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They spent their entire 10-year courtship living apart, even staying in separate rooms during holidays and film shoots.
Riteish Deshmukh married actress Genelia D’Souza in 2012 after a 10 year courtship. (Image: riteishd/Instagram)
Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh are widely regarded as one of Bollywood’s most cherished pairs, who are so in love. The duo is the perfect example of “couple goals,” showing everyone how true love and chemistry can grow stronger with time. For over a decade, Riteish and Genelia have defined what it means to be a power couple.
While the pair is known for their incredible chemistry, Riteish and Genelia recently revealed that they never lived together before their marriage and started living together only after it.
Riteish And Genelia Started Living Together Only After Marriage
In a recent appearance on Sania Mirza’s podcast, Genelia and Riteish candidly shared that they had never lived together before marriage. They spent their entire 10-year courtship living apart, even staying in separate rooms during holidays and film shoots. It wasn’t until their wedding in 2012 that they finally moved in together, turning their marriage into a new adventure.
“I think growing together was the most important part for us. We were constantly in each other’s lives so as to know exactly what was happening. That kept us together. When you are happy and content with what you have, then you want to be in that constant state for a very long time. For 10 years, we were together. But when we got married, it was the first time we stayed together,” Riteish said.
Stayed apart ‘Even When We Were On Holiday’
According to the couple, they maintained strict boundaries even while travelling or working on film sets, always opting for separate rooms.
“It wasn’t like in those 10 years, we were living together. We had gone for holidays, but we had never stayed together. We were always with friends. We always stayed in separate rooms, even when we were on holiday. Even when we were shooting, we had separate rooms,” he added.
On the former tennis player’s podcast, Genelia revealed that they started living under one roof only after saying “I do.” Reflecting on her emotions, she said, “That was a time when it was a new life.”
Riteish Is ‘Hopelessly In Love’ With His ‘Baiko’
The Bollywood power couple recently celebrated 24 years of togetherness, sharing a heartfelt glimpse into their love story.
On his social media, Riteish shared a heartwarming post, offering a nod to their journey. “Exactly 24 years ago, our hearts found each other and never let go. You’ve been my safe place, my wildest adventure, my softest dream come true. Thank you for choosing me every single day. My friend, my lover, my forever baiko… I am endlessly, hopelessly in love with you,” Riteish wrote on Instagram. In reaction, Genelia said, “Always Forever @riteishd. I love being in love with you even 24 years later.”
Meanwhile, Genelia shared a picture with her husband on her Instagram story, writing, “24 years and nothing Eva changes.”
On the professional front, the pair made their Bollywood debuts with the 2003 film ‘Tujhe Meri Kasam’.
February 18, 2026, 08:44 IST