Actor Delnaaz Irani has reflected on her decision to part ways with her ex-husband Rajev Paul over a decade after their separation. In a recent interview, Delnaaz shared that the couple’s relationship had deteriorated to a point where they lost respect for each other. Also read: Exclusive! Delnaaz Irani: It’s too late for me to be a mother
She also revealed that many people have since told her that having a child together might have altered the course of their relationship, potentially preventing their split.
Delnaaz on her split from Rajev
During her appearance on an episode of SCREEN’s Dear Me, Delnaaz spoke about her marriage to Rajev, what led to separation in 2010 and subsequent divorce in 2012.
Looking back at her decision to separate from Rajev, Delnaaz said, “I was out of the marriage way before I actually got out of the marriage. Rajev keeps denying it, but even he had drifted apart. He doesn’t want to say it or has never said it, but it happens sometimes that there is no love or respect. For me, it is very important to have respect in the relationship. Today, when I say I love Percy, there is a lot of respect for the man. When there is no respect in the relationship, it’s best to move out. There are people who choose to stay in the marriage, unhappy and cribbing all the time. But why should we lie to ourselves? I didn’t want to lead a life that was filled with lies. People do tell me that if we had a child together, I wouldn’t have left him, but all that is very hypothetical”.
In the interview, she revealed that she faced criticism for ignoring him on Bigg Boss. She got married to Rajev when she was 22, and he was 24.
Delnaaz said, “We were struggling in life, we didn’t know whether we were going or coming. We have picked up the pieces and made our lives, and then somewhere, eventually, everything just fizzled out. We drifted apart, my marriage was over way before I separated. I still had hope that it will get sorted someday, but then, emotionally, physically, and mentally, if you’re off, it is done. A lot of random people during Bigg Boss also commented or talked about how he was behind me, but I didn’t pay heed to him. They don’t know. They have not lived my life and were not in my shoes. I was off. I am a Virgo; we are honest and loyal as long as a relationship lasts. Once we are out of something, we are completely out of it”.
About Delnaaz and Rajev’s relationship
Rajev was married to Delnaaz for 12 years before they separated in 2010. They met on the sets of Parivartan in 1993 and tied the knot in 1998. Their divorce was finalised in 2012. They participated in the reality show Bigg Boss 6 just months after their divorce.
Delnaaz has moved and found love in her fiancé, DJ Percy. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Delnaaz revealed that her 50th birthday turned out to be a start of a new chapter in her life. Her boyfriend, DJ Percy Karkaria, proposed to her. However, he didn’t ask her to marry him, but grow old with him. She said that they have picked a different path as a couple, and are happy to explore it together.
