Bollywood's Rani Mukerji marries film-maker Aditya Chopra Published duration 22 April 2014

image copyright AFP image caption Rani Mukerji has starred in many hit Bollywood films

Bollywood actress Rani Mukerji has married film-maker Aditya Chopra in Italy, ending years of speculation about their relationship status.

The couple, who were dating for several years, married in a ceremony on Monday night, Yash Raj Films studio confirmed.

The award-winning actress, 36, said her wedding to Chopra was the continuation of a "fairy tale".

Chopra, 42, who has produced and directed several hit films, is the son of

"We are happy to announce that Mr Aditya Chopra and Ms Rani Mukerji got married on 21 April in Italy. The wedding was a very small intimate affair with very close family and friends. We wish the couple a very happy married life," Press Trust of India quoted from a statement released by Yash Raj Films.

"I would like to share the happiest day of my life with all my fans all over the world whose love and blessings have been part of my journey all these years. I know that all my well-wishers who have waited for this day will be really happy for me. It was a beautiful wedding in the Italian countryside with just a few of our close family and friends with us," Mukerji, 36, said.

"I have always believed in fairy tales and with God's grace my life has been exactly like one, and now as I enter the most important chapter of my life - the fairy tale continues," she added.

This is the first marriage for Mukerji and second for Chopra.

Mukerji has starred in many hit films including Saathiya, Hum Tum, Veer Zaara, Bunty aur Babli and Dil Bole Hadippa!.

Chopra directed one of Bollywood's biggest romances - Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge - with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead. He also directed Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Mohabbatein.

Since his father's death in 2012, he has taken over as the chairman of Yash Raj Films.

The film studio helped establish some of Indian cinema's biggest names, including Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.