Bollywood Meets Cricket: The Origin of the Rumours
In the early 1990s, as Sachin Tendulkar was making waves in cricket and Shilpa Shirodkar was rising in Bollywood, rumours surfaced about a relationship between the two. These speculations began when the two met through a mutual connection—Shilpa’s cousin, who played cricket with Sachin in Bandra East. However, Shilpa has now spoken candidly about what really happened.
Shilpa Shirodkar’s Clarification
In a past interview, Shilpa Shirodkar addressed these longstanding rumours. She explained:
- She met Sachin Tendulkar just once while filming the movie “Hum” in 1991, through her cousin who lived in the same area as Sachin.
- Their meeting was purely social, driven by common friends and family connections.
- At the time, Sachin was already in a relationship with Anjali Mehta, whom he eventually married in 1995.
- Shilpa called the rumours “baseless” and said they were blown out of proportion simply because an actress was seen with a famous cricketer—fuel for gossip columns in those days.
“When I was doing Hum, I met Sachin for the first time, because Sachin jaha pe rehte the mere cousin brother waha par rehte the. Sachin and my cousin brother used to play cricket together in Bandra East. So, that’s how I met Sachin. And Sachin was already seeing Anjali at that time, which was not told to anybody. We all knew because we were friends. Because an actor is meeting a cricketer and he was Sachin Tendulkar, it became easy for people to say, aree and I met him once.”
— Shilpa Shirodkar
Sachin Tendulkar’s Response
Sachin has also publicly dismissed the link-up stories:
- In an interview, when asked about rumours he found most absurd, he stated,
“That Shilpa Shirodkar and I were having an affair. Because we don’t even know each other at all.” - Sachin categorically denied the existence of any relationship with Shilpa.
Life Moved On for Both
- Sachin Tendulkar went on to marry Anjali in 1995. Their love story is well-known, starting at Mumbai airport and growing strong over the years. They have two children, Sara and Arjun Tendulkar.
- Shilpa Shirodkar married UK-based banker Aparesh Ranjit in 2000 and later settled abroad. She has since returned to acting with appearances in shows like Bigg Boss and upcoming projects.
Conclusion
Both Shilpa and Sachin have made it clear—there was never any relationship between them, and the affair rumours were entirely unfounded. Their honest clarifications have put to rest one of the more persistent but baseless gossip stories from 90s Bollywood and cricket.
