Sonakshi Sinha-Zaheer Iqbal celebrate inter-faith marriage with ‘Gayatri mantra-Kalma’ art

4 min readNew DelhiJul 4, 2026 08:42 PM IST

Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer blend Gayatri Mantra and Kalma. (Photo: Sonakshi Sinha/Instagram)

When Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal tied the knot in an intimate ceremony two years ago, their inter-faith marriage was met with criticism from some quarters. The couple, however, have consistently silenced the noise by embracing and respecting each other’s faiths. Their wedding video was widely appreciated, and a heartfelt note by a close friend later revealed how Hindu and Islamic traditions beautifully came together during the ceremony—the chanting of the Gayatri Mantra blending seamlessly with the sound of the Azaan from a nearby mosque. Now, the couple have found a way to preserve that cherished memory forever.

Sonakshi recently revealed that she and Zaheer received a special painting from a friend in Los Angeles, depicting the Gayatri Mantra and the Kalma together in a single frame. Sharing photos of the artwork on Instagram, the actress penned an emotional note.

It read, “When we got married, while the Pandit was chanting the Gayatri Mantra, the sound of the Azaan floated up into our home, and the power of both those prayers have made our home the happy home it is today!”

She continued, “One day, while we were on holiday in Australia, @shubhikasharma called me out of the blue and told me she wanted to gift us a painting for our wedding. But when she described what she wanted to create, it felt like she had taken the idea straight from our hearts. She said it had to represent both our beliefs and how they had come together in a harmony of love and positivity.”

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Calling it “divine intervention,” Sonakshi shared how everything fell into place.

“She then introduced me to the artist—the extremely talented @aadilabedi—who came home, understood our thoughts and feelings, and translated them onto the canvas so beautifully. And call it divine intervention if you must, he reached out to me while we were in LA, without even knowing we were there, to tell me it was ready!”

She concluded, “So this beautiful artwork, where the Gayatri Mantra meets the Kalma, travelled back with me and has found its place in our home. I’m sure it will bring us even more happiness, love and peace. The space feels so complete now, and so blessed.”

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Earlier, speaking about their wedding, Sonakshi’s friend Prachi Mishra had shared how the couple focused on celebrating love rather than paying attention to the speculation surrounding their interfaith marriage.

“The media had their considerable share of speculation, but our blockbuster jodi were unaffected and focused on making sure all their guests felt at home,” she wrote. She added, “The marriage began with a civil ceremony, followed by the Hindu custom of Kanyadaan. This sacred ritual became even more special when the chanting of the mantras divinely amalgamated with the sound of the Azaan from the mosque. ‘Love conquers all’ is something we often hear, but watching you both made us truly believe it.”

Speaking previously about their interfaith marriage to Times Entertainment, Sonakshi said, “Our parents have taught us to be good human beings and believe in God, irrespective of whatever name you know Him by.” Zaheer echoed her thoughts, saying they could have “50,000 disagreements,” but religion would never be one of them. Sonakshi added that in their seven-year relationship before marriage, the fact that they belonged to different faiths was never an issue. “We both respect each other’s religions. It’s never been an issue for us or even a discussion,” she said.

Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal got married in 2024 after dating privately for seven years.