Actor Genelia Deshmukh has finally cleared the air about one of the biggest rumours she has faced in her career — that she had secretly married actor John Abraham. The rumour surfaced in 2012, surrounding the film Force, which featured both actors.

In a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan, Genelia clarified that there was no truth to the speculation, calling it a complete fabrication. “Neither John nor I had anything to do with that story. It was entirely the result of a publicity stunt,” she said. “There was no truth in it whatsoever. There was no such marriage. Whoever created and circulated that narrative must be questioned directly.”

The rumour stemmed from a wedding scene in Force where the lead characters, played by Genelia and John, get married. The sequence was shot with such realism — including the exchange of garlands and mangalsutra (sacred necklace), and walking around the fire seven times in the presence of an actual priest — that some sections of the media speculated it was a real wedding.

Genelia asserted that it was purely a scene for the film and expressed surprise at how far the rumour had travelled. “It was completely made up — a PR fabrication,” she added.

Genelia is set to appear next in Sitaare Zameen Par, starring Aamir Khan and a bunch of new actors. She married actor Riteish Deshmukh in 2012, and the couple have two children together.

After a brief hiatus from the big screen, Genelia made a notable comeback in the 2022 Marathi film Ved, directed by Riteish Deshmukh. Her performance in the film drew considerable attention. She has made guest appearances in films such as Jai Ho and Force 2.