Love stories often begin with a spark, but for Sagarika Ghatge and Zaheer Khan, it was more like a slow burn. It was the one that needed a little nudge from a mutual friend.

The Chak De! India (2007) actress recently opened up about how her now-husband, the former Indian cricketer, initially kept his distance from her. 

Sagarika Ghatge said that Zaheer Khan was hesitant to even strike up a conversation. It wasn’t until actor Angad Bedi stepped in, that the walls began to crumble, eventually leading to their happily ever after in 2017.

Sagarika Ghatge shared that Zaheer Khan had formed a certain impression of her before they even properly spoke.

“I think we kept meeting and he wouldn’t even talk to me at first because everyone used to say, ‘You know, she’s that kind of girl.’ I don’t know exactly what they meant by that, maybe that you should only talk to her if you are really serious; otherwise, there’s no point,” she revealed in a chat with Bollywood Bubble.

Despite Zaheer Khan’s initial hesitation, Sagarika Ghatge had been drawn to him from the start, describing him as a gentleman.

Sagarika Ghatge also credited Angad Bedi for playing a significant role in pushing them together.

“Angad Bedi also played a very important role in bringing us together,” she added.

Now, years into their marriage, the couple continues to share a strong bond, especially over their love for sports. But when it comes to playing paddle tennis, they prefer to be on opposite sides of the court—quite literally. 

Sagarika Ghatge added, “I always tell them, ‘I don’t want to be in Zac’s team because we will keep fighting!’ If anybody misses a shot, it’s like, ‘Oh, what is wrong with you?’ So, I prefer being on the other side!”

Sagarika Ghatge and Zaheer Khan made their relationship public at Yuvraj Singh and Hazel Keech Singh’s wedding in 2016. 

Sagarika Ghatge and Zaheer Khan got married in 2017.