From film stars and cricket players, to children of royalty, there is no shortage of high-profile couples in Bollywood.
And naturally, their unions attract plenty of interest and attention from fans the world over.
Here, we round up some of the most influential power couples in the Indian film industry.
Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajput Kapoor
Mira is Shahid's junior by 13 years, and the pair met through their religious affiliation — they both follow the Radha Soami Satsang Beas. The marriage was also arranged by their families, which is fairly rare in Bollywood. They have two children together, and She comes from a prominent business family in New Delhi, while his parents and his step-parents are all respected actors. Mira is not one, but rumour has it that her Bollywood debut is just around the corner.
Kapoor and Bhatt have been dating for five years as well as working together on the set of the fantasy film Brahmastra. They have just tied the knot, getting married in April at Vastu, Kapoor’s residence in Bandra, Mumbai.
Among the most successful actors of their generation, they are also the most in-demand actors in Mumbai right now. This would be like if Ryan Gosling and Jennifer Lawrence dated in Hollywood.
Kajol and Ajay Devgn
This pair began dating in 1994, and got married in 1999, and so are one of the more older, well-established couples on this list. Both come from Bollywood families — his father is action director Veeru Devgan, her mother is actress Tanuja, while her grandmother is the late Shobhna Samarth, who was famous during the golden age of Hindi cinema in the 1950s. The couple have done many films together — some hits, some flops — and are known to be fiercely private and for never "airing their dirty laundry". Their children are daughter Nysa, 19, and son Yug, 11.
Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif
Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif tied the knot in December 2021 in a lavish three-day celebration at a luxury resort in Rajasthan, India. Both are major film stars in their own right and boast a massive fan following. They have not worked in a film together, nor spoken about their relationship publicly, although they've been considered a couple since being spotted at a dinner in Mumbai in 2019.
Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Everyone knows this couple — they may no longer be the top Bollywood power couple in India, but they are arguably the most well known globally, having walked the Cannes red carpet together, and appeared on Oprah Winfrey's talk show. Plus, Aishwarya was famously crowned "the world's most beautiful woman" after winning Miss World in 1994. Abhishek's family is true Bollywood royalty, with his father the still-prolific Amitabh Bachchan and his mother the famous Jaya Bachchan.
This isn't the first famous relationship for either of them: Abhishek was engaged to Karisma Kapoor (Kareena's sister) and Aishwarya was in relationships with Salman Khan and Vivek Oberoi. They have a daughter, Aaradhya, aged 10.
Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna
Akshay Kumar has been engaged many times and linked to several actresses, but the only time he managed to make it all the way was with Khanna, an actress-turned-author and interior designer. The pair, married for 21 years, have two kids together and are private about their family life. Khanna has her own roots in Bollywood royalty — her father is the late Rajesh Khanna, one of the most famous Indian actors of all time, while her mother is the A-list actress Dimple Kapadia, who is still active in films. The couple have a son, Aarav, aged 19, and daughter, Nitara, 9.
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma
What does India love as much as Bollywood? Cricket. Kohli is the former captain of the Indian cricket team, and Sharma is known as an actress who tackles gritty, real roles.
The couple met while doing an ad for Head & Shoulders in 2013 (who knew dandruff could be so romantic?). They're known by the moniker "Virushka" and were married in Tuscany, Italy, in 2017. They also stand by each other: if she is in the crowd during his cricket matches, the public will often blame Sharma when India loses a match. But Kohli has always defended her against public opinion. Their baby girl Vamika was born in January 2021.
Singh and Padukone were dating for about five years before tying the knot in 2018. While they are famous actors in their own right, it is when they star next to each other in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's historical epics that they truly shine. Ram-Leela in 2013, Bajirao Mastani in 2015 and 2018's Padmaavat were some of Bollywood's biggest hitters.
Both of them are beloved as stars, but never feel the need to "commercialise" their relationship or talk about it much, making their love story feel very genuine.
This pair is powerful together, but they are both Bollywood royalty in and of themselves. Kareena's family — a long line of actors and filmmakers with the Kapoor surname — is "the first family of Bollywood". Meanwhile, Khan boasts royal lineage (his famous cricketer father Mansoor Ali Khan was the nawab of Pataudi, a former princely state) and his mother is, of course, Sharmila Tagore of Aradhana fame. They are also one of Bollywood's interfaith couples — he is Muslim with a Hindu mother and she is Hindu with a Christian mother.
The couple have starred side-by-side in big-budget movies and ads, but their own love story started late. Khan was married to Amrita Singh before he married Kapoor in 2012 after a five-year courtship. He has two children with Singh, and two children with Kapoor, Taimur, 5, and Jeh, 1.
Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan
Many relationships don't stand the test of time in Bollywood, but that is not the case with Shah Rukh and Gauri, who have been married since 1991. The pair met in 1984, and despite the odd rumour that they lead separate lives, by all official appearances, the childhood sweethearts are still going strong.
She is the go-to interior designer in Mumbai high society, and he is arguably the most famous Bollywood star of all time. Theirs, too, is an interfaith marriage (he is Muslim Pathan and she is Punjabi Hindu) and take pride in celebrating each other's religious traditions. Having got together before either of them were famous, their match appears to one truly founded on love. The pair have three kids together and the older two, Aryan, 24, and Suhana, 21, are soon set to direct and act in web series, respectively.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
Britain's travel restrictions
- A negative test 2 days before flying
- Complete passenger locator form
- Book a post-arrival PCR test
- Double-vaccinated must self-isolate
- 11 countries on red list quarantine
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 5
Keita 1', Mane 23', 66', Salah 45' 1, 83'
Huddersfield 0
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
The five pillars of Islam
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
EXPATS
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Reading List
Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:
Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung
How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever
Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays
How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen
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Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
