Padma Lakshmi and Salman Rushdie

American Indian actress and famous model Padma Lakshmi started dating famous British novelist Salman Rushdie in 1999. Salman was very popular for his controversial book "The Satanic Verses" and was already married three times all of which ended in divorces.

The couple soon gained a lot of media attention as both were celebrities in the own right and the media seemed to have taken a fascination to their relationship. They were seen together at many public events. In Rushdie's 1999 book "Fury", Padma Lakshmi was the model for one of the central characters — and love interests. Salman dedicated the novel to Padma Lakshmi.

After five years of serious dating finally Padma Lakshmi married Salman Rushdie, a man almost 24 years older than her in New York City on April 17, 2004. The wedding was attended by many famous celebrities and close friends of the couple like Steve Martin and Robert Klein. In all 275 guests graced the popular wedding event, where a popular New York based model was marrying one of the most popular novelist in the world. Many members of the international literary community also attended the wedding.

Amidst media speculation of a split between Padma Lakshmi and Salman Rushdie the couple on July 2, 2007 filed for a divorce.