Shilpa Shetty: Marriage, Health, and Controversy Timeline

When she burst onto screens in the 1990s, Shilpa Shetty quickly became a household name in India. But her story is far more than a filmography — it’s a narrative shaped by a single marriage, health battles, and courtroom dramas that still make headlines today. This article separates confirmed facts from lingering questions, tracing her journey from Bollywood debut to wellness entrepreneur.

Full name: Shilpa Shetty Kundra ·
Profession: Indian actress, entrepreneur, television personality ·
Film debut: Baazigar (1993) ·
Spouse: Raj Kundra (m. 2009) ·
Children: 2 ·
Instagram followers: 33 million+

The table below shows that her public identity has been remarkably stable — one marriage, one long-term career arc, and one health disclosure that reshaped how fans see her.

How many marriages did Shilpa Shetty have?

According to BookMyShow (Indian ticketing platform), Shilpa Shetty has been married only once — to businessman Raj Kundra in 2009. There are no records of previous marriages or divorces.

Who is Shilpa Shetty’s husband?

• Raj Kundra is a British Indian businessman; the couple became engaged in February 2009 and married later that year, per Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia).
• They have two children: son Viaan (born 2012) and daughter Samisha (born via surrogacy in 2020), as reported by BookMyShow and IMDb (movie database).

How many husbands does Shilpa Shetty have?

She has one husband. The claim that she has been married multiple times appears only in unverified social media posts and is not supported by any credible source.

What autoimmune disease does Shilpa Shetty have?

In 2020, Shilpa Shetty revealed that she suffers from an autoimmune condition she referred to as APLA disease. The Indian Express (Indian daily newspaper) reported that the condition is antiphospholipid syndrome (also called antiphospholipid antibodies or APLA), which increases the risk of blood clots and pregnancy complications. She stated that it caused multiple miscarriages before she turned to surrogacy for her second child, according to Pinkvilla (Indian entertainment portal).

The pattern: while she has been open about the diagnosis in interviews, no official medical statement from a hospital or foundation has been publicly released. The term “APLA” is sometimes used interchangeably with antiphospholipid syndrome in Indian media, as noted by The Times of India (Indian English-language daily).

Why did Akshay not marry Shilpa?

Shilpa Shetty and Akshay Kumar were linked romantically in the late 1990s. According to BookMyShow, the relationship did not lead to marriage; Akshay Kumar married Twinkle Khanna in 2001. Neither actor has publicly discussed the reasons in detail, so the question remains speculative beyond the confirmed fact that they never married.

Before marriage, Akshay Kumar’s love life was one of Bollywood’s most discussed topics.

Both actors moved on professionally. Shilpa Shetty later married Raj Kundra, and Akshay Kumar built a family with Twinkle Khanna. No source indicates a dramatic fallout — the relationship simply ended before either was ready to marry.

What happened between Richard Gere and Shilpa Shetty?

In 2007, during an AIDS awareness event in New Delhi, actor Richard Gere kissed Shilpa Shetty on stage. The kiss sparked widespread outrage and legal cases in India, including accusations of obscenity. In 2023, an Indian court cleared Richard Gere of any wrongdoing, as reported by Wikipedia (citing wire reports).

Who tried to kiss Shilpa Shetty?

Richard Gere was the person who kissed her. The incident was part of a campaign to reduce stigma around HIV/AIDS and was intended as a symbolic gesture, but it was widely condemned in conservative Indian media.

Court clears Richard Gere 16 years after infamous Shilpa Shetty kiss

• In April 2023, a court in Rajasthan dismissed the charges, stating the kiss did not constitute an obscene act under Indian law.
• Shilpa Shetty herself later defended the gesture and called the legal reaction overblown, according to contemporaneous news reports.

What are Shilpa Shetty’s career milestones?

Shilpa Shetty debuted in the 1993 film Baazigar, a major hit that also starred Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Her career includes notable films like Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994) and Dhadkan (2000). In 2007, she won the UK reality show Celebrity Big Brother, which made her an international name, as documented by Wikipedia.

Shilpa Shetty age and early career

Born on 8 June 1975, she was 18 when she made her screen debut. Her early roles established her as a leading lady in Bollywood.

Shilpa Shetty movies and Big Brother win

• Key films: Dhadkan (2000), Rishtey (2002), Phir Milenge (2004).
• International recognition: Winner of Celebrity Big Brother UK in 2007.

Shilpa Shetty now: wellness, business, and family

She transitioned into entrepreneurship, launching a yoga and wellness app. She remains active on social media with over 33 million Instagram followers and occasionally appears in films and television.

Timeline

• 1993: Film debut in Baazigar
• 1994: Hit film Main Khiladi Tu Anari
• 2000: Critical success in Dhadkan
• 2007: Wins Celebrity Big Brother UK; Richard Gere kiss controversy
• 2009: Marries businessman Raj Kundra
• 2012: Son Viaan Raj Kundra born
• 2020: Raj Kundra arrested in alleged pornography production case; daughter Samisha born via surrogacy
• 2023: Court clears Richard Gere of wrongdoing in 2007 kiss

The implication: the timeline shows that her most personally significant events — marriage, children, health disclosure — cluster around 2009–2021, while the legal controversy around the Gere kiss consumed the previous decade.

What’s confirmed and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

• Married once to Raj Kundra (2009) – BookMyShow
• Won Celebrity Big Brother UK (2007) – Wikipedia
• Diagnosed with APLA/antiphospholipid syndrome – The Indian Express
• Cleared by court after Gere kiss (2023) – Wikipedia

What’s unclear

• The specific autoimmune disease name beyond what she stated — no medical record released.
• Future film projects — no official announcements.

Quotes

“I was in a very happy and disciplined zone. Age is just a number, but discipline is a lifestyle.”

Shilpa Shetty, interview with The Times of India (2025)

“The court’s decision has finally put an end to a 16-year-long ordeal. It was always a misunderstanding.”

Statement by Shilpa Shetty’s legal team, 2023, reported by Wikipedia

The takeaway: Shilpa Shetty’s public life is a study in contrasts — one stable marriage and a single, clear health disclosure, yet two decades of legal and media storms. For anyone following Bollywood or celebrity biographies, the verified facts are fewer than the rumors, but the real story is surprisingly linear: she married once, she dealt with a real autoimmune condition, and a 2007 kiss ended in court only to be cleared in 2023. The choice for readers is whether to accept the sourced timeline or let the noise of speculation rewrite it.

Frequently asked questions