Actress Delnaaz Irani, who was married to actor Rajeev Paul for 14 years, recently opened up about their separation, revealing that they had 'drifted' apart. The duo met on the sets of the television series Parivartan in 1993 and tied the knot in 1998. She shared that when there is no respect in a relationship, it is always better to move on.
Delnaaz said that she was out of the marriage way before. "Rajeev (Paul) keeps denying it, but even he had drifted apart. It happens sometimes—there is no love or respect. For me, respect is very important in a relationship. When I say I love Percy (her current partner), there is a lot of respect for the man. When there is no respect in a relationship, it is best to move on. There are people who stay in a marriage unhappily, cribbing all the time. Why should we lie to ourselves? I did not want to do that. I did not want to lead a life filled with lies. At the very least, be truthful to yourself," she told Indian Express.
Further, the actress shared that people would often tell her that if they had a child, the separation wouldn't have happened, but she believes all that is hypothetical.
Delnaaz added, "We got married at an early age—I was 22.5, and he was 24. We were so much in love, but we were struggling in life. We picked up the pieces and built our life, but eventually, everything fizzled out, and we drifted apart. My marriage was over long before I actually separated. I was still hopeful that things would work out, but emotionally, physically, and mentally, I was off."
Delnaaz and Rajeev participated in the reality show Bigg Boss 6 just months after their divorce.
