The world of Cricket and Bollywood have always been intertwined with each other. In the current era, we have the likes of Virat Kohli, Zaheer Khan, Hardik Pandya and Harbhajan Singh who have found love in Bollywood, but this kind of kinship is not uncommon. Even the yesteryear cricketers have been lucky in this respect, and none more so than former India legend and former head coach Ravi Shastri
The Shastri-Amrita Singh engagement
Shastri was one of India's best all-rounders in the 80s. But the former captain, who has achieved many successes on the cricket field, could not play the long innings in the field of love. Especially after the team won the 1983 Cricket World Cup, which propelled the players of the side into stardom.
After these successes, entertainment news used to be abuzz with the news of cricket stars connecting with Bollywood stars in a romantic manner, especially in the 80s. And one of these players was none other than Ravi Shastri, who was allegedly in an affair with actress Amrita Singh. The confirmation of their relationship came afront when Amrita and Ravi shot the cover of Cine Blitz magazine together in November 1986.
The power
Ravi Shastri was one of India's most \handsome cricketers at that time, while Amrita was among the most beautiful actresses in Bollywood as well. And when both were doing well in their career, they decided to extend their success to their
burgeoning relationship. A film writer who knew them both later said that Ravi asked Amrita to marry him in a New York restaurant.
The breakup
According to many reports among those who were close to Ravi Shastri and Amrita Singh, the duo were quite serious about each other, but there was a rift in their relationship. At that time, Shastri himself came forward and said that he did not want to marry any actress.
"I definitely don't want an actress (as a) wife. I am chauvinistic. Her home should be her first priority." To which Amrita had replied, "At the moment I'm too involved in my career to give it up. But I'm sure after a couple of years, I will be ready to become a full-time wife and mother."
Soon after this statement, the two of them went on their own separate ways. In 1990, Ravi went on to marry Ritu, while Amrita tied the knot with actor Saif Ali Khan in 1991.
When he found love again — for 22 years
Ritu Singh's family so from an army background. Her father was a colonel, and so she grew up in an extremely disciplined environment. She is a doctor by profession but a trained classical dancer as well. According to reports, Ravi Shastri’s father, Dr M. Jayadratha Shastri, forced his son into marrying Ritu Singh.
Ravi was betrothed to Ritu Singh on March 18, 1990. Their marriage lasted for around 22 years, and the two of them have a daughter together, named Aleka, who was born in 2008. But their marriage also did not last, and the two of them went their separate ways in 2012.
Rumours of relationship re-emerge in 2018
In the year 2018, Shastri was once again in the crosshairs of Bollywood stars when rumours emerged that he was in a secret relationship with actress Nimrat Kaur. It is reported that the two met in 2015 and have been together ever since. And even though the two have constantly refuted these links, it will be interesting to see whether he can continue to find love 10 years after his divorce to Ritu SIngh.
