love Story; Why Did She Never Marry?
3. Sharmila Tagore-Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi
Before finding the love of his life in Sharmila Tagore, the late Indian Cricket Team captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (a.k.a. Tiger Pataudi) was reportedly dating actress Simi Garewal. However, after setting his eyes on actress Sharmila Tagore, it was all it took to realise she was the one for him. A report had quoted his statement to Simi that said, “I’m sorry but I want to make it clear it is over between us, I’ve met someone else.” Simi had apparently taken the news very maturely and even offered the cricketer lemonade while they conversed. Simi had also written about this on her website saying, “The Pataudis and I go back a long way. Mansoor and I dated each other when he was the India Captain. He was always easy going and would come to my shoots – much to the delight of the film unit! Sharmila Tagore and I were social friends and colleagues. And then of course they met -and you know the rest!“
But this wasn’t the end. Sharmila and Mansoor were inseparable. From their very first meet at a mutual’s residence to the grand proposal at Paris! Mansoon had apparently tried wooing his ladylove buy getting her a refrigerator but what won her heart was the bouquet he gave her after that. While Tagore shot for her film An Evening in Paris, Khan flew all the way there and popped the big question. The rest of is history. Sharmila and Mansoor Ali Khan’s marriage is one of the most dynamic ones in the history of celebrity marriages. While Tagore is an actress, Khan was one of the best cricketers the country had witnessed.
4. Rajesh Khanna-Dimple Kapadia
Late actor Rajesh Khanna was in a live-in relationship with fashion designer and actress Anju Mahendru for seven years. That however ended after which Khanna had taken notice of Dimple Kapadia who was only 16 at the time and had debuted in the film ‘Bobby’. Rajesh Khanna was immediately smitten and all it took was for him to know that he was her favourite actor. He then went and proposed the young actress who herself had broken up with her then boyfriend – late actor Rishi Kapoor. Apparently, Khanna had asked Dimple to get rid of a ring given by Kapoor too! The pair later on got married which turned out to be one of the biggest Bollywood weddings ever.
Despite their 15 year age gap, they were married for 11 years before their separation. It was Dimple who walked out of the relationship after Khanna’s affair with Tina Munim. Despite their differences, Khanna and Kapadia were never officially divorced on paper, keeping their children Twinkle and Rinki in mind.
5. Shah Rukh Khan-Gauri Khan
Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan married his childhood sweetheart Gauri Chibber in 1991. The two met each other at a school party for the first time. For SRK, it was love at first sight. Shah Rukh Khan, believe it or not, was turned down by Gauri twice before they could get married.
SRK rushed all the way to Mumbai from Delhi, went around all beaches in town, and asked her to marry him when he finally found her at Juhu after a whole day of searching! However, she declined the proposal. But when Khan’s late mother had passed away in 1990, Gauri approached him on her own and told him they should get married. Now here we are, over 30 years later, with one of Bollywood’s hottest married couple.