13 Actors Who Romanced Their Real-Life Sisters-In-Law On-Screen
Posted On: 07 Jun 2021 | Last Updated : 08 Mar 2022 | Views : 1.5k
Bollywood has often surprised us with its on-screen pairing where the hero is much older than the heroine but still runs around trees and sings duets to enthrall the audiences. Many times, we have seen some odd lead pairs who don’t gel with the characters they play or lack the required chemistry to make the movie a success. On a few occasions in the history of Bollywood, it has so happened that some lead actors ended up being romantically paired opposite their very own real-life sisters-in-law. It may sound odd but yes it has happened without any of them knowing then that later they would go on to be their sisters-in-law in real life. The funny part of it was that some heroes who knowingly or unknowingly romanced their real-life sisters-in-law on-screen looked good and shared some steaming chemistry. Here’s a list of 13 known Bollywood actors who romanced their real-life sisters-in-law on screen!
1. Raj Kapoor – Geeta Bali (Bawre Nain - 1950)
Director Kidar Nath Sharma’s Bawre Nain released in 1950 had the then top actress Geeta Bali romancing Raj Kapoor in the film who was already a competent director and actor. Though the movie was a success and Raj Kapoor’s real-life younger brother Shammi Kapoor was yet to make his debut then, little did the lead pair of Bawre Nain know that they’ll be related later. Shammi made his acting debut in 1953 featuring in Jeewan Jyoti, Rail Ka Dibba & Laila Majnu as the male lead. Despite Shammi’s initial movies not working at the box-office he got to work with Geeta Bali in Kidar Nath Sharma’s Rangeen Raaten, during which both fell in love and got married. The pair later appeared in movies like Miss Coca Cola & Coffee House, etc.
2. Ashok Kumar – Madhubala (Howrah Bridge - 1958)
Ashok Kumar was a superstar in his heydays and a top producer too who appeared with most of the female leads from the 30s to 60s. Ashok Kumar romanced Madhubala in films like Mahal, Ek Saal, and Howrah Bridge was quite successful at the box-office. In Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi Ashok Kumar shared screen space with Madhubala once again but this time the latter was paired opposite the former’s younger brother Kishore Kumar. Kishore and Madhubala married in 1960 and appeared in films like Half Ticket, Mehlon Ke Khwab, Jhumroo, etc. Madhubala died in 1969 after a prolonged illness at the age of 36.
3. Randhawa - Mumtaz (Tarzan and King Kong - 1965)
Many may not know about the pair of Randhawa, the younger brother of wrestler-turned-actor Dara Singh, who romanced his real-life sister-in-law Mumtaz in films like Son of Hatimtai and Tarzan and King Kong in 1965 and featured in Rustam Kaun in 1966. Randhawa romanced and featured opposite Malika Askari, who was actress Mumtaz’s younger sister in films like Hercules, Son of Hatimtai, Do Matwale, Spy in Goa, etc., before tying the knot with her in the 70s. Randhawa and Malika Askari’s son Shaad Randhawa is an actor who made his acting debut in Mohit Suri’s Woh Lamhe and acted in films like Marjaavaan, Aashiqui 2, Malang and Mumbai Saga.
4. Deb Mukherjee / Joy Mukherjee - Tanuja (Ek Bar Mooskura Do - 1972)
Many may not know about this but actress Tanuja happened to romance her husband and director-producer Shomu Mukherjee’s real-life brother’s Deb Mukherjee and Joy Mukherjee in the 1972 musical love-triangle film Ek Bar Mooskura Do. Though the film did ordinary business at the ticket windows, it was directed by Ram Mukherjee and was produced by Shomu Mukherjee who fell in love with Tanuja during the making of the film and got married the following year in 1973. Shomu directed movies like Nanha Shikari, Fiffty-Fiffty, Lover Boy and Sangdil Sanam. Tanuja and Shomu’s daughters Kajol and Tanishaa Mukherjee are actresses.
5. Rajesh Khanna – Simple Kapadia (Anurodh - 1977)
If one talks about top Bollywood actors and their sisters in law's who romanced each other on-screen then it would be superstar Rajesh Khanna and Simple Kapadia. Rajesh Khanna who was basking in the glory of his superstardom in the 70s launched his real-life sister-in-law Simple Kapadia who was the younger sister of his wife Dimple Kapadia, in Shakti Samanta’s Anurodh. Rajesh Khanna married Dimple in June 1973 a few months before the release of Bobby. Though Anurodh was a musical family drama it managed to do average business at the box-office as the audiences felt a bit awkward watching Rajesh Khanna romancing his real-life sister-in-law on screen. Simple Kapadia yet again shared screen space with her brother-in-law Rajesh Khanna in Basu Chatterjee’s Chakravyuha in 1978 but this time they were not paired romantically.
6. Randhir Kapoor – Neetu Singh (Kasme Vaade - 1978)
Where Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh’s pair was a hit in the 70s, Randhir Kapoor and Neetu Singh’s pairing too was not less popular. Neetu Singh who later married Randhir Kapoor’s younger brother Rishi Kapoor in 1980 appeared in movies with the former like Rickshawala, Kasme Vaade, Heeralal Pannalal, Dhongee and Bhala Manus. The on-screen pairing of Randhir Kapoor and Neetu Singh was accepted by the audiences to a large extent while all the movies that they appeared in together did good business and were released before Neetu Singh and Rishi Kapoor tied the knot in 1980. Rishi and Neetu’s son Ranbir Kapoor is an actor while daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni is married to businessman Bharat Sahni.
