Were they? Weren’t they? That was the question on every Hardik Pandya fan’s mind in 2018. At that time, the ace cricketer was linked to starlet Esha Gupta. Now, seven years later, Esha has finally shed light on those long-standing rumours during a candid conversation with Siddharth Kannan.
Reflecting on the past, the Raaz 3 star shared that she and Hardik had a brief phase of communication, but things never truly evolved into a full-blown relationship. According to her, they were in that uncertain phase where both parties were simply figuring things out. Their interactions lasted a few months, during which they spoke occasionally and met only a couple of times. However, before anything could solidify, the connection faded, never crossing into anything serious or official.
“Yeah, for some time we were talking. I don’t think we were dating, but yeah, we were talking for a couple of months. We were at that ‘maybe it will happen, maybe it won’t’ stage. It ended before we even reached the dating stage..." she reminisced.
When asked about the possibility of the two ever becoming a couple, Esha admitted there was a moment when it seemed like something could blossom. But eventually, they both came to understand that they weren’t on the same page. She pointed out that their timing didn’t align and that their personalities and preferences simply didn’t complement each other. The brief chapter, she emphasized, ended without any conflict or hard feelings.
Esha also touched upon the much-discussed Koffee With Karan episode from 2019, which featured Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul and generated a storm of backlash for its controversial content. Esha mentioned that she wasn’t personally affected by it. By that point in her career, she had grown resilient and emotionally stronger, and rather than adding fuel to the fire, she chose to stay away from public outrage. She also expressed sympathy for the criticism the cricketers were already facing at the time.
Interestingly, Esha had been among the few who called out the show’s tone publicly, particularly highlighting its problematic portrayal of women. Speaking further, she explained why things didn’t progress with Hardik: she prefers relationships grounded in simplicity and emotional depth, far from the glare of the media. She feels more at home with someone who values family life over celebrity culture.
She added that while her profession demands a presence in the limelight, her personal preferences lean toward a quieter, more intimate lifestyle—one filled with genuine moments like chatting with her mother or enjoying scoldings at home. A life centered around constant admiration or celebrity vanity didn’t appeal to her.
"More than the limelight, I like family and real life. Of course I love my work — without the camera, there would be no Esha Gupta. But at the end of the day, I like going home and asking my mom what’s going on, getting scolded by her. I like all that. I can’t deal with waking up every morning and thinking, ‘Oh my God,’ and my husband and I praising ourselves for how good-looking we are—I can’t handle that,” she explained.
"It’s not that there was something lacking in him or me — we were just very different. And in a month or two, even he realised I wasn’t his type, and I realised he wasn’t mine.." she concluded.
At the time of their brief interaction, it was speculated that Esha and Hardik met at a social gathering and immediately connected.
Hardik went on to marry Serbian dancer-actress Natasa Stankovic. In 2024, the couple decided to part ways. Together, they have a son, Agastya.
Professionally, Esha was last seen in Ek Badnaam Aashram 3 Part 2 on MX Player with Bobby Deol and played a cop in One Day: Justice Delivered. Buzz now suggests she might join Hera Pheri 3, though no official word has come in yet.
Reflecting on the past, the Raaz 3 star shared that she and Hardik had a brief phase of communication, but things never truly evolved into a full-blown relationship. According to her, they were in that uncertain phase where both parties were simply figuring things out. Their interactions lasted a few months, during which they spoke occasionally and met only a couple of times. However, before anything could solidify, the connection faded, never crossing into anything serious or official.
“Yeah, for some time we were talking. I don’t think we were dating, but yeah, we were talking for a couple of months. We were at that ‘maybe it will happen, maybe it won’t’ stage. It ended before we even reached the dating stage..." she reminisced.
When asked about the possibility of the two ever becoming a couple, Esha admitted there was a moment when it seemed like something could blossom. But eventually, they both came to understand that they weren’t on the same page. She pointed out that their timing didn’t align and that their personalities and preferences simply didn’t complement each other. The brief chapter, she emphasized, ended without any conflict or hard feelings.
Esha also touched upon the much-discussed Koffee With Karan episode from 2019, which featured Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul and generated a storm of backlash for its controversial content. Esha mentioned that she wasn’t personally affected by it. By that point in her career, she had grown resilient and emotionally stronger, and rather than adding fuel to the fire, she chose to stay away from public outrage. She also expressed sympathy for the criticism the cricketers were already facing at the time.
Interestingly, Esha had been among the few who called out the show’s tone publicly, particularly highlighting its problematic portrayal of women. Speaking further, she explained why things didn’t progress with Hardik: she prefers relationships grounded in simplicity and emotional depth, far from the glare of the media. She feels more at home with someone who values family life over celebrity culture.
She added that while her profession demands a presence in the limelight, her personal preferences lean toward a quieter, more intimate lifestyle—one filled with genuine moments like chatting with her mother or enjoying scoldings at home. A life centered around constant admiration or celebrity vanity didn’t appeal to her.
"More than the limelight, I like family and real life. Of course I love my work — without the camera, there would be no Esha Gupta. But at the end of the day, I like going home and asking my mom what’s going on, getting scolded by her. I like all that. I can’t deal with waking up every morning and thinking, ‘Oh my God,’ and my husband and I praising ourselves for how good-looking we are—I can’t handle that,” she explained.
"It’s not that there was something lacking in him or me — we were just very different. And in a month or two, even he realised I wasn’t his type, and I realised he wasn’t mine.." she concluded.
At the time of their brief interaction, it was speculated that Esha and Hardik met at a social gathering and immediately connected.
Hardik went on to marry Serbian dancer-actress Natasa Stankovic. In 2024, the couple decided to part ways. Together, they have a son, Agastya.
Professionally, Esha was last seen in Ek Badnaam Aashram 3 Part 2 on MX Player with Bobby Deol and played a cop in One Day: Justice Delivered. Buzz now suggests she might join Hera Pheri 3, though no official word has come in yet.
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