Sunita Ahuja has withdrawn the divorce case she had filed against her husband, actor Govinda, his manager Shashi Sinha has confirmed. Sunita was recently spotted at a court in Mumbai's Bandra, though the reason for her visit was not immediately known.
The development comes after months of speculation surrounding the couple's marriage, with their relationship becoming the subject of several public statements and media reports.
Govinda's manager reacts to case withdrawal
Speaking to NDTV, Sinha expressed disappointment over how the couple's personal issues had played out publicly. He said family disagreements could have been handled privately and questioned why the matter had reached court if it was eventually going to be withdrawn.
He said, "But once it reaches the courts, the whole world knows. Did the world need to know? There was no need. Family matters should stay within the family. Many things get resolved after sitting and talking things through. If the case was to be withdrawn today, why was it filed in the first place? This pains me. Why did we become a spectacle?"
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Sinha also said Govinda had not yet reacted to the development. "Govinda currently has no reaction. All of this just happened minutes ago. There is no reaction at all. May God grant everyone good sense, and may everyone act wisely. That is all that matters. I speak well for everyone - for Govinda, for Sunita, for the children, for all," he said.
Divorce rumours have followed the couple
Reports about trouble in Govinda and Sunita's marriage began gaining attention last year. Sunita had spoken about their relationship in interviews, while reports claimed that a separation notice had also been sent.
However, the couple were later seen together publicly. During Ganesh Chaturthi last year, Sunita dismissed speculation about their separation, saying, "Aaj itna close, close... agar kuch hota toh hum itne nazdeek hotey? Humaari dooriyan hoti! Koi hum dono ko alag nahi kar sakta hain, chahe upar se koi aa jaaye bhagwan aa jaaye, koi shaitaan aa jaaye. Koi nahi alag kar sakta hai. (If something had happened between us, would we be so close today? There would have been distance between us. No one can separate us, not even if God or a devil comes down.)"
Recent remarks added to speculation
More recently, Sunita referred to Govinda as a "sugar daddy" while discussing his Roopa co-star Komal Rani Swarnkar and also accused him of having an affair with the actress.
Govinda responded to the allegations, saying, "Jo kaam baahar mujhe milta hai, woh main karta nahin hoon, aur jo main kar raha hoon, usmein aap hastakshep kar rahi hain.
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Aur jab aap apna kaam kar rahi thi, chahe woh khaane ka show tha, chahe woh lockdown tha, Tina se kehkar dono shows mein aapne aise-vaise, yen-ken-prakaren mujhe bulvaya aur mujhse sevaayein lein. Khair, woh toh aapka haq hai. (I do not take up every opportunity that comes my way, and yet you are interfering in the work I am currently doing. When you were working, whether it was your food show or during the lockdown, you used your contacts to invite me to both programmes and sought my support. Of course, that was your right."
He added, "Aur jis waqt maine film shuru ki hai, aap ek bhi kasar nahin chhod rahi hain ki main logon ke dil se utar jaaun, badnaam ho jaaun ya kuch aisa ho jaaye ki mera business na ho. (Now that I have started a film, you are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that I lose public support, get defamed, or suffer setbacks in my work."
Govinda and Sunita married in March 1987. They welcomed daughter Tina in 1988 and son Yashvardhan in 1997.