Archive · 24 Aug 2026
Bollywood Couples Who Had Children Before Marriage and Why
Some Bollywood couples had children before they officially married.
Kamal Haasan and Sarika lived together and had their daughter Shruti in 1986.
They married two years later and had another daughter, Akshara, in 1991.
Arjun Rampal and Gabriella Demetriades also lived together before having two sons.
The article says they later registered their marriage in Goa.
Mahesh Bhatt has spoken openly about being born outside marriage.
He argued that society created marriage to make having children seem legitimate.
The article also says many celebrities still believe marriage protects children from social stigma.
Kamal Haasan and Sarika welcomed daughter Shruti in January 1986 before marrying two years later.
The couple had their second daughter, Akshara, in 1991 after their marriage.
Arjun Rampal and Gabriella Demetriades reportedly registered their wedding in Goa on August 21 after having two sons.
Mahesh Bhatt has openly discussed being born out of wedlock and questioned the stigma surrounding illegitimacy.
Media reports have linked several Bollywood figures, including Rekha and Prateik, to stories involving children born outside marriage.
- Who
- Bollywood couples including Kamal Haasan and Sarika, Arjun Rampal and Gabriella Demetriades, and Mahesh Bhatt.
- What
- The article examines Bollywood relationships in which children were born before marriage, along with views about legitimacy and social stigma.
- When
- Shruti Haasan was born in January 1986; Kamal Haasan and Sarika married two years later; Akshara was born in 1991; Arjun Rampal and Gabriella reportedly registered their wedding on August 21, with the year unspecified.
- Where
- The reported wedding registration of Arjun Rampal and Gabriella Demetriades took place in Goa; Kamal Haasan and Sarika lived together in Tamil Nadu.
- Why
- The article discusses changing attitudes toward marriage and premarital parenthood, while noting that many celebrities believe marriage shields children from stigma.
Marriage As Social Protection
Questioning Marriage-Based Stigma
Marriage and children
Marriage As Social Protection
Many Bollywood celebrities reportedly believe marriage is an important responsibility when bringing children into the world and can protect them from being labeled illegitimate.
Questioning Marriage-Based Stigma
Mahesh Bhatt argued that marriage was created to legitimize procreation and questioned why children should be judged by their parents’ marital status.
Premarital parenthood
Marriage As Social Protection
The article presents Kamal Haasan and Sarika’s decision to marry after having their first child as a response to their perceived responsibility toward the child.
Questioning Marriage-Based Stigma
The article also describes relationships in which couples had children before marriage, suggesting that family life can exist before formalizing the relationship.
- First child of Kamal Haasan and Sarika
- Shruti Haasan, born in January 1986
- Kamal Haasan and Sarika’s marriage
- They married two years after Shruti’s birth
- Second child of Kamal Haasan and Sarika
- Akshara, born in 1991
- Arjun Rampal and Gabriella’s children
- Two sons, Arik and Ariv
- Arjun Rampal and Gabriella’s reported wedding registration
- Goa, August 21; the year is not specified in the article
- Mahesh Bhatt’s family
- The article says his four children—Pooja, Rahul, Shaheen and Alia—were born during his marriages
- Reported examples of children born outside marriage
- The article cites media reports involving Rekha and Prateik Smita Patil