13 Star Couples Who Were Never Romantically Paired On-Screen
Posted On: 14 Mar 2023 | Last Updated : 12 Dec 2023 | Views : 1.1k
Bollywood is well-known for its films, gossip, trends, fashion, affairs, and relationships. Ever since Bollywood came into existence actors getting linked up with actresses or their co-stars made good headlines for gossip magazines. Affairs, relationships, breakups, and marriages have been a part of showbiz and will continue to be. Most affairs that started in Bollywood on film sets often materialized into relationships that ended up in marriages. Actors falling for their female co-stars during the making of a film is not new with their on-screen chemistry spelling success at the box office. Many of these reels to real-life powerful Bollywood couples managed to set major relationship goals from time to time but surprisingly there were a handful of star couples who despite being lead actors and actresses never got to be paired romantically on-screen. Come to think of it and you cannot recollect many of them but the truth is that quite a few Bollywood star couples in real life never got paired for reasons best known to them. Today, let’s take a look at some of the popular star couples who were never paired romantically on-screen.
1. Sunil Dutt - Nargis Dutt
Sunil Dutt and Nargis Dutt were one of Bollywood celebs who never were paired romantically on-screen in any film. The only instance that they shared screen space was in Mehboob Khan’s blockbuster movie Mother India in 1957 where they played mother and son while the other occasion was in the Sunil Dutt solo starrer Yaadein in 1964 where Nargis played Sunil Dutt’s reel wife but appeared in the form of a shadow. So, technically the star couple never got romantically paired together on-screen ever after their marriage in 1958.
2. Rajesh Khanna – Dimple Kapadia
Believe it or not, another Bollywood lead Jodi who was never paired romantically on-screen was of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia. Though they got married in 1973 when Rajesh was already a superstar and Dimple was about to become a star after the release of Bobby, they never got cast in any movie together. The closest they came together to being cast opposite each other was in director S.A. Chandrashekhar’s Jai Shiv Shankar which never got to release.
3. Aditya Pancholi - Zarina Wahab
Zarina Wahab who was already an established actress in Bollywood had met actor Aditya Pancholi on the sets of a television video film Kalank Ka Tika in 1985 and fell in love only to get married in 1986. Aditya Pancholi was still struggling to get a break in films when his marriage to Zarina raised a lot of eyebrows. The actor despite managing to appear in biggies like Saathi, Yaad Rakhegi Duniya, Chor Aur Chaand, Aatish, Yes Boss, and others never got a chance to share screen space or be cast opposite his real-life wife Zarina Wahab.
4. Jackie Shroff - Ayesha Dutt
Jackie Shroff met and dated model Ayesha Dutt before Subhash Ghai’s Hero happened to him in 1983 which made him an instant star. Ayesha Dutt who had just one release to her name which was Teri Baahon Mein in 1984 went on to marry Jackie Shroff. Though Teri Baahon Mein didn’t do any wonders for Ayesha’s acting career then, she decided to quit movies and marry Jackie Shroff in 1987. The couple despite being lead stars in their own respective right never shared screen space ever. The couple has a son Tiger Shroff and a daughter Krishna Shroff.
5. Sanjay Dutt - Richa Sharma / Manyata Dutt
Sanjay Dutt was a star kid who got the perfect launch in Rocky in 1981 and went on to become one of Bollywood’s top star actors while Richa Sharma was a Dev Anand discovery who was launched in Hum Naujawan in 1985. She appeared in a handful of movies such as Anubhav, Insaaf Ki Awaaz, Aag Hi Aag, and Sadak Chhap before tying the knot to Sanjay Dutt in 1987. Though they were then among the popular lead couples in Bollywood but never got paired opposite each other on-screen. Their marriage hit turbulence as Sanjay Dutt found himself amid a few controversies and Richa suffered a brain tumour and succumbed to it in 1996. Sanjay Dutt later married lesser-known actress Manyata Dutt in 2008 but the star couple too never happen to share screen space.
6. Saif Ali Khan – Amrita Singh
The sudden and unexpected marriage of Saif Ali Khan to Amrita Singh came as a surprise to many in 1991. Out of nowhere, Saif came into the limelight to be known as the husband of actress Amrita Singh. Saif who was known as Sharmila Tagore’s son was trying to get a break in films but unfortunately lost his debut film opposite Kajol in Bekhudi in 1992. Amrita Singh who was one of Bollywood’s leading actresses of the 80s started to take up supporting roles after settling into marital bliss. Saif finally got his break in 1993 with three releases which were Parampara, Aashik Aawara, and Pehchaan which made him an actor of repute. Many thought the age difference between the couple may not be a good idea for getting them paired together on screen. The couple divorced in 2004.
