In the unpredictable world of Bollywood, where public personas are dissected daily, the concept of family has become just as layered and cinematic as the films themselves. Behind the headlines and glamour, Bollywood’s stars are redefining what it means to be part of a blended family. Made up of ex-spouses, new partners, stepchildren, half-siblings, and the occasional grandparent-turned-best-friend, these families show us that family doesn’t need to fit neatly into any conventional mould.
Take the family portrait Farhan Akhtar shared from his daughter Shakya’s convocation, where ex-spouses, step-parents, and multiple generations of family members came together, not as fractured parts of a complex story but as a single cohesive unit. Farhan’s ex-wife, Adhuna Bhabani, stood proudly alongside him, his current wife Shibani Dandekar, and his parents, Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, with Javed’s wife Shabana Azmi completing the circle.
Shibani has spoken warmly about Adhuna, crediting her with raising “open-minded daughters.” Meanwhile, Shabana, reflecting on her bond with Javed’s children, has said, “I wasn’t the stepmother. I was just Shabana.” In these words lies a unspoken truth about blended families: the strength to coexist and thrive comes from the ability to strip away titles and approach each relationship with openness and respect.
Allies After Separation
We see ex-spouses becoming allies and step-parents emerging as trusted guides. Take Hrithik Roshan, for example, whose close friendship with his ex-wife, Sussanne Khan, remains unshaken despite their divorce. It has grown to include Sussanne’s boyfriend, Arslan Goni. Hrithik said in an interview, “We love each other for who we are.” For his part, Arslan has spoken about the unique connection, saying, “People find it difficult, but it’s very easy between us. I have immense respect for Hrithik.” Here, respect is the unspoken language, creating a balance where Hrithik, Sussanne, and Arslan have reshaped the idea of what family can look like in the face of change. Hrithik is currently dating singer and actress Saba Azad.
Bollywood’s blended families are a study in acceptance and adaptation, qualities that seem almost radical in a society so often tethered to traditional family structures. There’s something beautiful in watching Sara Ali Khan, Saif Ali Khan’s daughter from his marriage to Amrita Singh, embrace her father’s second family. Sara’s respect for her stepmother Kareena Kapoor Khan is rooted not in formality but in genuine rapport. She’s often said she sees Kareena more as a friend than as a mother. It’s a dynamic that works precisely because Sara has the freedom to define the relationship on her own terms. This openness, this flexibility to create new definitions for old relationships, enables blended families to grow without resentment or jealousy.
Not every blended family in Bollywood finds its balance so easily. Relationships are often fraught with tension, requiring immense patience and empathy. Screenwriter and Salman Khan's father Salim Khan’s family is perhaps one of the most well-known examples. His two wives Salma and Helen navigate a shared life that challenges the traditional boundaries of marriage. Helen and Salma, bound by love for the same man, have formed a close-knit bond. They’ve chosen mutual respect and companionship over bitterness or rivalry. Their relationship speaks volumes about the silent work of blended families: the day-to-day negotiations, the conscious choices to hold hands rather than harbour grudges, and the ability to see each other as part of a collective whole, where everyone’s emotions matter.
Generational Shift
In these Bollywood families, we also see how the generational shift in attitudes plays a role. Pankaj Kapur’s relationship with his son, Shahid Kapoor, from his first marriage with Neelima Azeem reflects a dynamic shaped not by obligation but by choice. Kapur once mentioned that he “constantly tries to stay in touch” with his children, suggesting that in blended families, relationships require active nurturing, like plants needing regular watering and sunlight. Shahid, in turn, embraces this effort, showing that blended families thrive when everyone, regardless of age, contributes to maintaining the bond.
Then there’s Masaba Gupta, the fashion designer who epitomises a new wave of acceptance in Bollywood’s blended families. Born to actress Neena Gupta and former cricketer Viv Richards, Masaba’s life could have easily been marked by her parents’ separation and different continents. Yet, she’s managed to carve out a close, deeply respectful relationship with both parents. Gupta's husband Vivek Mehra entered her life as a solid, loving figure. His relationship with Masaba is not one imposed by biology but built on mutual acceptance.
Masaba has often spoken about her appreciation for him, describing the balance they share, where there is no need to replace her father, Viv. When a news daily asked him about his step-daughter, Mehra said, “With Masaba, it’s excellent. These days she is taking a lot of my time as we discuss work. I help and advise her and that shows she trusts me. And I too have equal trust on her.” At her wedding to Satyadeep Mishra, a photograph of Masaba with Neena, Viv and Vivek surfaced, capturing a moment of pride and unity. It was a glimpse into the strength of a blended family that transcends geography and history.
Expansive Understanding
In each of these configurations, what stands out is the absence of animosity. There is no bitterness here, no lingering resentment or need to draw hard lines between past and present. These Bollywood stars have embraced a more expansive understanding of family, where relationships are not diminished but redefined. They have found a way to create equilibrium in the face of change, proving that the measure of family is not in its conformity but in its compassion, not in its structure but in its spirit.
The journey to blended family harmony is rarely linear. In her memoir, Shabana Azmi credits Javed’s ex-wife, Honey Irani, for her role in fostering positive relationships within their family, saying that Honey’s “generosity” allowed for a bond with Zoya and Farhan that felt natural rather than contrived. It’s a rare gift in blended families, this willingness to see each other as allies rather than adversaries. For Shabana, this dynamic meant she could be part of Farhan and Zoya’s lives without the tension that often accompanies the “stepmother” title.
Rewriting The Narrative
Blended families, when they work well, often do so because of a willingness to rewrite the narrative, to refuse the labels that society insists upon and instead craft their own story. Aamir Khan’s two former wives, Reena Dutta and Kiran Rao, embody a level of acceptance that could only be described as remarkable. After their divorce, Reena never “left the family,” Kiran has said, pointing out that when she and Aamir got married, “Reena was a part of the family.” Together, Aamir and Reena have two children (Junaid and Ira) while he shares a son (Azad) with Kiran.
Reena remained connected with Aamir and became a beloved figure in Azad’s life, while Kiran continues to share a deep friendship with Aamir post-divorce. Their arrangement shows that family isn’t always about who shares the same house but who shares the same heart.
Transcend Traditional Roles
As the boundaries of family expand, Bollywood’s blended families are showing the rest of us that love, respect, and empathy can create connections that transcend traditional roles. They teach us that family isn’t a fixed structure but a living entity that grows and adapts. It is a space where love takes different shapes and acceptance is the binding thread. These families aren’t flawless... far from it. They are a patchwork of effort, compromise, and the courage to let go of rigid definitions, allowing each other to be imperfectly whole.
Through the glamour, the public scrutiny, and the emotional terrain of divorce and remarriage, these families show that, in the end, family is not just who you share blood with but who you choose to keep close, who you choose to love and accept as they are, without demanding that they fit into any traditional mould.
