In a recent interview, actor Sagarika Ghatge opened up about her relationship with former cricketer Zaheer Khan, expressing how meeting him later in life profoundly impacted her perspective. Speaking to Hauterrfly, Ghatge shared, “Everything about how I look at life is thanks to him… he grounds you, he’s your safe space. There’s this one person I need and that’s him and nothing else matters. And I’m glad I realised that late, but I realised it.”

Ghatge further revealed that had she met Khan earlier, she would have married him sooner. “I wish I’d met him a little earlier, I would have just been married young maybe with him. I married him 7-8 years back. I wish I’d married when I was way younger. It was not the thing ki (that) I didn’t want to get married young or I had no, I was very open about all that. If I’d met him earlier I would have definitely married him earlier,” she said.

Their relationship began with subtle interactions, as Khan initially kept his distance due to perceptions about Ghatge. She recounted, “He wouldn’t even talk to me at first because everyone used to say, ‘You know, she’s that kind of girl.’ I don’t know exactly what they meant by that—maybe that you should only talk to her if you are really serious; otherwise, there’s no point. It was always just a simple ‘Hi, hello.’ I always thought, ‘Oh, he’s such a gentleman.’ And that was it. But then, obviously, we kept meeting a lot more.” Actor Angad Bedi played a pivotal role in bringing them together, acting as a mutual friend who encouraged their connection.

The couple's interfaith marriage in 2017 was met with support from their families. Ghatge emphasized that while external discussions about their different religious backgrounds existed, her family never made it an issue. “It was people around us who were making that conversation. My parents were very progressive people, and of course, things were discussed. But for me, it was important to find the right human being who I could share my life with,” she stated.

Reflecting on the broader theme of timing in relationships, existential psychotherapist Gurleen Baruah noted, “When it comes to meeting a life partner, people often say things like ‘It happened at the right time,’ but honestly, what does that really mean? Sometimes, you meet the right person when you’re least expecting it, and it changes everything. Other times, you meet someone amazing, but if you’re not in the right headspace, it just doesn’t work out. So is it really about timing, or is it about who you meet and how that connection shapes you?”

Ghatge's reflections underscore the significance of personal growth and readiness in relationships. Her journey with Khan illustrates how the right partnership can profoundly influence one's outlook on life, regardless of when it begins.