Valentine's special| Sonakshi Sinha-Zaheer Iqbal's blockbuster love story: It's great, being married to your best friend

After dating, Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal now enjoy being married, sharing travels, memories. This reflects in their special shoot with HT City Showstoppers

Life- after a whirlwind romance of seven years and nine months of being married- has turned out lovely for Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal.

Sonakshi Sinha epitomizes elegance in a Mason Tai dress paired with earrings and rings from CaratLane. Zaheer complements her in a black tux from Ashish Soni.

He's cheeky, handsome and doesn't miss a chance to hold his wife close as they shoot for HT City Showstoppers' Valentines cover. She, being the beautiful diva she is, is equally into him. "It's been great," quips Sonakshi, “It was something we have really been waiting for. I have been posting backlog of the pictures of the last seven years we went on trips together. We couldn't post before, but I am now, of all the fun times. It is amazing to not be hiding anymore.”

Sonakshi Sinha epitomizes elegance in a Mason Tai dress paired with earrings and rings from CaratLane. Zaheer complements her in a black tux from Ashish Soni.

They have been travelling not just since the wedding on June 23, 2024, but much before that. Their first international trip together was to Sri Lanka in 2018! Paris, Prague and more followed. Zaheer adds, “It is way more fun, being married, than you all see. The moments that you don't have time to record- those are better than the ones you post.”

Setting the mode for Valentine's Day, Sonakshi oozes oomph in a crimson-hued dress with a front slit from Reynu Taandon. Her look has been spruced up with a neckpiece and bracelet from CaratLane. Zaheer looks dapper in Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna.

The duo had met at a film screening in 2017, and ended up talking to each other as time flew that evening. "I know the place, the spot. If you take me there, I can show you the tile too. We chose June 23 because that's the date we met," says Zaheer, as Sona breaks into a laugh. "When I first met him, I thought he was very cheeky, confident- that's what I really loved about him. I was like 'who is this guy, meeting me for the first time and challenging me?!' Today, I can say being married to your best friend is the best thing ever. In our heads, we have been married since the last five years," she quips.

Sonakshi exudes boss lady vibe in a polka-dotted blazer paired with a black vest and trousers from M&S. Her look has been accessorised with glasses from Scott Eyewear and chains from CaratLane. Zaheer looks spiffy in a navy blue blazer from M&S. @⁨Rishabh⁩ caption for your online copy

Do they remember the first Valentine's Day they celebrated as a couple? Sonakshi goes first, "He was the first one to wish me that, and I thought it was super cheesy. Who celebrates that? That's where I got into celebrating it ever since. We do our regular date nights, sometimes dinner, some movie, or chill. He plans something out of the box on this day. We celebrate it because Zaheer loves to," To this, Zaheer replies, "She had initially said 'I don't celebrate the day' I said I am going to go on a date with or without you! I maaro my cheesy dialogues on her every day, and get slapped too!"

Creative Director: Shara Ashraf Prayag

Assistant Creative Director: Shweta Sunny

Photographer: Vijit Gupta

Stylist: Mohit Rai, Tarang Agarwal

Story and Talent Co-ordinator: Rishabh Suri

Production: Abigail Banerji, Zahera Kayanat

Makeup for Sonakshi: Heema Dattani

Hair: Seema Mane

Makeup for Zaheer: Rajesh Nag

Hair for Zaheer: Sajid Hussain

Location: Hyatt Centric Juhu Mumbai

Artist PR Agency: Communiqué PR