In the latest season of 'Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives', Neelam Kothari opened up for the first time about her divorce from her ex-husband, Rishi Sethia. Neelam, who has been married to actor Samir Soni since 2011, discussed this personal chapter on the reality show, where she appears alongside returning cast members Maheep Kapoor, Seema Sajdeh, and Bhavana Panday. The third season also introduced new faces Shalini Passi, Riddhima Sahni, and Kalyani Saha Chawla.
Neelam Kothari opens up about her divorce
During one of the episodes, Neelam had an emotional conversation with director-producer Ekta Kapoor, revealing her disappointment about how her daughter, Ahana, learned about her first marriage and divorce through the internet. Neelam recalled, “I came from work, and Ahana was with her friends. Normally, they are always jumping around, screaming, and shouting. But, this time, there was pin-drop silence.”
She continued, “Ahana came to me and said, ‘Mumma, you never told me you were divorced.’ I just died. I was stumped. I had no words. I told Ahana, ‘First of all, how do you know?’ She said, ‘You’re a celebrity, so my friends and I were googling you. The first thing came up was that you were divorced. You were married.’” Neelam expressed her distress, saying this wasn’t how she wanted her daughter to discover that part of her past.
Neelam then shared details about her first marriage to Rishi Sethia and what led her to pursue a divorce. After their wedding, she moved abroad and faced significant cultural and lifestyle changes. “I was told to wear Indian clothes, give up non-veg, and alcohol. I was fine with everything. I was also asked to change my name, and I did that, too. A lot of people do that. But, changing my identity? That is something I was not okay with. I reached a point where I questioned myself, ‘How am I allowing this?’” Neelam also recalled instances when people would approach her in public, asking, "Are you Neelam the actress?" and she would have to respond, "No, I am not Neelam."
Tearing up while recounting her experience, Neelam’s emotions resonated with Ekta Kapoor, who also appeared visibly moved. Neelam, who returned to acting after her divorce, expressed pride in her career, having starred in over 40 films, and gratitude for finding Samir Soni.
Neelam had married UK-based businessman Rishi Sethia in 2000, but they separated shortly after. In 2011, she married Samir Soni, and in 2013, the couple adopted their daughter, Ahana.