From the Field to the Film Set: Cricketers Who Found Love in Bollywood
From the Field to the Film Set: Cricketers Who Found Love in Bollywood
Indian cricket and Bollywood have long shared a close bond, often crossing paths both on and off the field. Over the years, several cricketers have married film stars, with some stories continuing to blossom while others didn’t stand the test of time.
Here’s a look at famous cricketer-actor couples:
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and Sharmila Tagore
Tiger Pataudi, one of India’s youngest cricket captains, met actor Sharmila Tagore at a party in Delhi in 1965. Despite facing religious and cultural differences, the two got married in 1969 and remained together until Pataudi passed away in 2011.
Harbhajan Singh and Geeta Basra
Cricketer Harbhajan Singh married actor Geeta Basra, known for films like The Train and Dil Diya Hai, on October 29, 2015. The couple has two children, daughter Hinaya Heer Plaha (born July 27, 2016) and son Jovan Veer Singh Plaha (born July 10, 2021).
Yuvraj Singh and Hazel Keech
Yuvraj Singh tied the knot with actor Hazel Keech, known for her role in Bodyguard, in November 2016. They are parents to two children: son Orion (born January 25, 2022) and daughter Aura (born July 17, 2023).
Zaheer Khan and Sagarika Ghatge
Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan married Chak De! India actor Sagarika Ghatge in 2017. The couple welcomed their son, Fatehsinh Khan, on April 16, 2025.
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma
Virat Kohli met actor Anushka Sharma during a TV commercial shoot in 2014. They got married in a private ceremony in Italy on December 11, 2017. They have two children: daughter Vamika (born January 11, 2021) and son Akaay (born February 15, 2024).
KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty
KL Rahul met Athiya Shetty, daughter of actor Suniel Shetty, through mutual friends in 2019. They went public with their relationship in 2020 and got married in January 2023 at a private ceremony in Khandala.
The Ones That Didn’t Last
Reena Roy, a popular Bollywood actor, was once married to Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan, but their marriage eventually ended in divorce. Another cricketer-actor couple that didn’t last was former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin and actor Sangeeta Bijlani. They tied the knot in 1996 but separated and filed for divorce in 2010. More recently, Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya married Serbian model, dancer, and actress Natasa Stankovic in May 2020. The couple has a son named Agastya, but in July 2024, they announced their separation.
