I bet everyone has seen Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor's video from IIFA 2025. The internet had a collective meltdown seeing the two exes reunite after decades. From not talking to each other at public events and movie promotions to having a heartfelt conversation, fans could not stop 'shipping' the ex-couple. But let’s take a step back—why are we still so obsessed with former couples who have long moved on?
Both Shahid Kapoor and Kareena are married with kids. This isn’t just about a fleeting Bollywood moment; it’s a textbook case of parasocial attachment—our tendency to form emotional bonds with celebrities and invest in their personal lives as if we’re a part of them. From rehashing old love stories to dissecting every interaction between exes, pop culture thrives on keeping past romances alive, even when the people involved have moved on.
A Love Story Netizens Never Let Go Of
For many Bollywood lovers, Kareena and Shahid’s relationship represents an era—one of innocent romance, youthful energy, and a film (Jab We Met) that became a cultural milestone. Their on-screen chemistry was electric, and despite their real-life breakup, the movie remains one of Bollywood’s most cherished love stories. So, when they share a moment at an award function, fans instinctively project that nostalgia onto the present, forgetting that life isn’t a script waiting for a sequel.
But the truth is, both actors have built completely different lives since their breakup over a decade ago. Kareena is happily married to Saif Ali Khan, who has two children, while Shahid finds his perfect match in Mira Rajput and has a family of his own. The ‘Geet and Aditya’ romance may have been iconic on-screen, but the real-life versions of these people have moved far beyond that phase of their lives.
It's Not Just Kareena & Shahid
It’s not just Kareena and Shahid. The same pattern repeats itself in Hollywood, K-pop, and nearly every fandom imaginable. Take Taylor Swift’s relationships—every song release sparks debates about her exes, especially Jake Gyllenhaal, John Mayer, and Joe Alwyn. Her fans, despite knowing she’s moved on, constantly revive old flames through theories, Easter eggs, and memes.
Then there’s Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams—the 'Notebook' couple who dated for years but eventually went their separate ways. Even today, fans mourn their breakup as if they lost a piece of their own love story.
This pattern exists because, for fans, these love stories never truly end. We experience them through movies, music, and interviews, making them feel personal. And when reality disrupts our imagined endings, we struggle to accept that the characters we cherished have outgrown the narratives we created for them.
While nostalgia is powerful—it allows us to relive moments of joy, innocence, and emotional connection, but at what point does it become unhealthy? There’s a fine line between celebrating the past and refusing to acknowledge change.
Shipping exes who have clearly moved on isn’t just an innocent social media trend; it can be invasive. It disregards their personal growth, their families, and their current relationships. It reduces them to the roles they once played, instead of acknowledging who they are now.
Next time you come across a Shahid-Kareena nostalgic edit video, ask yourself, are we celebrating a memory, or are we refusing to let go of something that no longer exists?
