Hyderabad: When two people in love break up, it’s always a sad moment. But when celebrity couples part ways, the pain is felt by millions of fans. After the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve seen a rise in celebrity divorces in India, with famous actors and even cricketers announcing their splits. Let’s take a look at some of the most unexpected and shocking celebrity divorces that took the internet by storm.
1. Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu
One of the biggest shocks in South India was when Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu announced their divorce in 2021. The couple, who married in 2017, was loved by fans. They seemed perfect together, which made their split surprising. Both asked for privacy and though they didn’t share many details, it was clear they had differences that couldn’t be resolved. Fans were heartbroken, as they had seen them as a perfect couple for years.
2. Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao
Even though Aamir Khan is mainly known for his Bollywood work, his divorce from Kiran Rao in 2021 made waves everywhere, the couple had been married for 15 years and worked together on several projects. In their joint statement, they said they would remain good friends and continue to co-parent their son. Their split was still a sad surprise for many fans, who saw them as a strong couple both personally and professionally.
3. Dhanush and Aishwarya Rajinikanth
Dhanush and Aishwarya Rajinikanth, married for 18 years, shocked their fans when they announced their separation in early 2022. As the daughter of superstar Rajinikanth and a director herself, Aishwarya and Dhanush were seen as a power couple in South Indian cinema. Though they didn’t share too many details, it was clear that they had reached a point where they couldn’t stay together, and fans found it hard to accept.
4. Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik
Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik tied the knot in 2010 in Hyderabad, garnering attention across borders. However, they called it quits last year. The confirmation came after Malik’s surprising announcement of his marriage to Lollywood actress Sana Javed January 2024.
5. Chaitanya JV and Niharika Konidela
In July 2023, Niharika Konidela and her husband Chaitanya JV announced their divorce, which shocked many. Niharika, the daughter of actor Nagendra Babu and niece of megastar Chiranjeevi, had a huge wedding in 2020. The news of their split, just three years later, was unexpected. Fans were left saddened, as their wedding had been one of the most high-profile events in recent years.
6. Shikhar Dhawan and Ayesha Mukherjee
Shikhar Dhawan, the famous cricketer, and his wife Ayesha Mukherjee also called it quits in 2021 after eight years of marriage. Ayesha, who has British-Indian roots, was often seen by Shikhar’s side during his cricket matches. Their split caught many by surprise, and fans expressed their sadness over the breakup of this much-loved couple.
7. Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic
Cricketer Hardik Pandya and actress Natasa Stankovic have been in the news due to rumors of relationship issues. The couple, who got engaged in 2020 and welcomed a baby boy. After months of speculation about trouble in Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic’s marriage, the celebrity couple has now finally broken their silence. On July 18, 2024, Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic took to their social media profiles to announce that they have parted ways
8. Jayam Ravi and Aarti Ravi
Jayam Ravi, who rose to fame with Ponniyin Selvan, announced his divorce from wife Aarti after 15 years of marriage recently. The actor has been making headlines because of his marital issues with his estranged Aarti Ravi. Amid this matter, now, the latter has shown her disappointment and revealed that divorce was announced without her knowledge.
9. Esha Deol and Bharat Takhtani
After being married for 11 years, Esha Deol and Bharat Takhtani announced their separation in 2024 Janurary. As per a recent report, the news has not come as a shock to the family, as the couple’s divorce ‘was brewing for a while’. The rumors of them parting ways first started after Bharat was not seen at Hema Malini’s 75th birthday party in October.