Mumbai: Saif Ali Khan has revealed that he was once advised to keep his marriage to Amrita Singh a secret because it could damage his image and female fan following in Bollywood.

Speaking about the early phase of his career, Saif said a senior actor from an older generation had warned him against publicly admitting he was married. Calling it the “worst and most bizarre advice” he ever received, the actor said he never understood why marriage was seen as a threat to a star’s popularity.

“I remember that there was a senior actor from a different generation who told me not to tell anyone that I'm married. I think he was trying to say that it would have spoiled my image and fan following. It was the worst and most bizarre advice that someone ever gave me,” Saif said in an interview with News18.

Saif Ali Khan married Amrita Singh in 1991 before officially making his Bollywood debut. At the time, Amrita was already a leading actor, while Saif was still struggling to establish himself in the industry. Their relationship had become a major talking point because of their 12-year age gap, with Saif being 21 and Amrita 33 at the time of their wedding.

Saif’s latest revelation has once again highlighted the pressure many male Bollywood stars faced during the 1990s. Actors were often encouraged to appear single to maintain their romantic image and protect their female fan following.

A similar incident had earlier been revealed by Govinda and his wife Sunita Ahuja. In an earlier interview, Sunita said their marriage was initially kept hidden because there were fears that Govinda’s popularity among female fans could be affected.

The pressure to hide marriages was considered common in Bollywood at the time, especially for male stars whose public image was closely linked to romantic appeal and fan fantasy.

Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh's relationship:

Saif and Amrita reportedly met during the shooting of Bekhudi. Although Saif was later replaced in the film, the two stayed in touch and eventually fell in love.

Saif later made his Bollywood debut with Parampara in 1993 and went on to become one of the industry’s leading actors. However, his marriage with Amrita continued to remain in the spotlight for years because of their age difference.

The couple were married for 13 years before separating in 2004. They share two children- Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan.

Saif later married Kareena Kapoor Khan in 2012. The couple are parents to two sons, Taimur Ali Khan and Jehangir Ali Khan, popularly known as Jeh.