In the glamorously blinding world of Bollywood, where love affairs are as dramatic as the movies, two stars shine bright: Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh. They aren’t just Bollywood royalty and madly in love but are also each other’s ultimate cheerleaders in the game of life.

The two recently made an appearance on the premiere episode of Koffee With Karan season 8 and peeled back the curtains on their past relationships and current matrimonial bliss. Deepika’s revelation, “Even though we were ‘technically allowed’ to date other people, we would just keep coming back to each other,” set the internet ablaze with chatter and unsolicited judgment.

During the show, Deepika confessed, “I did meet other people, but I wasn’t interested or excited by anyone else that I was seeing. In my mind, I was committed to him. So I would meet other people but at the back of my head, it was like, I am going back to him.”

This candid confession has left fans on the edge of their seats, eager to uncover the identities of these “other people” and the juicy details of Deepika’s ex-boyfriends as well as her pre-Ranveer dating history.

Well, if you happen to be one of those curious fans who want to uncover the romantic escapades of the dazzling diva, we have made things easier for you. Here’s rewinding the clock and taking a closer look at the men who once shared their hearts with the one and only Deepika Padukone.

Deconstructing Deepika Padukone’s dating history 

Deepika Padukone’s love life has always been the talk of the town. Apart from her love story with Ranveer, her romance with Ranbir Kapoor has been well-documented in tabloids and gossip columns. However, our leading lady has had other leading men in her life as well. Let’s explore the lucky gents who enjoyed the privilege of being one of Deepika Padukone’s boyfriends.

Muzammil Ibrahim: The model-turned-actor flame

Picture Credits: Instagram/Muzammil Ibrahim
Back in the early 2000s, Deepika, still a budding model, kindled a brief romance with the handsome model-turned-actor Muzammil Ibrahim. The reasons for their breakup remained shrouded in mystery, but rumour has it that Muzammil turned down a role in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani due to Deepika’s presence in the film. Talk about complicated Bollywood dynamics.

Upen Patel: Sizzling photoshoot chemistry or something more?

Picture Credits: Instagram/Upen Patel
Upen Patel is another popular name on Deepika Padukone’s list of alleged ex-boyfriends. Rumours of the two dating first started doing the rounds after a sizzling photoshoot, though nothing substantial ever materialised. Perhaps it was just the chemistry in the pictures, and nothing more, that fueled speculation.

Nihaar Pandya: Her first full-blown love in the City of Dreams

Picture Credits: Instagram/Nihaar Pandya
In her early days in Mumbai, around 2005, Deepika crossed paths with the dashing model and businessman Nihaar Pandya. Love blossomed, and they spent over three sweet years together, even being in a live-in relationship.

However, the flames of their passionate romance were snuffed in 2008. Nihaar later found love in singer Neeti Mohan and the two are now happily married.

M.S. Dhoni: The cricketing crush

Picture Credits: Instagram/Ranveer Singh
Yes, you read that right! Deepika was romantically linked, albeit briefly, with cricketing legend M.S. Dhoni. Although it was never officially confirmed by either party, rumours swirled about a stroke of romance between Padukone and Dhoni.

Capital Cool even publicly confessed to having a crush on her, sparking speculations of a love triangle involving Deepika, Dhoni and fellow cricketer Yuvraj Singh (more on that in a bit). However, that theory fizzled out as Dhoni chose to keep his distance from Deepika to maintain his friendship with Yuvi. Despite the media’s persistent speculations, Dhoni consistently denied any romantic involvement with the Piku actor.

Yuvraj Singh: A short and sweet Cricket crossover

Picture Credits: Instagram/Yuvraj Singh
Deepika and Yuvi’s brief fling is more popular than her liaison with Dhoni. Unfortunately, their busy lives led them to part ways. Yuvraj even addressed their breakup in an interview, saying, “We liked each other and wanted to know more. We didn’t spend enough time with each other to know if it was going to be a long-term thing. As things turned out, she moved on, and so did I.”

Deepika, always the epitome of grace, has maintained her dignity and remained tight-lipped about her short-lived romances with both cricketers.

Siddharth Mallya: A love episode with the Billionaire heir

Picture Credits: Instagram/Siddharth Mallya
Next on the list is Siddharth Mallya, the son of fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya. Their love story began in 2008, with a passionate kiss during an IPL match that sent shockwaves across the internet. However, their romantic journey took an ugly turn due to their ‘lifestyle differences.’

Deepika confessed that she even tried hard to save the relationship but cited Sid’s “bad behaviour” as the breaking point. During an interview, she famously recounted an embarrassing dinner bill incident where Sid had asked her to pay the amount. Siddharth also didn’t hold back from dissing the actress, blaming class and status for their high-profile breakup. A rollercoaster of sweet and sour emotions, we say!

Ranbir Kapoor: Trust, tension, tattoo and ‘Tamasha’

Picture Credits: IMDb/Tamasha
When it comes to Bollywood’s most famous and iconic ex-couples, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone rank high on the list, right alongside John and Bipasha and Amitabh and Rekha. It was arguably the most significant relationship in Deepika’s dating history before she met Ranveer.

In 2008, while filming for Bachna Ae Haseeno, Deepika found herself in a passionate romance with co-star Ranbir Kapoor. DP was so madly in love with Ranbir that she even got a tattoo of his initials on the nape of her neck. They dated for about two years before calling it quits in 2009, allegedly after Kapoor cheated on her with Katrina Kaif. The two were often spotted publicly together, cosying up even during press meets and interviews.

Deepika later revealed that she was going through depression at the same time. Fortunately, the two managed to patch things up and have remained good friends ever since. They even worked together in multiple films post-breakup including Ayan Mukerji’s Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and Imtiaz Ali’s Tamasha.

Ranveer Singh: The Husband 

Picture Credits: Instagram/Ranveer Singh
And finally, there is Ranveer Singh, the man of the moment and Deepika’s knight in a shining Gucci suit!

Cast together in three of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s blockbuster films, the couple credits the director for bringing them together. Ranveer even thanked SLB at the Zee Cine Awards in 2019 for making him meet his wife.

They dated for six years before getting engaged secretly and tying the knot in 2018 in a fairytale wedding at Lake Como in Italy. Deepika often gushes about how Ranveer makes her feel secure and protected, and how she craved quality time with him when they were dating.

(Header and feature image courtesy: Credits: Instagram/Ranveer Singh and IMDb/Tamasha)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

– How long did Deepika Padukone and Siddharth Mallya date?
Deepika Padukone and Siddharth Mallya dated back in 2008 and their relationship was relatively short-lived.

– Did Deepika Padukone date cricketer Yuvraj Singh?
Yes, Deepika and Yuvraj had a brief romance, but it didn’t become a long-term commitment due to their busy schedules.