Inside Karisma Kapoor & Sanjay Kapur’s Stormy Marriage—From Bollywood Fairytale to Polo‑Field Tragedy
Karisma Kapoor was the golden girl of 1990s Hindi cinema. Hits like Raja Hindustani, Dil To Pagal Hai, Biwi No. 1 and Zubeidaa made her one of the decade’s highest‑paid, most‑awarded stars, earning the tag of “unique” for her effortless mix of glamour and craft.en.wikipedia.org
Yet away from the arc‑lights, life was anything but picture‑perfect. Raised by her mother, Babita, after Babita’s separation from actor Randhir Kapoor, Karisma often said she never felt entitled to the “Kapoors‑have‑it‑easy” privilege people imagined.en.wikipedia.org
A Big‑Fat Wedding—and Early Cracks
On 29 September 2003, she married Delhi industrialist Sanjay (Sunjay) Kapur in a glittering Sikh ceremony at the family bungalow in Mumbai.en.wikipedia.org What looked like a Bollywood fairytale soon unravelled. By 2010 the couple were living apart, and in 2014 they jointly filed for divorce.
Allegations of Abuse
The proceedings turned ugly when Karisma withdrew mutual consent and filed an amended petition accusing Sanjay of physical and mental cruelty. In the most shocking claim, she said he forced her to sleep with his friends during their honeymoon and later asked his own mother to slap his pregnant wife because a designer dress wouldn’t fit her.firstpost.com
Her father Randhir Kapoor publicly backed her, branding Sanjay “a third‑class man” and insisting, “We’re Kapoors—we don’t need anyone’s money; our talent is enough to support us for life.”indiatoday.in Karisma also lodged a domestic‑violence complaint against Sanjay and his mother, prompting a police inquiry.
The 2016 Settlement
After two bruising years, the warring spouses struck a Supreme‑Court‑monitored settlement in April 2016:
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Custody – Children Samaira (born 2005) and Kiaan Raj (born 2010) would live with Karisma; Sanjay retained visitation rights.
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Financial security – Sanjay bought ₹14 crore in bonds for the kids, designed to pay out ₹10 lakh monthly interest for their upbringing.
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Property – A Khar (Mumbai) house once owned by Sanjay’s father was transferred to Karisma.indianexpress.comtimesofindia.indiatimes.com
The divorce decree was granted later that year.en.wikipedia.org
Life After the Split
Karisma focused on parenting and an occasional acting comeback, while Sanjay married former model Priya Sachdev in 2017 and welcomed a son.people.com Relations between the exes remained civil but distant; Sanjay sometimes complained he could “hardly meet” his children.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
A Shocking End on the Polo Field
On 12 June 2025, tragedy struck. The 53‑year‑old tycoon, an avid polo patron and friend of British royalty, was playing in Windsor’s Queen’s Cup when he apparently swallowed a bee. The sting triggered an anaphylactic reaction and cardiac arrest. Despite on‑site medics, he died within minutes, crying, “I’ve swallowed something!”nypost.compeople.com
Guards Polo Club observed a minute’s silence; teammates posted his final photograph in tribute.timesofindia.indiatimes.com Back in Mumbai, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan rushed to comfort Karisma, who now faces guiding two teenagers through an unexpected bereavement.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Looking Back
Karisma Kapoor’s public journey reminds us that fame seldom inoculates anyone against private heartbreak. From headline‑making success to a marriage marred by ugly allegations—and now a sudden, almost surreal loss—her story is a stark blend of Bollywood glitz and very real human pain. Yet amid the turmoil she remains, in her father’s words, “a Kapoor”—resilient, independent and, above all, determined to write the next chapter on her own terms.
