Old interviews featuring actor Sanjay Kapoor and acclaimed actress Tabu have resurfaced on social media, reigniting discussions around their brief relationship during the early days of Sanjay’s Bollywood career. The revelations, which date back to the mid-1990s, have recently gone viral on Reddit, drawing renewed attention to one of Bollywood’s lesser-known romantic chapters.

Sanjay Kapoor made his film debut in 1995 with Prem, a film that also starred Tabu. While the movie failed to make an impact at the box office, it played a significant role in shaping personal relationships behind the scenes.

Sanjay Kapoor on Dating Tabu During His Debut Film

In an old interview with ETimes, Sanjay Kapoor candidly spoke about being romantically involved with Tabu during the shoot of Prem. He admitted that the relationship did not last long and ended even before the film’s release.

“I was dating Tabu at that time initially, but by the end of it (Prem), we were not talking to each other. It was finally released when I was 31 and would joke and say, ‘I am the oldest newcomer.’ But this was destiny. Prem did not work, but within 4 weeks, ‘Raja’ released with Madhuri Dixit and that became a blockbuster," he said.

 

The actor’s career trajectory changed rapidly after Raja found massive success, but his personal life was already undergoing a shift.

Why the Relationship Allegedly Ended

According to reports by portals such as Bollywood Hungama, many industry insiders at the time believed that Sanjay Kapoor and Tabu would eventually tie the knot. However, their relationship reportedly ended after Tabu discovered that Sanjay was also involved with Maheep Kapoor.

Tabu herself had addressed the issue in an old interview, which has now resurfaced. As quoted by Bollywood Hungama, she had said, “He was seeing Maheep even when we were going around." Sanjay Kapoor later went on to marry Maheep Kapoor, cementing a relationship that has lasted decades.

Maheep Kapoor’s Candid Take on Their Love Story

In 2024, Maheep Kapoor openly discussed her unconventional love story with Sanjay Kapoor during an appearance on Raunaq Rajani’s show. Her recollection offered a frank and humorous perspective on how their relationship began.

“Ours was quite simple. I just had a one-night stand with a man, and I never knew I was going to get married to him. I gatecrashed his party, that’s where I met him. Dead drunk. I met the whole family, mother-in-law and father-in-law. You guys know my family, na? Anil, Sunita, Sri (Sridevi). I was dead drunk," she said.

She further added, “They still accepted me and said, ‘Wow, what an amazing future daughter-in-law.’ They welcomed me with open arms. We didn’t have all this proposal and all. I’m much older than you. We didn’t have Instagram. So, we didn’t give a sh*t. He just told me, ‘Look, we’re getting married."

Recalling the moment Sanjay proposed, Maheep said, “We were at The 1900s (nightclub). We were drunk and partying. He said, ‘Okay, we’re getting married.’ So, in between my tequila shots, I said, ‘Okay, fine.’ That was it."

She also mentioned that they dated for five years before getting married and have now been together for over 30 years.