FILE PHOTO: Naga Chaitanya Akkineni
| Photo Credit: RAJU V

It isn’t easy to look the other way when society intrudes into your private life, and celebrities often get the brunt of it, especially in this social media era. For actors Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, it has been a struggle to turn a blind eye to all that’s been said about them on social media since their divorce in 2021. Recently, while promoting his latest film Thandel, Chaitanya opened up about how he’s coping with the negativity he’s been subjected to over the last four years.

In an interview with Raw Talks with VK podcast, Chaitanya was asked if he ever wished to put an end to all the slanderous comments on him on social media. “After I came out of my marriage with Samantha, and we wanted to go on our own ways, we put out an announcement stating that we had taken this decision due to some reasons and that we were moving on. What other explanation is required? We had requested the audience and the media to respect our privacy; but that unfortunately became a topic, a headline, a gossip for entertainment.”

The actor went on to say that even if he were to put out an explanation, it would only lead to a barrage of articles. “Even now, when I go to media events, someone or the other would try to provoke me. I have moved on with so much grace, and so has she (Samantha). We are leading our own lives, and we have so much respect for each other. So I did repeat it many times, but nobody seems to have respected my request. So only the ones who keep writing such articles need to put a full stop,” he added.

Chaitanya urged the common people who pass negative comments on his personal life to invest in themselves and better their lives. “Spread positivity. I have respect for everyone —  she (Samantha) was involved in my life and I have so much respect for her. After that, I have come out, gained strength, found love again, and I have moved on in a genuine way. Whatever happened in my life isn’t anything the society hasn’t seen before. So why am I treated like a criminal?“ the actor asked.

Chaitanya stated how the topic is quite sensitive to him since he’s from a “broken family” — his parents, actor Nagarjuna and Lakshmi Daggubati, separated when he was a child. “To break a relationship, I will think 1000 times because I know the repercussions of it. I thought a lot before making the decision (divorce) and it was a mutual decision. Of course I feel bad that it happened but everything happens for a reason. You build yourself, keep progressing and you will find the right path soon.”

The Thandel star further added that when he married actor Sobhita Dulipala in 2024, he was concerned about how this negativity would affect his wife. “She doesn’t deserve it. She didn’t make any mistakes. We met in an organic, beautiful way. Our friendship started over Instagram, and our relationship slowly progressed over time. She wasn’t connected to my past in any way and so when people started talking about her, I felt very bad. At the same time, I have to thank her for how patiently and maturely she navigated through all this. She is a true hero to me in many ways,” he said.