How do you think a typical orthodox Indian mind would react to a live-in relationship? Well, it will certainly not be something good or positive. People are smart enough to buy all the latest gadgets, smartphones but they still can’t understand how a boy and girl (not married) can live together. But, has this stopped urban millennials from exploring live-in relationships? No. Well, that’s a good thing, right? And leading the bandwagon are our desi celebrity couples, who normalised live-in relationships and tried to change the way how people perceive live-in relationships. From Saif Ali Khan-Kareena Kapoor Khan to Ranbir Kapoor-Katrina Kaif, several celebrities were in live-in relationships, sending a clear message to their fans that it’s okay to not get married, live with your partner and still be happy. While some culminated it into a marriage, others fizzled out–but they all lived life on their own terms. And that’s the way it should be, right!?
10 Celeb Couples Who Were In Live-In relationship
Here is a list of celebrity couples, who didn’t succumb to the societal pressure of getting married instantly and gave their relationship a fair chance.
Saif Ali Khan-Kareena Kapoor Khan
Mommy-to-be Kareena Kapoor Khan has always been the one who loves to break stereotypes (remember how she walked the ramp while she was pregnant with Taimur). Saif and Bebo were living together before they tied the knot in 2012 and the couple was quite open about it. Talking to a media portal earlier, Kareena said, “I have tried and tested the live-in relationship formula and now I can personally endorse it for modern Indian couples. And live-ins are a reality in modern India. I am a modern woman and I am glad I could live up to what I believe in.”
Soha Ali Khan-Kunal Kemmu
Following the footsteps of her brother and sister-in-law, Soha Ali Khan also moved in with Kunal Kemmu after dating him for three years. Soha feels that loving a person enough to live with him is a commitment equal to marriage and signing a paper is just a formality. The couple was never secretive about their relationship and they feel that live-in did wonders for them. However, they have never endorsed it for others. Soha was once quoted as saying, “We don’t endorse live-in relationships for people, but it has worked wonderfully well for both of us before we got married to each other.” Meanwhile, Kunal said, “(Our) live-in relationship helped me to know and understand my partner better, which eventually helped my marriage with Soha. But having said that… you have to figure out your way. There is no one proper recipe. Everybody has ups and downs, and everybody should figure their way out.”
Sushant Singh Rajput-Ankita Lokhande
First TV actor, then a Bollywood star, Sushant Singh Rajput was in a live-in relationship with his former girlfriend Ankita Lokhande, and the two never denied it. Sushant once told a media portal, “Yes, I am in a live-in relationship with Ankita and I am fine about it. Both our parents are okay with our decision as well. I never felt the need to hide my live-in relation.” In 2016, when their fans were expecting the much-in-love couple to walk down the aisle, Sushant called it quits and ended their six-year-long relationship.
Akshay Kumar-Twinkle Khanna
Not many people know that Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna were in a live-in relationship for a year before they finally tied the knot in January 2001. In an interview, the couple revealed that living together for a while before marriage was actually Twinkle’s mother, Dimple Kapadia’s idea. But it was actually because she thought Akshay was gay and would spoil her daughter’s life.
Ranbir Kapoor-Katrina Kaif
It was in October 2014 that the news about Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif moving in together broke and spread like wildfire. Reports suggested that although there were a lot of ups and downs in their relationship, they did live together in a posh Bandra flat for almost two years. While the news had left their fans excited and were waiting for the duo to tie the knot, Ranbir and Katrina parted ways in 2016 after an alleged six-year-long relationship. Currently, both of them are in a happy place as Ranbir is dating Alia Bhatt and Katrina is rumoured to be dating Vicky Kaushal.
John Abraham-Bipasha Basu
Once the most loved couples of Bollywood, John Abraham and Bipasha Basu parted ways after dating each other for nine long years. They lived together for some time while they were dating before they finally called it quits in 2011. While John went on to marry Priya Runchal in 2014, Bipasha tied the knot with Karan Singh Grover in 2016.
Rahul Dev-Mugdha Godse
Model-turned actress Mugdha Godse, who made her debut with the movie, Fashion, is in a live-in relationship with actor Rahul Dev. The couple met at a common friend’s wedding in 2013 and have been together for seven years now. They recently celebrated their anniversary too. Not many people know that Rahul was earlier married to Rina Dev for 11 years and lost her because of cancer in 2009. He also has a son named, Siddharth, who shares a good rapport with Mugdha. Mugdha was once quoted as saying, “Our relationship has created positive changes in both of us. I had no apprehensions at all about being with Rahul. Everything just fell in place. You don’t think when you fall in love… that’s why they use the word ‘fall’ I guess.” Well, we agree Mugdha!
Anurag Kashyap-Kalki Koechlin
Before getting married in 2011, director Anurag Kashyap and actress Kalki Koechlin were in a live-in relationship. However, they informed their fans that they are mutually parting ways in 2013 and announced their divorce in 2015. Kalki had blamed Anurag’s unstable temperaments as the reason behind their split. However, they both continue to remain friends and never stopped admiring each other. Currently, Anurag is rumoured to be in a relationship with his assistant director Shubhra Shetty while Kalki is enjoying motherhood. She recently gave birth to a baby girl with her boyfriend, Guy Hershberg.
Aamir Khan-Kiran Rao
Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao met for the first time on the sets of Lagaan in 2001 while the former was still married to Reena Dutt. It was after he got divorced from his first wife that they got in touch again and started dating. “We lived together for a year or year and a half before we got married. I can never imagine my life without Kiran as my partner. I feel very blessed and I feel very grateful for it,” said Aamir once. They’ve been married for 13 years now and have a son, named Azad Rao Khan.
Abhay Deol-Preeti Desai
Abhay Deol was dating British actress Preeti Desai for four years and they were in a live-in relationship. However, the two parted ways in 2014. Opening about his breakup with Preeti, Abhay had said in an interview, “I think marriage is a cultural thing, it’s my opinion that nature doesn’t tell someone to get married. I may or may not get married but I will settle down in a live-in.” Currently, he is rumoured to be dating a Celebrity Manager Saireena Mamik.
Featured Image: Instagram/Ranbir Katrina Kapoor/The Begum Kareena Kapoor
