{
  "id": 12833788,
  "title": "How Neelam Kothari played cupid for Shah Rukh Khan-Gauri Khan: ‘Both were my fans’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/how-neelam-kothari-played-cupid-for-shah-rukh-khan-gauri-khan-both",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-08T09:24:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/how-neelam-kothari-played-cupid-for-shah-rukh-khan-gauri-khan-both-were-my-fans-10909099/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Neelam Kothari, the veteran actress, inadvertently played a significant role in the union of Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan. In an episode of Indian Idol, Neelam revealed that the iconic couple were her fans, frequently attending her film screenings together. During a conversation with a friend, Shah Rukh admitted that Neelam's influence contributed to their marriage. \"Both of them used to watch my films together, and that’s how the romance started,\" he revealed. While Neelam Kothari rose to fame in the 1980s with hits like Love 86, Khudgarz, and Hatya, she made a cameo appearance in Shah Rukh Khan’s 1998 blockbuster, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Today, Neelam continues to make her presence felt in the industry, appearing in OTT shows like Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives and Masaba Masaba, as well as the web series Made in Heaven. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan is gearing up for his upcoming film, King, alongside his daughter Suhana, Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, and Rani Mukerji.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Neelam Kothari facilitated SRK-Gauri romance by being their fans.",
    "SRK admitted Neelam's influence led to their marriage.",
    "Neelam appeared in SRK's 1998 film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}