Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma today stand as one of India’s most admired celebrity power couples. They recently moved to London to raise their kids. Time and again they have given couple and parenting goals but the beginning of their love story was far from the picture-perfect romance one might imagine. In fact, their first encounter was marked by awkwardness, nervous energy and a joke that didn’t quite land the way Virat had hoped.

During a 2019 interview with American sports journalist Graham Bensinger , Kohli gave fans a peek into his first interaction with Anushka, which took place during a commercial shoot. He admitted feeling extremely anxious at the time, especially because he had been informed that Anushka might be taller than him and was advised to subtly suggest that she skip high heels for the shoot.

The former Indian cricket captain recalled that Anushka did take the suggestion into account and showed up wearing shoes with a minimal heel. But even that made him uncomfortable, as she still appeared taller. Desperate to lighten the mood, Kohli decided to crack a joke which only made things worse.

“I was standing there, super nervous. I had no idea how to break the ice, so I said something silly. I looked at her and said, ‘Couldn’t you have worn higher heels?’ hoping it would be funny,” Kohli said. “But she just gave me a look and said, ‘Excuse me?’ I immediately realized I had messed up and tried to laugh it off. Inside, I felt like a complete idiot.”

Kohli went on to explain that while he was fumbling through his words, Anushka carried herself with complete confidence, being no stranger to film sets. Her composed demeanor made his clumsy attempt at humor feel even more misplaced.

Despite the awkward start, the connection between them grew stronger over time. The two eventually tied the knot in a private ceremony in Tuscany, Italy, in 2017. Their wedding became a benchmark for celebrity weddings in India, inspiring many others in the years that followed. In January 2021, the couple welcomed their daughter, Vamika, into the world and this year they were blessed with their second child, their baby boy, Akaay.