Gauri Khan and Shah Rukh Khan got married in 1991, when they were 21 and 26 years old respectively. The couple has often spoken about how their family reacted to their inter-religious marriage and how they embraced both religions.
Gauri Khan and Shah Rukh Khan have been married for almost 33 years, both celebrate Hindu and Islamic festivals together and maintain their respective faiths. Their interfaith marriage often becomes the subject of many discussions, especially Gauri’s decision not to convert. On Gauri’s birthday, let’s take a look at her thoughts on this decision.
The couple got married in October 1991, but their journey to marriage was full of challenges. Initially, Gauri’s parents were hesitant as theirs was an inter-religious marriage. In a conversation with Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla on their show First Ladies, Gauri recalled, “We changed his name to Abhinav so that they would see him as a Hindu boy, but it was really silly and childish.”
At the time of the wedding, many in Gauri’s family were concerned that Shah Rukh might pressure her to convert to Islam. In an interview with Farida Jalal, Shah Rukh recalled the incident, saying, “I remember Gauri’s traditional family was sitting there, whispering, ‘He’s a Muslim boy. Will he change his name? Will she become a Muslim?’ So, I joked, ‘Okay Gauri, wear your burqa, and let’s pray.’ The whole family was staring at us, thinking I had converted her religion. I teased them, saying, ‘From now on, she will wear a burqa all the time and her name will be Ayesha.'”
In the first season of Koffee with Karan, Gauri talked about her decision of not converting. She said, “There is a balance to it. I respect Shah Rukh’s religion, but that doesn’t mean I will convert. I believe everyone should follow their religion and there should be mutual respect. Shah Rukh will also never disrespect my religion.” However, she revealed that her mother still struggles with the situation, often getting confused when Aryan tells her, “I am a Muslim.”
During her interaction on Ladies First, Gauri revealed, “During Diwali, I lead the puja and the family follows. On Eid, Shah Rukh leads and we follow. It’s a beautiful arrangement, and the kids embrace both traditions. In fact, they are more inclined towards what Shah Rukh says. Both Diwali and Eid are wonderful for them.”
When Gauri Khan express she respects Shah Rukh Khan’s religion but won’t convert: ‘My relatives wondered if Shah Rukh would convert me’
