From Virat Kohli to Mahesh Bhupati: 5 Indian sports stars who became lovebirds with Bollywood celebrities

Virat Kohli had been in the news ever since reports started to surface of his love affair with Anushka Sharma, as they eventually got married in 2017. Mahesh Bhupati, who was divorced in 2009, found love with Lara Dutta, before tieing the knot with her in 2011.

It is no secret the cricket has had a long-standing connection with Bollywood, as many Indian cricketers have gone on to marry actresses from the industry. However, it is not just limited to cricketers, as sportspersons from other fields too have had an inclination for the same.

Although the list is mostly dominated by Indian cricketers, sportspersons, ranging from tennis and even wrestling, have gone the same way. On the same note, we take a look at five of these sportspersons, who fell in love with Bollywood beauties.

Virat Kohli: This has to be on the top of the list, as the love story between Indian skipper Virat Kohli and Bollywood celebrity Anushka Sharma is no secret. It all started in 2013 during a commercial shoot, before becoming a hot topic in the coming years. They got married in 2017 and the rest is history. They are certainly the most-talked couple in Indian cricket.

Sangram Singh: For those of you don't know him, Sangram is an Indian wrestler, who is a two-time Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion. While he later became an actor as well, he fell in love with actress Payal Rohatgi since 2011. They also became engaged in 2014, but are yet to tie the knot.

Jyoti Randhawa: A professional golfer from the country, he has 16 professional wins under his belt and mostly plays on the Asia Tours. He found love in Bollywood hot-shot Chitrangada Singh and got hitched to her in 2001. However, since 2013, they have gone their separate ways, while they were divorced in 2014. The couple has a son, whose custody lies with Chitrangada.

Leander Paes: A renowned Indian name in the field of tennis, Paes was a long-time partner of Mahesh Bhupati, as the two have won a number of Grand Slam doubles. He fell in love with Rhea Pillai, a short time Bollywood actress, while she is also the ex-wife of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt. She shared a live-in space with Paes since 2005, while they also have a daughter together. Nonetheless, they haven't tied the knot yet.

Mahesh Bhupati: The partner of Paes too makes the list. Although Bhupati was previously married to model Shvetha Jaishankar since 2002, they got divorced in 2009. It was then he fell in love with Bollywood hottie Lara Dutta, as they got hitched in 2011, while she gave birth to their daughter the next year.