Chahatt Khanna on failed marriages: Feel all eyes on me when in public

Returning to showbiz, Chahatt Khanna looks back at how she rebuilt her life after two failed marriages

"I have turned things in my favour to be at peace," says Chahatt Khanna, who is rebuilding her life, one day at a time, after parting ways with husband Farhan Mirza last year. Her five-year-long marriage came crashing down last October when the actor accused her husband of sexual and mental abuse. Glad to put the toxic chapter behind her, Khanna, a single mother to two daughters, has taken to work with renewed vigour. She will soon be seen in Sanjay Dutt's Prasthanam.

"This is my fourth film. Sanjay is a fun-loving person, although I don't have too many scenes with him. Most of my scenes are with Ali Fazal, who plays my brother in the family drama," says Khanna, who is currently sifting through scripts of several television shows. The actor, who started her showbiz journey with Kumkum in 2005, asserts that television can never take a backseat. "The fame that television roles bring you is way beyond what a film can give you. You become a household face with TV."

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If she feels assured and at home in front of the camera, she is cautious and contemplative off it. It is evident that the two failed marriages — Khanna was married to Bharat Narsinghani for seven months in 2006 — have left a deep impact on the actor. But bitter experiences also have a way of wisening one beyond their years. Khanna is finding strength in her family.

"It's easy to get married but difficult to get divorced. It will take me another four to five years [to find my feet]. It is difficult because when you introduce yourself as a single mother in society, a lot of people want to take advantage of your vulnerability. I had co-actors walk up to me and say, 'If you were single, I would have married you'. Or 'Life is over for you because you won't find love again' and so on. Several suggested that I settle abroad as life would be easier there. I want to be happy, so I'm not getting married again for sure, but why should I leave my home?"

Her resilience may see her through the dark chapter, but she says that the stigma associated with failed marriages is real. "I feel conscious walking in public because I can feel all eyes on me; people call me names and advise others to avoid me. I am getting [professional] help to get me through this. I don't believe in the stigma attached to visiting a shrink. It is something people must do on a regular basis."

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