- Govinda and Sunita Ahuja married in 1987 and have two children together
- Sunita filed for divorce in December 2024 citing adultery, cruelty, and desertion
- Govinda denied the allegations, calling them a conspiracy and said matters are settled
Showbiz is a strange world; its 'problems' are stranger still.
Amid a pool of unwarranted issues that hit a celebrity's life under the harsh glare of fame, the most common are allegations of infidelity. The story that has attracted the most attention, especially in the past two years, involves '90s superstar Govinda and his wife Sunita Ahuja. Known for her scathingly unfiltered approach and unwillingness to hold back, Sunita's marriage became the focus of controversy, particularly since 2025 when reports that she had filed for divorce gained momentum.
Thus began a rollercoaster of questions and judgement aimed at the couple, whether they were openly discussing trouble in their marital paradise or defending their relationship as speculation grew.
Sunita Ahuja is currently a participant on the reality show Lock Upp 2, where conversations about Govinda's alleged infidelity and how she has dealt with it have surfaced repeatedly, making us revisit an ambiguous relationship with no clear ultimatum.
Kabhi Love, Kabhi War
Govinda and Sunita married in March 1987. The couple kept their marriage private until after their daughter Tina was born in 1988. Years later they welcomed their son Yashvardhan in 1997.
After more than three decades together, matters began to spiral last year.
Reports state that Sunita filed for divorce in the Bandra Family Court on December 5, 2024. She moved the case under Section 13(1)(i), (ia), (ib) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, citing adultery, cruelty and desertion. The court summoned Govinda, but he did not appear until a notice to show cause was issued in May 2025.
The couple were said to be undergoing court-mandated counselling, with Sunita attending every hearing in person. However, Govinda's presence remained unclear.
Govinda's team denied the claims and said Sunita had indeed filed for divorce six months prior to February 2025, but that matters were being "settled".
When NDTV reached out to Govinda's lawyer Lalit Bindal, he responded, "Koi case nahi, sab settle ho raha hai, ye sab log purani cheezen utha ke daal rahe hain ("There is no case, everything is being settled, people are just bringing up old matters").
Fuel was added to the fire by Sunita speaking frankly about the issues she faced, which dented the image of their 'marital bliss'. She has spoken at length about the actor's "many affairs", young heroines "manipulating" him for financial gain, and has publicly alleged his infidelity for years.
Sunita highlighted their different living arrangements, saying their diametrically opposite lifestyles led to separate homes. She attributed the decision to Govinda's hectic schedule and political commitments. In a video that went viral, Sunita described how party workers frequently came to their home while their daughter was growing up. Not only did this invade the family's privacy, she said, it also invited prying eyes. This prompted Sunita to move into an apartment with her children, directly across the street from Govinda's bungalow.
She has expressed displeasure at Govinda's company and the increasing emotional distance between them, and said he was not very romantic, which widened the gap.
In one interaction she said, "Govinda acche logon ke saath uthta bethta nahi hai. Toh kya hai naa jaise main bolti hun, agar tum gande logon ke saath raho ge toh vaise bann jaaoge. Aaj mera friend circle nahi hai, mere bacche mere dost hain. (Govinda doesn't mix with good people. Like I always say, if you stay with bad people you'll become like them. Today, I don't have a friend circle - my children are my friends.)"
On his part, Govinda admitted on a podcast last year that he was attracted to actress Neelam Kothari, with whom he had been associated in the '90s.
In a 1990 interview Govinda spoke candidly about that phase, saying he was "merciless" with Sunita, whom he had married in a secret ceremony, and that his love for co-star Neelam had caused trouble in the marriage.
"I couldn't stop praising her (Neelam). To my friends, to my family. Even to Sunita, to whom I was committed. I would tell Sunita to change herself and become like Neelam. I would tell her to learn from her. I was merciless. Sunita would get irritated. She would tell me, 'You fell in love with me because of what I am, don't ever try to change me'. But I was so confused. I didn't know what to own," he confessed. On Neelam he added, "Neelam is the kind of woman any man would have lost his heart to. I lost mine."
In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Govinda addressed his alleged affair with Neelam Kothari, saying, "Dekhiye hum sab jitne youngsters, jo gaon type ka hote hain, unn sabhi ke liye goriyan bahut achi lagti hain. Yeh jo opposite attraction hai na, yeh hua karta hai. She was different and such a good girl. Aise lagta tha jaise doll hai. (See, all of us village-type youngsters liked fair women. This opposite attraction happens. She was different and such a good girl. She looked like a doll.)"
Throughout last year Sunita repeatedly accused Govinda of extra-marital affairs. Govinda has called the allegations a "conspiracy" against him.
Another incident that fed speculation occurred in 2024, when the actor accidentally shot himself in the leg with his licensed gun. After discharge from hospital he underwent physiotherapy. Fuelling rumours of a rift, the physiotherapist said she never met Sunita, as she never accompanied Govinda to the sessions.
Things intensified when Govinda was hospitalised in November after an accidental gunshot. Sunita later said he was fine and that she learned about the incident only through his interview.
Speaking to ANI, Govinda said he chose to speak now because staying quiet would make him appear "weak" and contribute to a "problematic" image. He referred to a "big conspiracy" and claimed his loved ones were being "used" without realising it. "What I've been observing lately is that sometimes when we don't speak, we either appear weak or it seems like we are simply the problem. So today, I'm responding. I was told that people in my family might be unknowingly involved and they won't realise they are being used in the initial stages of a big conspiracy," he said.
Despite several allegations against Govinda, Sunita seems to let love steer her decisions. No matter what she has said about their hot-and-cold relationship, she does not welcome outside judgement.
Love Conquers All
Despite reiterating Govinda's alleged affairs, Sunita has been pragmatic over the past year and a half, noting that such behaviour is common in the entertainment industry.
