In cinema, many stars hide their marriages or wait years before settling down. But Dulquer Salmaan, son of Malayalam superstar Mammootty, did the opposite. Even before his career took off, he shocked fans by marrying his love, Amal Sufiya—a love story that reads like a romantic film.
Schoolmates to soulmates: Dulquer and Amal’s marriage was a blend of arranged marriage and love. The two were schoolmates, with Amal being five years his junior. Back then, there was no romance between them. After completing his studies in the U.S. and returning to India, Dulquer faced pressure from his family to settle down. Despite meeting several prospective matches, he disliked the idea of rejecting one proposal after another.
Destiny’s hand: While marriage talks were on, Dulquer’s friends suggested Amal’s name. Coincidentally, while in Chennai, he kept running into her at different places. Taking it as a sign, Dulquer decided to reach out to Amal through Facebook, moving away from the idea of a typical arranged marriage.
A romantic first date: Known for his romantic streak, Dulquer made their first date unforgettable. He drove Amal from Chennai all the way to Puducherry—a 90-minute journey—for a long heart-to-heart conversation. After four hours of talking and truly understanding each other, they returned to Chennai.
Families Give the Green Signal: Convinced after their first meeting, Dulquer opened up to his family. “I’m not interested in an arranged marriage. I met a girl from my school, and I want to know if we share something real. Please speak to her family,” he told them. Both families eventually agreed, giving the couple their blessing.
A lucky charm in his life: Dulquer and Amal tied the knot on December 22, 2011, in Chennai. Marrying before entering films made Dulquer stand out as an inspiration. He has often said that Amal brought luck into his life. In interviews, he shared that his career flourished after marriage. Their daughter, Maryam Amira Salmaan, was born on April 5, 2017. Dulquer also admitted he had never been in love before Amal.
Dulquer’s Pan-India Stardom: Beyond Malayalam cinema, Dulquer has made his mark in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi films. He won wide recognition in Telugu with Mahanati, brilliantly portraying Gemini Ganesan. His role as Ram in Sita Ramam won him immense love across the Telugu states, cementing his popularity. With Lucky Baskhar, Dulquer is now embraced almost as a Telugu hero himself. (All images: Instagram/@dqsalmaan)
