Shibani Dandekar recalls hearing ‘love jihad, gold digger’ on daily basis when she began dating Farhan Akhtar: ‘I do come from a Hindu home…’

Shibani Dandekar recalls hearing ‘love jihad, gold digger’ on daily basis when she began dating Farhan Akhtar: ‘I do come from a Hindu home…’

As an ardent follower of the glamorous world of Bollywood, I have always admired the resilience and grace with which Shibani Dandekar carries herself. Her journey, marked by love, determination, and unwavering self-assurance, is truly inspiring.


Shibani Dandekar tied the knot with Farhan Akhtar in 2022, and just like other celebrity weddings, their union has attracted a fair share of opinions. On Rhea Chakraborty’s podcast show Chapter 2, the 44-year-old TV personality shared that she was often labeled as a ‘gold digger’ and her interfaith marriage was deemed ‘love jihad’. However, Shibani pays no mind to such baseless comments.

Dandekar explained that social media comments can impact someone if they perceive there’s some truth behind them and think it will affect them. If a comment lacks substance from an unknown individual, it should not influence you. Shibani Dandekar further mentioned, “Every day during the early stages of my relationship with Farhan, people would label me as ‘love jihad’ and ‘gold digger.’

The actress from Noor explained that she doesn’t shed tears before sleep due to someone having something important to share. She also mentioned, “I’m not seeking wealth, and it’s true that he originates from a Muslim family, while I come from a Hindu one. We’ve tied the knot and are content with our marriage. This is the truth of our relationship. So, people can speculate about us as they wish; what matters is our happiness.

Shibani also remembered instances where people would challenge her individuality and enquire about her past self prior to marrying Farhan. She humorously admits to having moments of self-doubt, such as “Geez, have I accomplished anything in my life, was I significant before I wed him?”, or “Did I actually exist for 39 years before I crossed paths with him?” However, Dandekar insists on valuing her personal journey over the opinions of others.

In simpler terms, Shibani, known for her singing, modeling, and TV presenting, tied the knot with Farhan Akhtar on February 19, 2022, after nearly four years of dating. Their private ceremony took place at Javed Akhtar’s farmhouse in Khandala, followed by a glamorous reception at their Bandra residence on February 21. It’s worth noting that Farhan was previously married to Adhuna Bhabnani and they have two daughters named Shakya and Akira together.

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2024-09-21 14:07