- Raja Chaudhary said he was treated like an unpaid house help during his marriage to Shweta Tiwari
- He revealed he has spoken to daughter Palak only 2-3 times in the last 18 years
- Raja blamed Shweta's mother for creating a rift between them during their marriage
Raja Chaudhary has once again made scathing remarks about his relationship with ex-wife Shweta Tiwari. The actor claimed he was treated like an "unpaid house help" during his marriage. Raja revealed that he no longer shares a relationship with daughter Palak. He has spoken to her just twice or thrice in the last 18 years.
In a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Raja shared that he and Shweta Tiwari had clearly defined responsibilities during the initial years of their marriage. According to him, