Growing up, we are often conditioned to think there is an ideal age to check the to-do list of life – education, first job, marriage, kids, retirement all in a chronological order. Any box left unchecked for a longer period is met with frowns and unsolicited questions.
It’s funny how the trajectory of one’s life is pre-decided, at times even before their birth. However rebellious or romantic it may seem, there is real class in captaining your ship.
“The right age” is one of the most policed aspects in India especially when it comes to marriage. When a young woman marries an older man, it is normalized because it follows the default script. However, if we flip the equation or the age gap between the couple is widen significantly, the couple has to justify their relationship with “reasonable” and “acceptable” arguments for a choice that was never anyone else’s to approve in the first place. “Gold digging”, “daddy issues”, “mommy issues” and many other tags are jokingly associated with the couple for the joy of a few hollow laughs. It is a taboo if the right age doesn’t fall into society’s invisible bracket.
But when two people have financial freedom and social equity, age becomes far less of an obstacle than tradition makes it to be. Bollywood has given us some bold and unapologetic love stories that challenge the idea that a number should dictate who you love.
Here are a few Bollywood couples who proved that age is just another number and holds as much power as we choose to give it.
Saif Ali Khan & Kareena Kapoor Khan (Age gap: 10 years)
It was love at first for Kareena when she first saw Saif shirtless on the top of a vanity van on the sets of Kurbaan in 2009. The couple tied the knot in 2012 and are now parents to two adorable boys, Taimur and Jeh.
Shahid Kapoor & Mira Rajput (Age gap: 14 years)
In a classic Delhi-girl-meets-Bombay-boy, Mira and Shahid first met in an arranged setting. They wondered if the conversation would last even 15 minutes at their first meeting but ended up talking for 7 hours. Guess time really flies with the right person. Shahid and Mira got married in an intimate ceremony in 2015 and are now parents to daughter Misha and son Zain.
Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt (Age gap: 11 years)
Long before dating, the internet had seen Alia crushing hard on Ranbir and jokingly admitting her desire to marry him one day. Cut to 2022, Ranbir carried Alia in his arms after their intimate home wedding as gazillion cameras captured the moment that broke the internet. Soon after, they welcomed their beautiful daughter Raha. Stuff of dreams!
Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas (Age gap: 10 years)
PC and Nick’s story is very modern dating coded. Nick slid into PC’s account with a cheeky DM that only recently went viral on social media. They made their first appearance together at Met Gala 2017 and the dating rumours quickly turned real when Nick reportedly shut down a Tiffany store to find the perfect ring for his lady. They had a lavish wedding honouring both Christian and Hindu cultures and are parents to their gorgeous daughter Malti Marie now.
Sanjay Dutt and Maanayata Dutt (Age gap: 19 years)
Sanjay and Maanayata have stayed by each other through thick and thin ever since they started dating in 2005. The couple tied the knot in 2008 and welcomed their twins in 2010. Sanjay’s prison sentence came as a challenge – one that the couple faced with dignity and courage.
Anurag Kashyap and Shubhra Shetty (Age gap: 20 years)
Shubhra once worked as an AD at Anurag’s production company and the two have reportedly been together for over a decade now. Anurag has admitted to once pushing Shubhra away, self-conscious about the scrutiny surrounding their 20-year age gap. He vulnerably opened up saying “As long as we have found what we have found now, I’m happy with anything. I don’t want to lose this.”
Aamir Khan and Gauri Spratt (Age gap: 13 years)
Aamir and Gauri met nearly 25 years ago, but life took them in different directions. In mid-2023, the duo reconnected through a family friend and the connection began. Aamir introduced Gauri to the media as his partner on his 60th birthday. The couple got married in an intimate ceremony at home surrounded by friends and family.
Kishore Kumar and Leena Chandavarkar (Age gap: 21 years)
It is said that after three previous marriages, Kishore Kumar found lasting happiness with Leena Chandavarkar. He proposed the very first time they met and she said no. It was only after a family dispute that Leena reconsidered and asked if the offer still stood. It did. The two had a registered marriage first, followed by traditional pheras when Leena was nine months pregnant. Kishore passed away in her presence and their love story lasted seven years.
Kabir Bedi and Parveen Dusanj (Age gap: 29 years)
After nearly a decade of being together, Kabir Bedi and Parveen Dusanj got married in 2016 despite an age difference of 29 years. The couple first met in London at an after party of a play and there was an instant spark. Although they remained acquaintances initially, their friendship evolved into a beautiful and meaningful relationship that lives on till date.
Milind Soman and Ankita Konwar (Age gap: 26 years)
Ankita Konwar had been a longtime admirer of Milind Soman and first met him at a nightclub where she asked him if they could dance. The duo dated five years before they decided to get married. It was Milind’s ability to handle Ankita’s heartbreaking past – the passing of her boyfriend that solidified their bond. They had three gorgeous weddings in Alibaug, Spain and a place described as “the end of the world”.
Also Read: Cover Story: Yami Gautam Dhar On Almost Wanting to Leave Bollywood, Rejecting PR & Loving Motherhood
