The news of a cricketer dating an actress has always piqued everyone's interest. News of the two coming together always makes headlines in a culture enamoured with entertainment and cricket. One such story was an affair between ace cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and renowned actress Shilpa Shirodkar.
Rumours circulated that the two were tight and more than 'simply good friends'. The fact that they were both from Maharashtrian families with comparable value systems and traditions only fuelled the rumours. While Sachin firmly rejected the relationship, even claiming that the two had never met, Shilpa never publicly accepted or disputed it.
In an interview with India Today, Sachin Tendulkar discussed the revelation of his affair and the silliest thing he has ever read about himself, saying, "That Shilpa Shirodkar and I were having an affair." We don't know each other at all.
However, Sachin quickly sealed everyone's lips with his marriage to Anjali. Sachin and Anjali met for the first time at Mumbai International Airport. While Sachin was returning to the squad after a game, Anjali was there to pick up her mother. The two fell in love at first sight. What's noteworthy is that Anjali was captivated by Sachin's demeanour despite having no prior knowledge of him.
Even though Sachin had already built a reputation for himself and established his profession, Anjali was unaware he was a player. In an interview, Anjali had said, "I think what he liked about me was that I knew nothing about cricket when I first met him. I didn't even know who Sachin was."
Their dates were no less filmy. Sachin used to disguise himself whenever they went out in public to avoid drawing attention. Sachin even wore a false beard when they went to see the movie, Roja.
During the launch of Sachin's autobiography, Anjali and Sachin discussed their romance in great detail. Anjali said she used to write him letters to avoid paying high phone costs. When she first met Sachin's parents, Anjali went to his house dressed as a journalist. When the pair decided to marry, Anjali delivered the news to their families.