Archive · 9 Aug 2026
Not on Camera: Why Bollywood Couples Won't Work Together
Some married Bollywood movie stars decide they don't want to act together in films.
Vidya Balan and her husband Siddharth Roy Kapur made this decision when they got married and have kept it for 14 years.
Kajol and her husband Ajay Devgn stopped acting together after the big movie Tanhaji: The Silent Warrior.
Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor also don't act together anymore, because Saif thinks married couples look boring on screen.
Many years ago, Dharmendra and Hema Malini got married in 1980 and slowly stopped making romantic movies together.
But some married stars love working together, like Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, who were in hits like Sholay and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt worked together in Brahmastra and shot their new movie at night so one of them could stay home with their daughter Raha.
Riteish Deshmukh directed his wife Genelia D'Souza in movies, and she says he is the best to work with.
So every couple is different: some keep work and home separate, and some enjoy making movies together.
Siddharth Roy Kapur and Vidya Balan have maintained a 14-year-old decision not to work together, even turning down a political-satire-thriller co-production featuring her.
Ajay Devgn has avoided teaming up with wife Kajol on screen since Tanhaji: The Silent Warrior (2020), though he remains highly involved in producing and marketing her films like Maa (2025).
Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor have not been romantically paired in a film in over a decade, with Saif saying the on-screen magic disappeared after marriage.
Dharmendra and Hema Malini, married in 1980, tapered off their on-screen romance after the costly disaster Razia Sultan (1983).
Couples who do work well together include Amitabh-Jaya Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt, Rishi-Neetu Kapoor and Riteish Deshmukh-Genelia D'Souza.
- Who
- Married Bollywood celebrity couples, including Vidya Balan-Siddharth Roy Kapur, Kajol-Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan-Kareena Kapoor, Dharmendra-Hema Malini, and working pairs like Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt.
- What
- Several Bollywood couples deliberately avoid acting together on screen, while some couples continue to collaborate successfully.
- When
- The Kapur-Balan decision dates from the start of their marriage 14 years ago; Dharmendra and Hema Malini married in 1980; the article references films from 1975 to 2026.
- Where
- Bollywood, the Hindi film industry.
- Why
- Couples cite keeping professional and personal lives separate, losing on-screen magic after marriage, or managing parenting duties; working couples say they enjoy collaborating.
Married couples who keep working together
Married couples who avoid the screen together
On-screen magic after marriage
Married couples who keep working together
Working couples like Amitabh-Jaya Bachchan, Ranbir-Alia Bhatt and Riteish Deshmukh-Genelia D'Souza enjoy collaborating; Ranbir says he has a healthy respect for Alia's talent and Genelia calls Riteish 'one of the best'.
Married couples who avoid the screen together
Saif Ali Khan believes married couples look 'boring' on screen and that the 'on-screen magic disappeared' once he and Kareena were officially man and wife; Kurbaan (2009) and Agent Vinod (2012) were rejected.
Keeping work and family separate
Married couples who keep working together
Working together can be managed around family life: Ranbir and Alia shot Love & War at night so one parent or Nani Neetu could be home with daughter Raha.
Married couples who avoid the screen together
Vidya Balan and Siddharth Roy Kapur keep professional and personal lives 'as far apart as possible' - a decision held for 14 years; Ajay Devgn also avoids on-screen pairings with Kajol despite producing her films.
- Couples who avoid on-screen work
- Vidya Balan-Siddharth Roy Kapur, Kajol-Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan-Kareena Kapoor, Dharmendra-Hema Malini
- Kapur-Balan decision
- Made at the start of their marriage and maintained for 14 years; a political-satire-thriller co-production was turned down
- Saif-Kareena last pairing
- Over a decade ago; Kurbaan (2009) and Agent Vinod (2012) were rejected by audiences
- Ajay Devgn-Kajol
- No on-screen team-up since Tanhaji: The Silent Warrior (2020); Ajay still produces and protects Kajol's films like Maa (2025) and Tribhanga
- Dharmendra-Hema Malini
- Married in 1980; Razia Sultan (1983) was a costly disaster that ended their on-screen romance
- Couples who still work together
- Amitabh-Jaya Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor-Alia Bhatt, Rishi-Neetu Kapoor, Riteish Deshmukh-Genelia D'Souza
- Love & War shoot
- Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film was shot at night so Ranbir and Alia could be with daughter Raha during her waking hours
- Author
- Bharathi S. Pradhan, senior journalist and author