List of high profile divorce cases in India

We hold a number of celebrities in high regard, including actors, cricket players, singers, etc. We take a lot of cues from their way of life and attempt to emulate it in certain ways.
People express interest in the private lives of famous people they greatly like. Everyone is curious about what they are doing in their lives, from what they are wearing to who they are dating.

A celebrity and a regular person are the same when it comes to relationships. Only when both parties involved exhibit compassion, respect, and concern for others till the end do relationships and marriages endure.

Popular personality divorces attract a lot of public attention. Personal disagreements cause divorce to occur, which is widespread in today's society. Filing for divorce after a brief marriage is also on the rise, especially among well-known individuals.
So, here is a list of well-known Indians who have divorced.

Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao

Everyone was shocked when well-known Bollywood actor Aamir Khan and film producer Kiran Rao announced their divorce in July 2021. The couple separated after 15 years of marriage since their love had come to an end.

In a social media post, the couple makes it clear that they are co-parenting their son Azad Rao Khan and that they are still a family. They also say that they are doing it with mutual permission.

Aamir's second wife was Kiran. Aamir was previously married to Reena Dutta before Kiran. After their relationship came to an end in 2002, Aamir married Kiran in 2005.

Even though the cause of their breakup is unknown, there are numerous ideas out there. According to some rumors, Aamir's affair with his Dangal co-star Fatima Sana Shaikh is the primary cause. Nevertheless, Aamir remained silent about it.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya

After four years of marriage, well-known South Indian actors Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya ultimately divorced. On October 2, 2021, the pair posted a joint statement to social media. They said that their decision to divorce was mutually reached.

Although the cause of the divorce is not yet known, many stories draw attention to it. Following their comments about divorce, both performers came under heavy fire and were targeted personally. One of the allegations that went viral was Samantha's reluctance to participate in item numbers and sensual sequences in Family Man 2 since they go against Chaitanya's family's morals. The rumors will persist, but it's unclear what the real causes are.

Shikhar Dhawan and Aesha Mukerji

After eight years of marriage, Indian cricketer-batsman Shikhar Dhawan and his wife Aesha Mukerji decided to divorce.

In Indian cricket, the name Shikhar is well-known. He married Melbourne-based kickboxer Aesha Mukerji in 2012.

Aesha previously got married to an Australian businessman in 2000. Rhea and Aliya were her daughters. After their divorce, Aesha met Shikhar, whom she later married. Shikhar and Aesha have a son, Zoravar. Aesha announced the divorce in a social media post where she identified herself as a "TWO Time Divorcee."

Aesha encouraged those going through divorce and heartbreaks in her social media post to remain strong during trying times.

Karan Mehra and Nisha Rawal

After nine years of marriage, the star of the hit TV show Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Karan Mehra, and Indian TV actress Nisha Rawal called it quits. The marriage took place in June 2012.

In June, Nisha filed a lawsuit against her TV personality husband Karan. She accused him of punching her in the face and using domestic violence.

He was charged with having an extramarital relationship with Nisha. Despite Karan's denial of all accusations against him, the actor's wife allegedly struck herself against a wall and requested a sizeable alimony payment from him.

Honey Singh and Shalini Talwar

Yo Yo Honey Singh, a well-known Indian rapper and pop performer, and his wife Shalini Talwar experienced a total breakdown in their marriage.

Shalini said that her spouse had abused her. She claimed that Honey repeatedly beat her cruelly. Under the Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence Act, she reported Honey Singh for domestic abuse.

The rapper wed Shalini in 2011 after a ten-year relationship, although the marriage was only officially announced in 2014. He was charged by Salini with having many extramarital affairs.

She revealed that Honey Singh's father had sexually assaulted her and had been abusing her for a long time. She also made an unexpected charge against him.

Kirti Kulhari and Saahil Sehgal

Bollywood actress Kirti Kulhari and her husband Saahil Sehgal got divorced after five arduous years of marriage. They both got married in 2016.

Saahil is well known for his role as Williams in the Hollywood film Basmati Blues, while Kirti has been in several blockbuster movies including Pink, Uri: The Surgical Strike, and Mission Mangal. In the web series Four More Shots on Amazon Prime, both actors starred.

Saahil Sehgal and Kirti's divorce was revealed on social media. She went on to say that breaking up with someone is difficult and that she has a lot to go through.

Nusrat Jahan and Nikhil Jain

Businessman Nikhil Jain and actor-turned-politician Nusrat Jahan divorced in 2021. In the Turkish Town of Bodrum in 2019, they were married.

The actress made numerous debatable claims concerning her marriage. She referred to her marriage as "Invalid," which has caused controversy.

According to her, because she married Nikhil Jain in a foreign country in violation of Turkish law and because one of the parties was Hindu and the other Muslim, a Special Marriage Act in India would have been required, but that act was not implemented.

Nushrat said that their relationship was merely a "live-in relationship" and not at all a marriage.

Farhan Akhtar and Adhuna Bhabani

After 16 years of marriage, this couple divorced in 2017. The public was interested in their divorce, mostly because it was unclear how much alimony would be paid. Akhtar chose to pay one-time alimony rather than regular spousal support. After the divorce, Bhabani kept the family home and was given custody of the couple's two kids.

Bhabani was frequently asked what she thought of Akhtar's marriage to Shibani Dandekar in 2021. She threatened to block anyone who spreads misinformation about Akhtar's marriage to Dandekar or engages in trolling.

Malaika Arora and Arbaaz Khan

This couple separated and filed for divorce in 2016 after 13 years of marriage, claiming their differences were developing. Their son Arhaan Khan is in Arora's custody, though Khan is permitted to visit. Arora allegedly requested a settlement for the divorce of 10–15 crore INR. Despite rumors to the contrary, the couple is still friendly, especially since Arora shortly began dating 12-years her junior actor Arjun Kapoor.

Hrithik Roshan and Susanne Khan

Khan and Roshan, the most adored actor in Bollywood, got divorced in 2014. They separated in 2013. As rumors emerged that Khan had requested a settlement of INR 400 crore but only received INR 380 crore, Khan came under intense trolling. With his tweet complaining that the media was "demeaning his loved ones" and "testing his patience," Roshan had to silence them.

When Khan moved to Roshan's home to spend quality time with their children rather than taking the danger of moving them back and forth during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, the pair came under scrutiny once more.

Karishma Kapoor and Sanjay Kapur

Bollywood star Lolo (Karishma Kapoor) and ex-husband Sanjay Kapur filed for divorce in 2014, however she later withdrew the petition in 2015, citing financial difficulties. Sanjay reacted angrily, claiming that Karishma only wed him to save herself from the embarrassment of her split from actor Abhishek Bachchan. The separation became ugly when Karishma accused him and his mother of dowry harassment. They settled with child support from Sanjay shortly after their divorce became a hot topic in the industry. In her lawsuit against him and his mother, Karishma withdrew it.

These are but a few examples from well-known industries. The only thing to take away from this experience is that divorces shouldn't be stigmatized or ashamed of, and no matter how messy they are, they shouldn't be turned into a spectacle for the general public. Even if celebrities make their private lives public, the public must ensure that they handle certain private concerns in private.

About The Author

Adv. Tabassum Sultana is a member of Karnataka State Legal Services, is highly skilled in handling diverse legal matters. Her expertise spans divorce cases, domestic violence, child custody, dowry harassment, and cheque bounce cases. She also specializes in maintenance, bail, adoption, consumer disputes, employment conflicts, money recovery, and cybercrime. Known for her comprehensive legal services, Adv. Sultana is dedicated to protecting her client's rights and delivering results in both litigation and legal documentation.