Alka Yagnik, one of the most iconic playback singers of India, has been the voice of romance, passion and celebration for over four decades. With more than 20,000 songs to her credit, she has mesmerized generations through her ability to adapt seamlessly across genres, from tender ghazals to exuberant dance tracks. Her voice has shaped Bollywood’s musical identity, yet behind her chart-topping career lies a deeply personal love story marked by distance, determination and sacrifice.
In 1989, Alka married Shillong-based businessman Neeraj Kapoor, the man she first met through long-standing family connections. Their introduction came via Neeraj’s aunt, who happened to be Alka’s mother’s classmate, a woman Alka affectionately called “mausi”.
Love followed quickly and within just two months, they decided to marry. Alka fondly recalls their late-night phone conversations during their courtship, conversations so frequent that a hefty telephone bill exposed their relationship to her family. By that time, she made up her mind that she would marry Neeraj, no matter the obstacles.
Those obstacles were real and significant. With Neeraj’s life and work anchored in Shillong and Alka’s fast-growing career based in Mumbai, her parents initially resisted the match, certain that a long-distance marriage would struggle to survive. But the couple’s insistence eventually persuaded both the families and they wed with the intention of dividing time between the two cities.
That plan proved short-lived. Alka’s career soon skyrocketed, making even a day away from Mumbai unthinkable. Neeraj often joked that she had been lucky for her own success but unlucky for his, a reflection of the sacrifices he made to accommodate her demanding professional life. Alka herself admitted that she had promised him more shared time than she could ultimately give.
Over the decades, their marriage has existed mostly across city lines, with long stretches apart sometimes creating emotional distance as well. Alka acknowledges that it can take days to reconnect fully after meeting again. Still, she credits Neeraj’s patience and unwavering support as a crucial factor in her career’s enduring success.
Though they might not have shared the everyday life as most couples do, their relationship endures, an evidence of love’s ability to survive despite the long distance.
