Lekha Washington Breaks Silence On Internet Calling Her Relationship With Imran Khan "Love Jihad"

Imran Khan has been quite vocal about his relationship with Lekha Washington. The two have been in a relationship since 2020. However, Lekha Washington had to deal with a lot of online trolls after she attended Happy Patel: Khatarnaak Jasoos's screening with Imran Khan.

What's Happening

• Lekha Washington broke her silence on her relationship with Imran Khan being termed "Love Jihad." It started with videos going viral of Lekha Washington attending the Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos last month premiere with Imran Khan, as the film marked his return in a cameo role after 10 years.
• Reacting to the unsavoury comments online, Lekha Washington shared a reel on Instagram saying, "Love Jihad-apparently it is being done to me, a part Burmese, Italian, Punjabi, raised in South India, moved to North India with a dad who's Roman Catholic but agnostic (being love-jihaded by) a guy whose father is part Hindu, part Scottish and a mum who is Muslim. So I am like, 'Do Na Love Jihad,' and I say, 'No, no. Instead, I make lights.'"

• Explaining her intent behind sharing that video, Lekha Washington told Moneycontrol, "Videos of me being used to fuel hate and division are the exact opposite of what I stand for. It's important to deal with this with humour, in my opinion-quite literally, make light of the ridiculousness of it all."
• Speaking of comments on her interfaith relationship, she said, "My own family is open, multi-hyphenate and respectful of all, as is my partner's family. I get to witness how a multicultural, expansive, kind, creative and inclusive people beautifully support each other. How lucky am I? I am deeply humbled by the awesomeness of the folks around me."

On Being Defined By Her Relationship And Not Work

Lekha Washington further elaborated on how it feels rather weird to be defined by her relationship with a famous actor, and not the long and independent career that she has had.

She added, "To reduce any woman to the nearest man is a limiting part of the society we function in. I have had a decade as a lead actor and walked away from that when I found the misogyny to be excessive. I spent another decade setting up and running a successful art practice so that I may have complete financial and intellectual freedom. The people will catch up."

"When other people say nasty, reductive things to you, it says a lot more about them than it does about you. We live in a world where women are first judged by appearance and only much later by their own personhood. I will continue to be the best me I can be, doing the best work I can do. Haters are going to hate, lovers have to love," concluded Lekha Washington.

About Imran Khan

Imran Khan had previously told NDTV, "To be loved by someone truly gives you strength and heals you. To give love truthfully and selflessly to another also is empowering and healing. And I have found this, in between my daughter and my partner Lekha, to give and to receive love. It has been absolutely crucial to my healing and to my own growth and well-being."

Imran Khan and Avantika Malik got married in 2011 and decided to go their separate ways in May 2019. They ended their marriage due to "irreconcilable differences." Imran and Avantika are co-parenting their 10-year-old daughter Imara. Imran Khan has been in a relationship with actor and artist Lekha Washington since 2020.

ALSO READ | Pics: Aamir Khan-Gauri, Imran-Lekha Walk Hand-In-Hand To The Screening Of Happy Patel