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EXCLUSIVE: Raj Kundra opens up on his divorce with Kavita: She brought out the worst in me
In an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla, Raj Kundra has finally opened up on his divorce with Kavita Kundra after a throwback video went viral.
For the first time, Raj Kundra spoke about his divorce from Kavita Kundra after 11 years. Wondering why suddenly Raj Kundra wants to talk about it? Well, the reason is the recent throwback viral video of Raj Kundra's ex wife Kavita accusing Shilpa Shetty Kundra for breaking Raj & Kavita's marriage.
What is your current state of mind? After seeing the old viral video of your ex wife accusing your wife Shilpa Shetty Kundra?
It's saddening a few days after my wife’s birthday 11-year-old news goes viral again bringing up a half-baked story and forever trying to malign us. There is obviously some agenda. I have maintained my silence for 12 years but enough is enough now.
Do you think a lot of dirty linen has been already washed in public, she blamed Shilpa Shetty for her broken marriage?
She got paid thousands of pounds to do this interview by News of the World. She sold her soul during our divorce; she had to present her bank statements and it was clearly mentioned she had been paid by the newspaper to sell a so-called scandalous story. She is blaming a celebrity for her broken marriage when she herself was the reason the marriage broke down.
Now you want to share more details behind your divorce with ex wife Kavita?
She always brought out the worst in me and I think that’s evident from my past pictures and present. My family meant the world to me always but she would always fight and argue with everyone in my family and for her, it was always about her side of the family. We were living in one house with my mum, dad and my sister and her husband had moved over from India to try and settle in the UK. She grew very close to my ex brother in law spending more and more time with him especially when I was out on business trips. Many of my family and even my driver would say we sense something fishy between these two and I would never believe it. I gave my ex wife the benefit of doubt. I did everything I possibly could for both sides of the family because for me my side or her family is family, a principle I still follow today.
My sister and her husband moved back to India because things were not comfortable living together in our house. The relationship that my wife and ex brother in law Vansh were sharing, going out for work together meeting and sitting in the same room so often, etc. I guess my sister felt it best to move back. Again I refused to listen to anyone who tried to bring up this topic. I was super excited when I got the news she was pregnant. We had a baby girl and for the first 30 days at home, I started to notice she started spending more and more time in the bathroom evidently extended times from the usual quick 20-30 minutes she would be in the bathroom for hours at end. First I thought this was due to her recent delivery but the truth was something else.
One fine day, I got a call from my sister in India crying that she found a second phone in her husband's cupboard which had texts from a UK number that spoke about everything from lovey dovey messages to missing the time they spent and how he is heartbroken that he couldn’t be with her. This UK number replied saying you have moved and left me. I miss you, I want you to come back and many more graphic messages about their physical relationship which I don’t want to repeat. I immediately asked my sister to share the number and I ran a tap through a close friend to find out where the number's nearest tower is, etc. I was shocked and heartbroken when he told me the phone number is connected to a tower near my house.
This raised doubts in my head so one day when Kavita had gone out shopping I started searching for this phone which I finally found in the bathroom hidden in her panty liner box. I turned it on and it was the same phone and number with multiple messages from Vansh they were speaking and texting daily. I recall how heartbroken I was and how I cried and cried thinking about what I had done to deserve this. I called and told my pregnant sister the phone number was Kavita’s second secret phone and that I was going to drop her at her house and that was the end for me she could decide what she wanted to do. She was also heavily pregnant and was very heartbroken.
She said she didn’t want to stay with a cheating husband so I told her to act as if nothing has happened and that Kavita was planning to go home for 30 days with the baby and during this time, I would fly to India and bring back my sister and kids. I got myself together and acted as if nothing had happened. I dropped Kavita at her house as she wanted to spend a month at her parents' house after giving birth, a tradition, etc. that was the last time for me when I left her and my baby; somewhere inside Kavita she also knew something was a miss. It was painful saying goodbye to my 40-day-old baby.
I flew to India acting again very normal in front of my sister's in-laws and family. After we took off from India and landed in London we both sent SMS to Vansh & Kavita respectively saying it was over and good luck to them both. My sister gave birth to her daughter in London; for over a year, her husband didn’t even ask about her or support her or even see his daughters.
I immediately moved to court to fight for custody but British laws only gave me access to meet her and take her home once a week otherwise she had to stay with the mother. For months I would travel two hours to Birmingham bring my daughter and then take her back. After being separated for over 9 months, I started the divorce proceedings. Initially, her demands were less knowing her faults and focussed on me buying her a house and providing for my daughter which I gladly did.
A good few months later my parents and my sister felt she should try and make things work with Vansh. I clearly said I would have nothing to do with him but if she wants to go back I respect her decision, I know a mothers heart and what sacrifices they can make for their kids. My sister moved back to India to try and make things work again.
Later when I met Shilpa via some common friends and my ex heard online about us going out she increased her divorce demands. She even sold a story for tens of thousands of pounds to a UK tabloid claiming Shilpa ruined her marriage to the press. As part of the divorce agreement that ran into crores, Kavita requested I stay away from our baby and that when needed my daughter would know where to find me. It was not fair on the child I agree but whenever we met we fought like cats and dogs she brought out the worst in me and we both agreed our daughter didn’t need to be exposed to this side of us both. I knew she was financially well provided for but I do miss my daughter and I am sure she doesn’t even know half of the story, god knows what all my ex wife has fed her brain with. I tried to reach out to my daughter a few times but no one was willing to connect me. I should have tried harder but I guess I just moved on with my life in a new country.
Why didn’t you retaliate or speak up about it when Kavita did that Interview?
It was pure family pressure on me that if the truth came out then maybe my sisters attempt to fix her marriage would be spoilt. So at the cost of mine and Shilpa’s reputation, I kept silent and just issued an apology later to Shilpa at the time. It was very hard on Shilpa and I know how upset she was but she also understood the predicament I was in. She really supported me during this emotional time of my life. She has and always does bring out the best in me I am grateful to God for such an amazing wife. Some good Karma I must have done that I went from marriage from Hell to finding my real soul mate.
Unfortunately, my sister Reena and her daughters moved back to the UK after two years to live with us after trying to make things work in her marriage. She realised that her husband continued to meet and keep in communication with Kavita. This hurt her more she felt there was just no love left in the marriage. After my sister moved back, I was tempted to tell the world what had really happened but my wife said let it be you are in a happier space, move on and be the bigger man.
Are you in touch with your ex wife?
No, we have never been in touch after my divorce. I heard she had set up a construction company in the UK with Vansh. I saw their names recently as directors I wish them all the best together.
What is your wife Shilpa's reaction to this resurfaced video?
I was very angry. She again said ignore don’t worry, but I decided enough is enough she is not even aware I have given this interview I am doing this because I think the truth finally needs to be told.
Does being in the limelight for the wrong reasons bother you?
It does and unfortunately for Shilpa being a celebrity any small issue that happens in my work is Shilpa Shetty's husband and not Raj. I have filed multiple defamations where my wife’s name is mentioned relating to any of my personal battles. It's incorrect and the media needs to realise they can’t scandalise and spoil names every time just because an individual is married to a celebrity. It’s been very difficult for me working in India because of this, but your home is where your heart is and I will continue to do the best I can.
How you manage to handle your lows?
This low nearly broke me but when I look back I am in a much happier space now. I guess there is some good Karma I must have done in my life.
In the end, we spoke to Reena (Raj's sister) to know what she went through when she got to know that her husband was cheating on her too. She said, “I treated Kavita as my older sister. I loved and trusted her. She and I were very close. I never thought she could do this to me. It was heartbreaking”.
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