When rumours about Govinda and a 30-year-old Marathi actress emerged, Sunita said she would only believe it if she saw it with her own eyes.
On Paras S Chhabra's Abraa Kaa Dabra Show, Sunita was asked about the rumours, "I have said this many times to the media that I have also heard it. But, till the moment I don't see him with my own eyes or catch him red-handed, I can't declare anything. I have heard that it's a Marathi actress," she said.
Addressing the speculation the Marathi actress on Sambhavna Seth's YouTube vlog, she said, "Kya hota hai naa jo ladkiyan aajkal aati hai struggle karne ke liye, inko sugar daddy ki adat pad gayi hai. Koi naa koi ladkiyan sochti hain ki humara ghar chal jaayega, pocket money mil jaayega. Jabtak main naa pakdun, lekin agar pakad liya toh fir voh hain naa Sunny Deol ka haath hai mera, 5 kg ka hai. (Girls who come to struggle in the industry get used to sugar daddies. Some think they can manage their households and get pocket money this way. Unless I catch them, it's fine, but if I do, you know, I have Sunny Deol's hand - it weighs 5 kg.)"
She has repeatedly mixed the hurt she feels over his affairs with an unwavering loyalty and love, saying she will never leave him, come hail or high water.
"Bharosa bahut badi cheez hai. Merko nahi lagta ki film industry ka koi bhi hero doodh ka dhula hoga. Humse zyada toh woh log heroines ke saath time bitate hain. Toh yeh aapke pyaar par depend karta hai ki aap kaise lete ho (Trust is a big thing. I don't think any hero in the industry is spotless. They spend more time with heroines than with us. So it depends on how you take it)," Sunita told The Free Press Journal.
"Maine hamesha kaha hai ki, to become an actor's wife, aapko apna dil pathar ka rakhna padta hai. Main jab 15 saal ki thi, tab Govinda se pyaar kiya tha. Aaj 56 saal ki ho gayi hoon aur aaj bhi unse utna hi pyaar karti hoon. Maine unhe itni baar maaf kiya hai. Maine bhi kabhi kuch galtiyan ki hongi. Woh hamesha kehte hain, 'Yeh meri biwi nahi hai, bacchi hai.' Pyaar agar dil se hota hai, toh insaan maaf karke nikal jata hai (I have always said to become an actor's wife you must harden your heart. I fell in love with Govinda when I was 15. Now at 56, I love him just the same. I have forgiven him many times. I may have made mistakes too. He always says, 'She is not my wife, she is my child.' If love is true, people forgive)," she added.
In a contradictory moment on Abhishek Vyas Insights, Sunita said she would like Govinda as a son or brother but never as a husband. Yet she also said, after many years together, it would be a 'crime' even to think of leaving him.
Perhaps the most effective rebuttal to separation rumours was when Govinda and Sunita celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi together in Mumbai last year.
Speaking to the media, Sunita dismissed the rumours and asked people not to believe such talk unless the couple themselves spoke about it. "Aaj media ke muh pe thappad nahi padi hai kya? Humko saath me dekh kar. Itna close... Agar kuch hota toh itne nazdeek hote? Humari duriya hoti. Koi hum dono ko alag nahi kar sakta. Chahe upar se koi bhi aa jaye... Mera Govinda sirf mera hi hai aur kisi ka nahi hai. (Hasn't the media got a slap in the face today? Seeing us together like this. So close... If something was wrong, would we be this close? There would be distance. No one can separate us... My Govinda is only mine and no one else's.)"
She added with a smile, "Jab tak hum kuch na bole, koi bhi cheez pe aap mat boliye (Until we say something, please don't comment)."
At the end of the day, years of togetherness appear to have led Sunita to bury the hatchet with Govinda despite his shortcomings.
In a vlog earlier this year, when she invited journalists to her home, she said she was ready to forgive him if matters were resolved, after all he is her 'childhood love'. "This is not the age to go through all of this. I am going through menopause. At this time, every woman needs the support of her husband and children because her mind fluctuates. We need someone to love us and not give us stress."
On confronting Govinda, Sunita said, "Voh toh haske taal dete hain naa. Unka jawab toh humko samajh hi nahi aata (He just laughs and brushes it off. We don't even understand what his answer means)."
Her much-publicised divorce filing, patch-ups and ongoing status with Govinda have once again grabbed attention as she participates in Lock Upp: Sach ya Sazaa, season 2.
During a conversation with co-participant Shreya Kalra, Sunita spoke about interviews in which she opened up about Govinda's infidelity. Sunita said, "Hua toh abhi kya kar sakte hain... shuru se hi hua hain na lekin? Hero hain toh you can't say anything. Iss umar mein abhi sochunga toh diabetes aur badhega. Jaise chal raha hain chalne do. (If it happened, what can I do now? It has been there from the beginning, right? He is a hero so you can't say anything. If I think about it now my diabetes will increase. Let things continue as they are.)"
When Shreya asked, "Don't you feel sad?" Sunita replied, "It's fine. I live for my kids."
Asked whether she thinks Govinda still has affairs, she said, "Tum rok sakte ho kisi ko? Main 24 ghante unke saamne baithi rahu? Samne wala bhi toh irritate ho jayga na? Main sochti hi nahi hoon. (Can you stop someone? Shall I sit in front of him 24 hours a day? The other person would get irritated too. I don't even think about it.)"
And so this is the kind of love & war that wanders on, but what remains steadfast is Sunita Ahuja's refusal to give up on it - and that, for many, is something to ponder.
ALSO READ | Sunita Ahuja Won't Leave Govinda Despite Cheating Rumours: 'Koi Hero Doodh Ka Dhula Nahi Hoga'
