Meet the actress who found love in her very first film but was devastated after a breakup, she faced a breakup just a month after marrying the same guy and is now living her best life. Another hint? He is married into a political family and has shared the screen with Shahid Kapoor and Imran Khan.
If you haven’t guessed it yet, the star in question is none other than Genelia D’Souza. Born on 5 August 1987 in Mumbai, she belongs to a Mangalorean Catholic family. Her love story with Riteish Deshmukh reflects the charm of Bollywood scripts.
Their journey started when both of them starred in their first film Tujhe Meri Kasam, which became a big hit. During the shooting of the film, the closeness between the two grew and the love that started on screen turned into real love. Riteish once shared that they first met at the Hyderabad airport while going to shoot for the same film, which marked the beginning of their life-long romance.
When Genelia and Riteish met for the first time, she assumed that he would be arrogant because of his political background. However, after working together on Tumhe Meri Swear, she discovered that he was actually warm and polite, which cleared up her initial misgivings.
In a candid interview with Shreya Godhawat, the Force actress recalled an unforgettable April Fool’s prank pulled by Riteish Deshmukh. When they were dating, Ritesh sent her a message saying that their relationship was over before they slept. Genelia, waking up around 2:30 am, became very depressed and spent hours wondering what had gone wrong.
By 9 a.m., he woke up, not realizing how much emotional turmoil he had caused. When she reminded him of the message, he told her it was just a joke, causing her to become angry and question how someone could make such a joke.
After dating for a decade, Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza got married in February 2012, respecting both Hindu and Christian traditions. While the couple was initially set to get engaged, the actor’s father, then Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, initially disagreed with the proposal.
However, things worked out and they had a private wedding surrounded by close family and friends. What made it even more special was that just a few days before the big day, Riteish surprised Genelia with a romantic proposal on a yacht with pizza and fireworks – truly a magical moment!
After marrying an actor who came from a traditional Marathi family, the actress believed that she was expected to dress a certain way. Every morning, she would adorn herself in salwar kameez and heavy jewellery. Meanwhile, Ritesh was surprised by her constant grooming and wondered why she was so formal all the time.
Eventually, Genelia reached breaking point and told Ritesh how tired she was of this routine. In a candid moment on Ladies vs. Gentlemen Season 2, she shared how disappointed she felt, saying she thought it was ideal, but she couldn’t live with it.
The equally confused actor revealed that he thought she might be preparing for some religious ceremony. After a month of this misunderstanding, she broke down and told him that she could not continue this daily dressing routine, to which Ritesh admitted that he was thinking the same.
After marrying Riteish Deshmukh and playing the role of the daughter-in-law of the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Genelia D’Souza stayed away from acting. Although she returned to films after marriage, her career in Bollywood did not progress as expected. Nowadays, she focuses on creating engaging content for social media, where she connects with her fans and shares glimpses of her life.
The power couple became parents to their first son, Ryan, in November 2014, followed by the birth of their second son, Rahil, in June 2016. Their bond goes beyond marriage, as they share a deep friendship, always supporting each other. Their relationship is often highlighted as a strong and exemplary partnership in the film industry.
Genelia has worked with many leading actors throughout her career. She acted with Shahid Kapoor in Chance Pe Dance, Imran Khan in Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na and Fardeen Khan in Life Partner.
She also appeared in films like Boys, Masti, Happy, Force and Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya, showcasing her versatility across genres.
Also read: Meet the actor who wiped floors despite his star-studded lineage, is related to Kareena Kapoor and Alia Bhatt; Now a top star, great husband and loving father
