When Genelia D'Souza confessed avoiding Riteish Deshmukh because he was the Chief Minister's son- But it all led to a fairytale ending

Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza are one of Bollywood’s favorite couples. They have been happily married for over ten years, but their story didn’t start smoothly. But did you know that their journey didn’t start off all smooth and sweet? In fact, Genelia had quite the first impression of Riteish—and it wasn’t a good one!

Let’s take a look at how what started off as silence and judgment on the film set slowly turned into one of Bollywood’s most heartwarming love stories.

‘He’s the Chief Minister’s son—I shouldn’t be talking to him’
Back in 2003, Genelia and Riteish were just starting out in the film industry. They met on the sets of their debut film, ‘Tujhe Meri Kasam.’ At the time, Riteish was already in the spotlight—not just because he was making his Bollywood debut, but also because he was the son of Maharashtra’s then Chief Minister, the late Vilasrao Deshmukh.

Understandably, Genelia had her guard up. “Honestly, I thought that Riteish was this rich, very connected brat, so I shouldn't look at him and talk to him, so I didn't,” she revealed in an interview with Bollywood Bubble.

She stayed quiet and kept her distance, even though she could tell that he was actually being nice. “He was wondering why I am not talking. He was very sweet, so I wanted to talk to him, but I was like, One shouldn't feel that I am talking to you because you are the chief minister's son and all of that.”

A bond that only grew stronger
Luckily, Genelia gave Riteish a chance, and once they started talking, they never looked back. “But anyway, we started talking, and then we never stopped for the next 18 years,” she said.

After dating for several years, the couple tied the knot on 3 February 2012. They had a beautiful wedding ceremony and have been going strong ever since. They’re now parents to two adorable sons, Riaan and Rahyl.

Genelia and Riteish: Still winning hearts
Even after so many years, both Riteish and Genelia continue to charm audiences, not just with their relationship but also with their work in films. Genelia is all set to appear in Aamir Khan’s upcoming film ‘Sitaare Zameen Par.’ Riteish, on the other hand, will return to one of his most popular comedy franchises. He will be seen in ‘Housefull 5,’ alongside Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, and more.
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