Delnaaz Irani says she ‘chose peace over alimony’ in divorce from Rajeev Paul: ‘I never got anything’

Delnaaz Irani was married to Rajeev Paul for 14 years before they separated in 2010. They met on the sets of Parivartan in the 1990s.

Actor Delnaaz Irani recently revisited a turbulent chapter of her life, opening up about her divorce from actor Rajeev Paul. She revealed that she chose not to seek alimony, emphasising that she prioritised peace over a legal battle.

Rajeev Paul was married to Delnaaz Irani for 14 years before they separated in 2010.

Delnaaz Irani on her divorce

Delnaaz looked back at her divorce in the recent episode of The Male Feminist, revealing whether societal expectations during the divorce process affected her.

The actor said that back in 2010, many announcements about the divorce were made in the newspapers, but her relationship was over way before 2010.

She added, “Many discussions happened between us as a couple about what’s not working. But in a relationship, people take each other for granted, and probably that happened with me. My partner kept taking me for granted, probably he did not realise that the matter was going to turn serious. There was nothing like divorce in my dictionary. From where I come, a middle-class, Parsi family, my parents were together for so many years, even my nana-nani. We were never exposed to that concept, despite being open-minded and liberal. That does not mean that we would take divorce lightly. The emotional turmoil was a struggle for the longest time.”

Delnaaz also shared that she chose to keep the matter from her parents. Reflecting on a difficult phase in her life, the actor revealed that her father suffered a heart attack in 2010 and passed away the following year, in 2011.

Talking about alimony, she said, “I never got anything. The divorce was messy because one person wanted it and the other did not. I chose my peace over everything. You have to pick up the broken pieces and live life again”

About Delnaaz Irani and Rajeev Paul

Delnaaz was married to Rajeev for over a decade before they separated in 2010. They met on the sets of Parivartan in 1993 and married 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 marked the 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 to grow old with him. She said they have chosen a different path as a couple and are happy to explore it together.