Life in the spotlight often means that actors have little privacy, with their personal choices dissected by the public. Sonakshi Sinha experienced this firsthand when she married Zaheer Iqbal in June 2024. Recently, she spoke candidly about how her interfaith marriage became a subject of debate and how she chose to shut out the negativity on what was meant to be her happiest day. (Image: Instagram)

Appearing on Soha Ali Khan’s podcast, Sonakshi revealed why she kept her relationship under wraps for years. She explained that as a female actor, conversations often shift from professional achievements to personal relationships, something she wanted to avoid. “I wanted people to talk about my work, not who I was dating. I worked very hard and didn’t want that to be diluted,” she said. (Image: Instagram)

The actress also admitted that she hadn’t told her parents about Zaheer for nearly three years, preferring to keep the relationship private until she was ready to share it with them. (Image: Instagram)

When asked about the public reaction to her marriage, Sonakshi expressed her bewilderment at the attention it received. “I don’t know why everyone was so hot and bothered. Honestly, it’s just noise. I’m not the first person to do this, and I won’t be the last. I’m a grown-*** woman making a life choice, and strangers tried to have a say in it,” she remarked. (Image: Instagram)

Reflecting on the criticism, Sonakshi said that the conversations around her wedding felt unnecessary and even “stupid.” For her, the day was about joy and celebration. “We had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Finally, it was happening, and we were ecstatic. We just blocked out all the noise,” she shared. (Image: Instagram)

Still, she acknowledged that ignoring negativity wasn’t easy, especially when she wanted her wedding to be filled with positivity. To protect her peace of mind, Sonakshi turned off comments on her social media accounts. “I didn’t want to read a single negative thing about me, my partner, or my family on my special day,” she explained. (Image: Instagram)

Sonakshi and Zaheer began dating in 2017, and after years of keeping their relationship private, they tied the knot in mid-2024. For the actress, the journey was about prioritizing happiness over public opinion, a choice she continues to stand by. (Image: Instagram)