Before Devdas, there was Raveena’s arc in Dilwale. She plays Sapna, a rich girl who falls for a poor musician (Ajay Devgn). This is a classic "Romeo and Juliet" setup—families at war, lovers caught in the crossfire. What makes this storyline heartbreaking is the climax. Raveena’s character doesn’t get the happy ending.
In a brutal, shocking twist for 90s cinema, Sapna is shot dead by her own brother in front of her lover. Raveena’s performance in the death scene—the slow collapse, the attempted smile—is haunting. It remains one of the most tragic romantic endings in her filmography, proving she could do pathos as well as she could do dancing.
During the late 90s, gossip columns linked Raveena with actress Sonali Bendre—a sensational (and unsubstantiated) rumor for that era. Raveena has laughed it off, calling it a publicity stunt by magazines. No evidence supports a romantic relationship.
According to interviews, Raveena was initially hesitant. She had been burned before. But Shukla pursued her with patience. He didn't care about the "B-grade" scandal or her past with Akshay. He saw the woman behind the "Mast Mast" tag. Before Devdas , there was Raveena’s arc in Dilwale
They married in a private ceremony in 2004. The storyline here was mature, stable, and devoid of drama—the exact opposite of a Bollywood film. They later had a biological daughter, Rasha, and a son, Ranbirvardhan.
Just when the world had written her off as a single, fiery star, Raveena surprised everyone. In 2004, she married Anil Thadani, a distributor and film financier. Unlike her previous high-decibel romance, this was a quiet affair. Anil, who had previously been linked to other actresses, found a stable partner in Raveena.
Their arranged-cum-love marriage has stood the test of time for over two decades. Raveena adopted two daughters, Chhaya and Pooja, before her marriage, a fact that Anil embraced wholeheartedly. The couple then had a son, Ranbirvardhan. What is striking about this relationship is its normalcy. Anil stays away from the limelight, manages the business, and supports Raveena’s sporadic acting ventures. While her real life was a drama, Raveena’s
Raveena credits the success of her marriage to friendship and respect. “With Anil, there is no drama,” she has said. “I had enough drama in my 20s to last a lifetime. Now, I want peace, and he gives me that.” From the fiery lover of the 90s to a doting wife and mother, Raveena’s real-life romantic arc is the ultimate redemption story.
While her real life was a drama, Raveena’s on-screen love stories defined a generation’s idea of romance.
The 'Mast Mast' Dream (Mohra, 1994) No conversation about Raveena’s romantic appeal begins without Mohra. Her romance with Akshay Kumar’s character was a mix of vengeance and seduction, but the song "Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast" became the anthem of 90s desire. Raveena played the seductive journalist who falls for the righteous prisoner. It wasn’t a soft romance; it was a power play of glances and rain-soaked defiance. 1994) Paired opposite Ajay Devgn
The Tragic Devotion (Dilwale, 1994) Paired opposite Ajay Devgn, Raveena played Sapna, a woman torn between family honor and love. Their storyline in Dilwale was classic Bollywood tragedy: lovers separated by a violent feud, culminating in one of the most heartbreaking climaxes where she kills her own brother to save her love. It was a romantic arc defined by sacrifice and tears.
The Confident Urban Girl (Andaz Apna Apna, 1994) In this cult classic, Raveena’s character Raveena (she played herself) was a refreshing take on romance. She wasn’t the damsel in distress; she was the wealthy heiress who played along with Salman Khan’s antics. Her "romance" was less about ishq and more about playful one-upmanship. The storyline of two lazy men competing for her attention gave her character the power to choose, making her the most modern romantic lead of that era.
The Protective Lover (Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, 1996) Reuniting with Akshay Kumar at the peak of their real-life romance, she played a psychologist opposite his wrestler. The love story here was unique: he protects her from a psychotic don (played by the late Reema Lagoo). Their romantic arc was about trust in a house of horrors—a rare blend of slasher-flick tension and romantic longing.