Mumbai airports have seen everything. Tears at departure gates. Sunglasses at midnight. Movie stars pretending they are invisible. And then sometimes, if you are lucky, you catch something unscripted.
On February 23, the mood inside the terminal shifted the way it always does when Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli walk in. Virushka Heads turn first. Then phones. Then the murmurs. It builds quickly but not chaotically. People are fond of them. There is a difference.
They stopped for photos, of course. They always do. A loose cluster of fans gathered in that half circle that forms instinctively around famous people. Someone adjusted their dupatta. Someone else leaned in. A security guard tried to create a polite perimeter that nobody respected.
And that is when Anushka looked around at the scene, at the crowd inching closer, at the phones held up like floral centerpieces, and said, almost to herself but loud enough for everyone to hear, “Lag raha hai shadi me photo khincha rahe hai.”
It feels like we are getting photos clicked at a wedding.
Virat laughed. Not the media-trained smile. A real laugh. The kind that folds him in half just slightly. And for a second, the airport did feel like a reception line. The couple in the middle, guests queuing up, flashes popping like confetti.
That is the thing about them. They have been public for years, dissected and adored in equal measure, yet they still manage to slip in these small human moments that do not feel rehearsed. There was no grand gesture, no dramatic wave. Just a shared joke in Hindi, tossed casually into the air, and suddenly everyone online was talking about it.
Anushka looked comfortable, which is rarer than people think. A white T-shirt, black trousers, and a soft velvet jacket that caught the light just enough. Travel clothes, yes, but considered. She has always had that knack for looking like she dressed for herself first and the cameras second.
Virat kept it simple. White tee, muted blue overshirt, glasses resting easily on his face. He has grown into his style over the years. It used to be louder. Now it feels measured. Intentional. Like he knows he no longer has to prove anything.
What makes the timing interesting is what this airport sighting followed.
Just days ago, the two were in Vrindavan, visiting the ashram of Premanand Ji Maharaj. They have gone before. This is not a one-time photo opportunity. Something is grounding about the way they approach these spiritual visits. No theatrics. No spectacle. Just folded hands and quiet presence. In a life that moves at a punishing speed, Vrindavan seems to be their pause button.
You look at those images and the volume drops. No screaming fans. No match commentary. Just stillness.
Before that, there was Alibaug. They were spotted returning via the Gateway of India after spending time at their farmhouse. Alibaug has become the unofficial decompression chamber for Mumbai’s high-profile couples. Sea air, slower mornings, fewer lenses. I imagine it is where they get to be ordinary for a minute. Coffee without commentary. Conversations that are not overheard.
And then reality knocks again.
Virat is coming off a strong ODI series against New Zealand, finishing as India’s top run scorer with 240 runs. There is a particular sharpness to him right now. You can see it in the way he walks. Even at the airport, he carries that athlete’s restlessness, as if his body is already thinking about nets and practice sessions. With IPL 2026 around the corner, the calendar will only get more relentless.
Anushka’s world is building differently. Chakda Xpress, her long-awaited film based on Jhulan Goswami’s life, continues to hover in conversation. She has been selective about appearances, almost protective of her energy. So when she does step out laughing at an airport joke, it feels like a glimpse behind the curtain.
What struck me most about the viral clip was not the line itself. It was the ease. Fame, especially at their level, can calcify people. It can make them guarded, distant, hyper-aware of every syllable. But here was Anushka, making a throwaway comment that sounded exactly like something any Indian bride might whisper at her own reception while posing for the fiftieth photo.
And here was Virat, laughing without checking how it looked.
Social media, predictably, melted. Edits were made. Slow-motion reels appeared within hours. “Couple goals” trended again. But strip all of that away, and what you are left with is simpler.
Two people who have figured out how to be themselves in rooms that are never entirely theirs.
Airports will continue to be their runway and their stage. There will be bigger headlines this year. Centuries scored. Films released. Appearances dissected. But on this particular afternoon in Mumbai, the most memorable thing they did was laugh.
And honestly, that might be the most charming move of all.
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Sana has been covering film, fame, and everything in between for over a decade. From red carpets to rehab rumors, she brings nuance, wit, and an insider’s edge to every story. When she’s not reporting, she’s probably watching Koffee With Karan reruns or doom-scrolling celebrity IG feeds.