7. Ashutosh Rana - Renuka Shahane
Though not one of the lead star couples in the real sense but surprisingly Ashutosh Rana and Renuka Shahane figure among the star couples who were never paired romantically on-screen. Renuka Shahane who started her acting career on the small screen and later graduated to the silver screen married Ashutosh Rana in 2001. Ashutosh Rana who had announced his arrival as one of the most dreaded villains of the silver screen in films like Dushman, Sangharsh, Badal, Haasil, etc., never got to be paired opposite real-life wife Renuka Shahane.
8. Manoj Bajpayee - Neha (Shabana Raza)
It would have been good to see Manoj Bajpayee and Neha pair opposite each other on-screen but it wasn’t to be. Manoj Bajpayee who debuted in Bandit Queen (1994) married actress Neha (Shabana Raza) in 2006. Neha who marked her acting debut in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Kareeb in 1998 and featured in films like Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet and Rahul, got the opportunity to act with Manoj Bajpayee on two occasions which were Acid Factory and Fiza but didn’t have any scenes together in it and so never were cast opposite each other in a film.
9. Angad Bedi - Neha Dhupia
Angad Bedi and Neha Dhupia might not be the quintessential star couple who featured as leads in Bollywood films but they definitely do figure in the list of star couples who never got paired romantically in any film, so far. Though the couple got married in 2018, and Neha Dhupia started off her acting career as a lead actress opposite Ajay Devgn in Qayamat: City Under Threat in 2003, Angad Bedi is yet to deliver a solo hit since making his debut in 2011 in Remo D’Souza’s F.A.L.T.U.
10. Vicky Kaushal - Katrina Kaif
Actor Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif’s wedding was one of Bollywood’s biggest weddings ever to take place. Vicky Kaushal who has appeared as the lead in films such as Masaan, Raman Raghav 2.0, Raazi, Manmarziyaan, Uri: The Surgical Strike, and Sardar Udham married Katrina Kaif in 2021. Katrina who has acted in biggies like Welcome, Race, Tees Maar Khan, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Ek Tha Tiger, and Bang Bang also makes it to the list of lead couples of Bollywood who were never paired romantically on-screen. Going by the buzz if all goes well, we may soon see the real-life star couple appear in a movie together.
11. Farhan Akhtar - Shibani Dandekar
Another well-known star couple in Bollywood is Farhan Akhtar and Shibani Dandekar who are yet to share screen space in any film. Farhan Akhtar is an actor, producer, and director who marked his directorial debut in 2001 with Dil Chahta Hai and acted in movies like Rock On!!, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, he married actress, model, and television host Shibani Dandekar in 2022 but has never been cast opposite each other except appearing as one of the co-hosts of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup event.
12. Ali Fazal - Richa Chadha
And finally, last but not least Ali Fazal and Richa Chadha happen to be the latest pair to make it to the list of real-life Bollywood star couples who never got paired on-screen. The couple who married in 2022 first met on the sets of Fukrey and later started dating in 2015 and made their relationship official at the Venice International Film Festival in 2017. In Fukrey, Ali and Richa did share screen space but the former was paired opposite Vishakha Singh while the latter was paired opposite Varun Sharma. If talks are to be believed very soon, we shall see both of them pairing up on the screen.
13. Kishore Kumar – Yogeeta Bali / Leena Chandavarkar
Legendary actor, singer, director, and composer Kishore Kumar who was paired opposite many top actresses of his time including real-life wife Madhubala unfortunately never got to pair up with his other two wives - Yogeeta Bali and Leena Chandavarkar. Though he did get to sing many songs for Yogeeta Bali starrers but was never cast opposite her in any film. Kishore Kumar did come close to working with his fourth wife and actress Leena Chandavarkar in the film Pyar Ajnabi Hai which never got released despite being shot more than 80%. However, Kishore Kumar did direct Leena in Mamta Ki Chhaon Mein (1989) which also starred his son Amit Kumar, and brothers Ashok Kumar and Anoop Kumar.
