'FLVBW' star Neelam Kothari opens up on the marriage that almost cost her everything

'FLVBW' Season 3 star Neelam Kothari tied the knot with Rishi Sethia in October 2000
UPDATED OCT 18, 2024
'FLVBW' star Neelam Kothari dishes on complicated marriage to ex-husband (Instagram/@neelamkotharisoni)
'FLVBW' star Neelam Kothari dishes on complicated marriage to ex-husband (Instagram/@neelamkotharisoni)

MUMBAI, INDIA: 'Fabulous Lives Vs Bollywood Wives' Season 3 star Neelam Kothari is spilling the beans on her disastrous marriage with her ex-husband! The Bollywood actress who appeared in movies like 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' and 'Hum Saath Saath Hain' was previously married to UK-based businessman Rishi Sethia. 

For the unversed, Neelam tied the knot with Rishi in 2000. The pair exchanged their vows in October 2000 but their marriage wasn't meant to last for eternity and they ended up going their separate ways shortly afterwards. In the seventh episode of the Netflix reality show titled 'Home Hits Different', Neelam opened up about her complicated marriage to her former spouse. While having a chat with Ekta Kapoor, Neelam said, "I mean, I don't know where to begin, you know, with that phase of my life, I don't know how to, where to start. You know, what I went through."

"When you're newly married, you sort of give up a lot of things and moving to a new country, adapting to that was one big thing. And then, it was just one thing after another. I was told to wear Indian clothes, give up on non-veg, don't drink. I was fine with everything," she added.  The Netflix star continued, "I had no friends in that city. It was hard, but I wanted to make it work because you know, for love you do crazy things. Changing your name also, according to me, is you know people do that but changing my identity. I think that is something which I was not okay with." Neelam went on to say, "I mean, I reached a point where I was questioning myself that 'How am I allowing this?' I used to be in a supermarket or going out for lunch or whatever and someone would come up to me and say, you know, 'Are you Neelam the actress?' I had to say, 'No, I'm not Neelam. Today I look back and take pride. I was an actress I did over 40 films. I was successful. I take pride in it." 

'FLVBW' Season 3 star Neelam Kothia was once married to Rishi Sethia (Netflix)
'FLVBW' Season 3 star Neelam Kothari was once married to Rishi Sethia (@netflix)

'FLVBW' Season 3 star Neelam Kothari's first marriage left her 'shattered'

Neelam Kothari well-known for her appearance in Netflix show 'Fabulous Lives Vs Bollywood Wives' couldn't hold back her tears while reflecting on her tumultuous marriage to her ex-husband Rishi Sethia. Her marriage took a toll on her mental health.

"I think it's something which no woman on this earth should ever have to deal with is losing your identity. I mean that shattered me and I packed my bags and I left," Neelam told her friend Ekta. Neelam also shared that was scared to talk about her previous marriage as it was very a painful experience for her. It took Neelam nearly a year and a half to pick up the broken pieces of her heart and get back her life together.

'FLVBW' Season 3 star Neelam Kothari's first marriage left her 'shattered' (Netflix)
'FLVBW' Season 3 star Neelam Kothari's first marriage left her 'shattered' (@netflix)

Is 'FLVBW' star Neelam Kothari still married?

The answer to the above question is a big yes. 'Fabulous Lives Vs Bollywood Wives' Season 3 star Neelam Kothari decided to search for her soulmate following her disastrous marriage to her former flame Rishi Sethia.

Later on, down the lane, Neelam began dating fellow actor Samir Soni, and the pair got hitched in 2011. After nearly two years, the couple decided to expand their family and adopted a baby girl named Ahana who is the center of their universe now.

'FLVBW' star Neelam Kothari is married to Samir Soni (Instagram/@neelamkotharisoni)
'FLVBW' star Neelam Kothari is married to Samir Soni (Instagram/@neelamkotharisoni)

'Fabulous Lives Vs Bollywood Wives' Season 3 is streaming now on Netflix

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