7. Deven Varma – Preeti Ganguly (Khatta Meetha - 1978, Chor Ke Ghar Chor - 1978)
Famous comedian Deven Varma who was married to Ashok Kumar’s elder daughter Rupa Ganguly in real life was romantically paired opposite Preeti Ganguly in Basu Chatterji’s Khatta Meetha (1978) and Vijay Sadanah's Chor Ke Ghar Chor (1978). Though Deven and Rupa were married in the 60s, the on-screen pairing with his real-life sister-in-law Preeti Ganguly didn’t look odd at all as many didn’t even know about their relationship at that point in time. Deven Varma and Preeti Ganguly were known for their comic timing and performances. Deven passed away in 2014 while Preeti who remained unmarried all her life breathed her last in 2012
8. Naseeruddin Shah - Supriya Pathak (Masoom – 1983)
Naseeruddin Shah’s wife Ratna Pathak Shah is the elder sister of Supriya Pathak who is married to actor Pankaj Kapur. Much before Supriya’s marriage to Pankaj Kapur in 1988, she was cast as one of the romantic leads opposite Naseeruddin Shah in Shekhar Kapur’s Masoom in 1983. Though Naseeruddin had shared screen space with Supriya Pathak in Bazaar and Mirch Masala as well but wasn’t romantically paired opposite each other. The two played husband and wife in Seema Pahwa’s family comedy-drama Ram Prasad Ki Tehrvi which released in 2021.
9. Anil Kapoor – Sridevi (Mr. India - 1987)
Talk about top Bollywood actresses and their brother-in-law, then one is reminded of the on-screen chemistry of Anil Kapoor and Sridevi which was quite successful in the 80s and 90s. They featured together in more than 15 films of which romantically they were paired opposite each other in 9-10 films. Sridevi married Anil Kapoor’s elder brother Boney Kapoor in 1996 during the making of Judaai which yet again starred herself and her going-to-be brother-in-law, Anil Kapoor, after which they never appeared on-screen together. Some of the movies that the two did together were Mr. India, Laadla, Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja, Ram Avtar, Lamhe, Gurudev, Heer Ranjha & Mr. Bechara.
10. Saif Ali Khan – Karisma Kapoor (Hum Saath-Saath Hain - 1999)
Saif Ali Khan and Karisma Kapoor who is the elder sister of Karisma Kapoor was romantically paired opposite each other in Sooraj Barjatya’s family drama Hum Saath-Saath Hain which released in 1999. Though the film had a load of stars, the pairing of Saif and Karisma looked refreshing as Kareena was to make her acting debut the following year in 2000 in director J.P. Dutta’s Refugee. Saif and Karisma Kapoor also appeared in movies like Biwi No.1, Bombay Talkies, Om Shanti Om and Yeh Dillagi but Saif and Kareena Kapoor’s on-screen pairing couldn’t really cast a spell on the audiences before or after marriage.
11. Uday Chopra – Rani Mukerji (Mujhse Dosti Karoge! - 2002)
Uday Chopra too has the distinction of romancing his current real-life sister-in-law Rani Mukerji on-screen in Mujhse Dosti Karoge! who later got married to his elder brother Aditya Chopra in 2014. Uday Chopra had a cameo in Mujhse Dosti Karoge where he had a soft corner for Rani Mukerji who secretly loved Hrithik Roshan in the film. During the making of the film in 2002, Rani Mukerji wasn’t in a relationship with Aditya Chopra then as he was already married to Payal Khanna. It was only after Aditya’s divorce to his first wife Payal in 2009 that Rani Mukerji grew closer to Aditya and later got married.
12. Shakti Kapoor - Padmini Kolhapure (Souten: The Other Woman - 2006)
Many may not know but Shakti Kapoor and Padmini Kolhapure had played the role of husband and wife in the romantic-thriller drama Souten: The Other Woman in 2006. This lesser-known movie which sank without a trace at the box-office was directed by Karan Razdan and also starred Mahima Chaudhry, Gulshan Grover, Kiran Rathod and Vikram Singh. As we know in real life Shakti Kapoor is married to Padmini Kolhapure’s elder sister Shivangi Kolhapure and so technically Padmini becomes Shakti Kapoor’s sister-in-law. Though Shakti Kapoor had earlier acted with Padmini Kolhapure in films like Aaj Ka Daur, Pyari Behna, Wafadaar, Muddat, Qurbani Rang Layegi, etc. but never romanced her on-screen.
13. Ajay Devgn – Rani Mukerji (Chori – Chori - 2003)
As we all know Ajay Devgn is married to Kajol and Rani Mukerji is the second cousin to her, we have taken the creative liberty to include Ajay Devgn romancing his real-life sister-in-law Rani Mukerji on-screen in this list. Ajay Devgn was paired romantically opposite Rani in films like Chori Chori (2003) and LOC: Kargil (2004). Though both also featured in Mani Ratnam’s Yuva in 2004 but weren’t romantically paired opposite each other. Ajay Devgn who married Kajol in 1999 have featured together in quite a few films including Hulchul, Gundaraj, Ishq, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha and Raju Chacha.
