Dino Morea once addressed his rumoured rivalry with John Abraham: 'I broke up with Bipasha Basu and he started dating her...'

Time of India

10 hours ago

has always been in the public eye—first as a top model, then as a Bollywood heartthrob. But behind the glitz and glamour lies a personal journey marked by high-profile relationships, media-fuelled rumours, and quiet resilience.
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In a tell-all interview, the actor opened up about his past with
, addressed long-standing rumours of a rivalry with
, and reflected on how he's maintained grace through emotional highs and lows.
Rivalry with John Abraham?
In an old conversation with Siddharth Kanan, Dino explained that there was never any tension between them, and the talk of a feud only emerged after his breakup with Bipasha Basu, when John began dating her. The media, Dino noted, played a big role in fueling that narrative.
In reality, the duo has always shared a friendly rapport and continue to stay in touch—he even mentioned texting John recently to plan a bike ride or a coffee meet-up. Reflecting on their parallel journeys from modeling to acting, Dino expressed admiration for John's growth and professionalism, adding that both of them helped break the stereotype that models can't act.
The truth about the Bipasha timeline
Morea also shed light on the timeline of events, clarifying that there was no overlap between his relationship with Bipasha Basu and her later romance with Abraham.
According to him, he and Bipasha had broken up almost a year before she began dating John, and by then, he had already moved on with someone else. Despite this, public perception painted a different picture, with many assuming John had come between them. Dino dismissed this narrative, emphasizing that all three of them were on cordial terms at the time, and any supposed tension was purely a creation of outside speculation.
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Blind date between supermodels
Dino also looked back on how his relationship with Bipasha began. They were introduced by a mutual friend who set them up on a blind date—an unusual start, considering both were rising supermodels at the time. Despite the awkward first meeting, they quickly hit it off and began dating. Dino recalled it as an exciting phase, as both of them were just beginning their journeys in the entertainment industry.
He revealed that his relationship with Bipasha began to fall apart during the filming of Raaz.
By the time they worked on Gunaah, the breakup was underway, making it an emotionally challenging period. He admitted that while Raaz marked the beginning of their disconnect, Gunaah was particularly tough as it was filmed during the actual breakup, adding a personal strain to their professional commitments.
Dating Lara Dutta
Amid the personal revelations, the actor also reflected on his broader dating history, mentioning a brief but intense relationship with actor Lara Dutta.
He described his romantic journey as a series of emotional highs and lows, calling all his relationships a "roller coaster ride."
Despite the ups and downs of his past relationships, Dino maintains a mature and cordial rapport with the current partners of his exes. He shared that there has never been any bitterness or ill intent, and he continues to interact with them respectfully. Having known
from a previous film collaboration, Dino said he has also met Mahesh Bhupathi and Vidyut Jammwal, treating each encounter with ease and normalcy.