In the realm of Bollywood romances, the engagement of Karisma Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan remains a captivating chapter. Before Karisma Kapoor married Sunjay Kapur in 2003, she was engaged to Abhishek Bachchan, a union that generated considerable excitement within the industry and among fans.
Karisma and Abhishek reportedly met at the wedding of Abhishek's sister, Shweta Bachchan. Their relationship blossomed over five years, largely away from the public eye. In 2002, at Amitabh Bachchan's 60th birthday celebration, Jaya Bachchan publicly announced their engagement, embracing Karisma into the Bachchan family. This announcement was met with widespread joy and anticipation. Jaya Bachchan proudly introduced Karisma as her "to-be daughter-in-law", welcoming the Kapoor family into their own.
However, this fairytale was short-lived. Just months after the grand announcement, in January 2003, the engagement was called off, leaving many surprised and saddened. The reasons for the split were never officially disclosed, leading to much speculation.
Numerous theories circulated regarding the reasons behind the broken engagement. Some reports suggested that Karisma's mother, Babita Kapoor, played a significant role. Rumors claimed that Babita raised concerns about Abhishek's career, which was still in its early stages, and that she sought financial security for her daughter through a prenuptial agreement. This agreement allegedly demanded a portion of Amitabh Bachchan's assets be allocated to Abhishek, a condition that the Bachchans supposedly found unacceptable.
Other speculations pointed to differences in family values and lifestyle. Regardless of the actual reasons, the families maintained a dignified silence, leaving the public to piece together the fragments of what went wrong.
Following the end of her engagement to Abhishek Bachchan, Karisma Kapoor married Delhi-based businessman Sunjay Kapur in September 2003. The wedding was a high-profile Sikh ceremony held at her ancestral home. Together, Karisma and Sunjay had two children: a daughter, Samaira, born in 2005, and a son, Kiaan, born in 2011.
Unfortunately, Karisma's marriage to Sunjay Kapur also faced difficulties. By 2014, the couple had filed for divorce, which was finalized in 2016. The divorce proceedings were highly publicized and acrimonious, with both parties making serious allegations against each other. Sunjay Kapur, who passed away recently in June 2025, was a successful businessman with a $1.2 billion fortune amassed through Sona Comstar.
In the wake of Sunjay's passing, old claims resurfaced, including allegations that he felt like a "rebound" for Karisma after her split from Abhishek. He also alleged that Karisma married him for financial security and was not emotionally invested in their relationship. These claims were part of the contentious divorce proceedings, during which Sunjay also accused Karisma of being an unfit mother and denying him access to their children. Karisma's legal team refuted these claims, accusing Sunjay of spreading misinformation.
Despite the tumultuous end to their relationship, Sunjay's death has brought renewed attention to the various stages of Karisma Kapoor's personal life, from her engagement to Abhishek Bachchan to her subsequent marriage and divorce from Sunjay Kapur. Karisma later described the Bachchans as “a lovely family” and expressed gratitude for the time spent with them.
