Take a look at nine of the most expensive and jaw-dropping divorce settlements in India that took the media by storm.
High-profile celebrities are popular for their seemingly larger-than-life romances, glamorous weddings, and sometimes, equally dramatic divorces. When the love stories of these stars come to an end, it's not just hearts that are broken—often, the husband’s bank account takes a significant hit. Let’s dive into some of the most expensive Bollywood divorces that grabbed headlines and left the industry buzzing.
Indian cricketer, Shikhar Dhawan got into a complex property dispute with his wife, Ayesha Mukherjee. Ayesha, who remained estranged in Australia for most of the marriage, demanded a significant share of Shikhar’s properties in India and Australia as a divorce settlement. The court granted Shikhar a divorce from Ayesha on grounds of mental cruelty, fabricating defamatory material, threatening his career and demanding money. Despite their minimal living arrangements, Shihar’s lawyer revealed that he paid Ayesha a total of INR 13 crore during the 8 years of their marriage, while they lived together for less than a year throughout the marriage.
The tennis star of India, Sania Mirza married Pakistani cricketer, Shoaib Malik in a fairytale wedding in 2010. However, their love story met its unfortunate end when their official separation was announced in early 2024. According to reports, the divorce was settled at INR 15 crore from Shoaib.
The South Indian dancer-turned-director and actor Prabhudeva is a popular name in B-town. Known for his humour and exceptional dance moves, the dance guru did not have the best personal relationships. Prabhudeva officially separated from his first wife and the mother of his two boys, Ramalatha in 2011, making headlines as a high-profile split in the Tamil film industry. While the exact amount of the divorce settlement is unknown, Ramalatha reportedly accepted a one-time alimony of INR 10 lakh, in addition to two flats and premium cars valued at INR 25-25 crore!
Indian actor and filmmaker, Aamir Khan met his second wife, Kiran Rao, while she was working as an assistant director on the sets of Lagaan. They got married in 2005 and had a son, Azad, in 2011. Aamir and Kiran divorced in 2021, but they have remained on friendly terms. They are co-parenting their son and have collaborated on films like Pagglait and Laapataa Ladies under ‘Aamir Khan Productions’.
Aamir's first marriage to Reena Dutta had cost him a whopping INR 50 crores in divorce settlements when they officially parted ways in 2002. While the details of his divorce from Kiran aren't public, the high-profile nature of their relationship indicates that it was also an expensive separation. Despite the divorces, Aamir has managed to maintain good relationships with both of his ex-wives.
Speaking of childhood sweethearts who ended on a bitter note, the next on the list is Aditya Chopra, a film producer and the head of Yash Raj Films. Before his marriage with actress, Rani Mukherjee, he was in a long-term marriage with designer, Payal Khanna. Their separation in 2009 was marred by controversies surrounding and a bitter legal battle. Irrespective of the cause of separation, Payal had demanded an exorbitant alimony from her former husband. After lengthy legal proceedings, the couple reportedly settled on a hefty price of INR 50 crore!
When Samantha Ruth Prabhu announced her separation from Telugu actor, Naga Chaitanya in 2021, it sent shockwaves throughout the Indian film industry. The couple formally separated in 2022 and remained respectful of each other’s privacy. No divorce settlements were disclosed to the public, but some reports suggest that Samantha refused the alimony amount of INR 200 crore and opted for equitable asset distribution.
In November 2023, Raymond Group’s chairman, Gautam Singhania took to his social media to announce his separation from his wife, Nawaz Modi after the latter accused him of domestic assault. The seemingly perfect relationship of 32 years met an unpleasant end with a divorce that left no room for cordiality between the couple. If reports are to be believed, Nawad Modi had demanded 75% of Singhania’s net worth as her divorce settlement! Considering Singhania’s reported net worth of over INR 5,000 crore, the divorce easily makes its mark as one of the most expensive settlements in the world.
Punjabi singer and rapper, Yo Yo Honey Singh married his long-term partner, Shalini Talwar in 2011. After nearly 13 years of marriage, the couple formally separated in November 2023, following a lengthy legal battle. Shalini had accused Honey Singh and his family of domestic violence (physical, mental, sexual and economic) and reportedly demanded alimony worth INR 20 crore. Later, she withdrew the allegations and settled on INR 1 crore for the divorce.
Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya and model, Natasa Stankovic's relationship took a surprising turn this year. Despite renewing their vows in 2023, rumours of their separation began to circulate earlier in 2024. These rumours were confirmed when Hardik announced their split on Instagram in July 2024. While the exact terms of their divorce settlement remain private, there have been speculations that Natasa had sought 70% of Hardik's assets. Considering Hardik’s estimated wealth of INR 165 crores, the divorce settlement could be one of the most expensive in Indian celebrity history.
It's no surprise that high-profile celeb divorces can get so expensive. When love goes sour in the glitzy world of celebrities, the financial fallout can be astronomical. What do you think of these celebrity divorces?
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