Cricket and cinema are both equally revered in India. A marriage of the two then inevitably makes news and noise.
Many cricketers and Bollywood beauties have fallen for each other but unfortunately not all of them have had happy endings.
The Quint takes a look at some of the relationships between cricketers and Bollywood actresses over the years.
Anushka Sharma-Virat Kohli
Everybody’s favourite couple, Anushka and Virat have held hands and smoothly cruised through media reports, speculations and controversies. What stands out here is how steady the two have been even through the most turbulent times.
Remember how Anushka’s doctored lips made headlines, but her beau stuck around playing the anchor? He even backed her all the way during the release of her maiden production NH 10. Well, to Anushka’s credit, it’s easy to lose patience when a nation full of cricket fans accuse you of jinxing its star cricketer’s winning spree. Yet, we haven’t seen her complain ever. What we do see is a growing mutual admiration.
Geeta Basra-Harbhajan Singh
This starry couple maintained a low-profile all through their three year relationship. We would often catch a glimpse of Geeta seated on the cricket stands along with other WAGs, while Harbhajan made it for film premieres and Bollywood parties with his ladylove. We didn’t really need to speculate any further as the two got hitched on 29 October, 2016.
Hazel Keech-Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj might have been linked to actress Kim Sharma in the past but his relationship with Hazel Keech is for keeps. Well, they exchanged rings in Bali and later got married on 30 November 2016. The two had reportedly been in a serious relationship for a few months but it was when the couple was spotted together at Harbhajan Singh’s wedding that we knew this might head for the altar.
Sangeeta Bijlani-Mohammad Azharuddin
The former Miss India, model and actress, Sangeeta Bijlani, was dating Salman Khan before Mohammad Azharuddin swept her off her feet. Azhar divorced his wife of eight years, Naureen, to get hitched to Bijlani. However, the marriage didn’t last long as the two separated and later got divorced in 2010. Azhar was rumoured to be dating badminton player Jwala Gutta post his separation.
Zeenat Aman-Imran Khan
This was one Indo-Pak match that made it to the tabloids alone. Former Pakistani cricketer Imran Khan and the sultry Zeenat Aman reportedly had an affair which was kept under wraps. But their relationship soon fizzled out, while some think it was because of their nationalities, others believe the reasons were more personal.
Neena Gupta-Vivian Richards
West Indian cricketer Vivian Richards was already married but separated when he met Neena Gupta. The two were involved in a serious relationship but never got married. However, Neena Gupta boldly brought up their child as a single parent and never hid her relationship from the world. Viv and Neena’s daughter, Masaba, is today one of India’s most influential young fashion designers.
Sharmila Tagore-Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi
The Sharmila Tagore and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi affair and marriage was a trendsetter in the late 1960s. The glamorous actress and the suave cricketer reportedly met through common friends in Delhi, after which Pataudi wooed Tagore in style. Though many speculated that the marriage would not last, the couple proved them all wrong.
Kim Sharma-Yuvraj Singh
While Yuvi is now married to Hazel Keech, the actress of British origin (seen with Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor in Bodyguard). The left-handed batsman had swept another Bollywood beauty off her feet a few years ago. Yuvraj Singh and Kim Sharma were said to have been in a serious relationship but unfortunately in 2007, the two parted ways. Some say Yuvraj’s mother Shabnam didn’t approve of Kim and hence influenced the separation. There are other reports that Yuvraj was fed up of Kim’s abusive behaviour.
(This article was first published on 3 February 2016 and has been updated.)
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