Marriages may or may not last for seven lifetimes but Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya’s divorce saga sure seems like an endless loop. It just refuses to die out. Samantha had to talk about it on Koffee With Karan because let’s face it, the host is like a regular nosey Indian aunty, and then with the engagement of Sobhita Dhulipala and Chaitanya, it was trending on social media again. Now it has become a matter of Telangana politics.
Telangana environment and forest minister Konda Surekha sparked a massive controversy Wednesday when she blamed Bharatiya Rashtra Samiti (BRS) working president, KT Rama Rao, for the divorce of Chaitanya and Samantha. Surekha alleged that KTR asked for favours from Samatha, which led to the eventual breakdown of the actor’s marriage.
Gossip is an inescapable part of being a celebrity. Public discourse on famous divorces is also not new. But the problem is that when ministers—especially female politicians—make such misogynistic comments, the stigma of divorce gets legitimised. Surekha may play dirty politics but firing the gun at Samantha was completely unwarranted.
Samantha had to issue a statement on her Instagram account. “To be a woman, to come out and work, to survive in a glamorous industry where women are more often than not treated as props, to fall in love and to fall out of love, to still stand up and fight…It takes a lot of courage and strength,” wrote the actor, echoing what happens when a successful female celebrity decides to end her marriage.
Fodder for gossip
Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu had a fairy-tale wedding in 2017. In fact, they had a Hindu as well as a Christian ceremony. But trouble apparently started brewing early in 2021, and the two soon divorced.
The duo issued a statement and maintained that the divorce was amicable and mutual.
But gossipmongers don’t stay quiet. Rumours began swirling, from claims that Samatha’s father–in–law was allegedly unhappy with her ‘bold’ scenes in the second season of The Family Man (2021) to her item number Oo Antava in Pushpa: The Rise (2021).
Soon after, Samantha appeared in an episode of Koffee With Karan where she was her sassiest best. “Recently, you and your husband parted ways,” said Johar to which Samantha quickly corrected him, ‘ex-husband’. Johar then apologised, and said he didn’t want to pry into her personal life by asking why they separated. But he persisted with his nosey questions.
Samantha even pointed out that Johar had already asked her that question off-camera. The host also asked Samantha if there were any hard feelings between her and Chaitanya. The actor replied that hiding any sharp objects would be smart if they were in the same room. She also said that things were not friendly, but she hoped to move on.
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Divorce stigma
Surekha’s comments come nearly three years after the divorce. And out of the two people in the marriage, one of them has definitely moved on. Chaitanya got engaged to actor Sobhita Dhulipala on 9 August this year. Instagram reels were full of content on Chaitanya’s ex-wife being sad, and video edits on how love fails, among other unnecessary sentimental reimaginations of a celebrity’s broken marriage. But then matters moved from reels to political war.
Samantha, at least publicly, is still single. But why should that stop a politician from slinging mud? Surekha’s “apology” too is cursory at best, and came only after strong condemnation from everyone—from Nagarjuna, Samantha, and other Tollywood stars such as Junior NTR to Allu Arjun. Baahubali and RRR director SS Rajamouli also shared his displeasure at Surekha’s comments.
Surekha claimed she wasn’t ‘targeting’ Samantha but KTR. However, at the end of the day, it the politician still thought it was okay to drag a woman’s name into it. In a country where a woman filing for divorce is still seen as “breaking up” a family, Surekha’s comments should never have been made.
And frankly, by now, everyone is a little tired of the two actors’ divorce.
In modern dating, relationships don’t last as long as these rumours have, and honestly, everyone should just stay hydrated and move on. Surekha could use a little extra hydration herself, but if she is craving drama, there are plenty of topics to focus on. Let Samantha be.
Views are personal.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)