Badshah and Isha Rikhi Announce Divorce Five Months After Marriage
Indian rapper Badshah and Punjabi actress Isha Rikhi have announced that they are ending their marriage. The couple, who tied the knot in March this year, released matching statements on their Instagram Stories on Monday night confirming their decision to part ways.
"I and Isha Rikhi have mutually decided to part ways and move forward on our separate paths," Badshah's statement read, as reported by The Times of India. The statement continued: "This decision has been made with mutual respect, and we request everyone to kindly respect our privacy during this time. This will be our only statement on the matter. We sincerely request that there be no further speculation or assumptions regarding our relationship."
Times Now reported that the couple made the announcement on August 31, asking for privacy as they navigate the separation. The reason for the divorce was not disclosed.
The announcement brought an end to weeks of public speculation about the state of their relationship. In July, Isha had hinted at trouble in her marriage through a social media post. She shared a montage of photos and videos with the caption: "Every storm is a lesson. Every prayer is hope," followed by a heartbreak emoji and folded-hands emoji, as reported by The Times of India. Times Now quoted her as saying she had felt overwhelmed by her husband's "influence, power and resources," and that she was "tired of pretending that everything was okay."
The speculation intensified when Isha's mother, Poonam Rikhi, shared a series of posts about karma on Instagram in late July. Neither Badshah nor Isha publicly addressed the rumours at the time.
The couple's wedding was a quiet, intimate affair held at home, attended only by family members and close friends, as reported by Times Now. The news of the marriage itself came to light on March 24 when Isha's mother shared posts on Instagram that revealed her daughter had married the rapper. According to Times Now, Badshah and Isha reportedly met at a party hosted by a mutual friend and bonded over their shared interest in music and films. Isha had confirmed the relationship during an Instagram AMA session in June.
The divorce announcement comes amid reports that Isha might participate in the upcoming season of the reality show Bigg Boss 20, hosted by Salman Khan, though these reports have not been confirmed.
This is Badshah's second divorce. He was previously married to Jasmine Masih, with whom he has a daughter, Jessemy Grace Masih Singh. Their marriage ended in 2020. Badshah has not publicly commented on the reports regarding his previous marriage.
The couple's statement, posted simultaneously on both their Instagram handles, was brief and did not assign blame or elaborate on the circumstances leading to the separation. They explicitly requested that there be no further speculation or assumptions regarding their relationship.
Neither Badshah nor Isha has commented further since the announcement, and no additional details about the divorce proceedings have been made public.
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This article is based on reporting from Times Now and The Times of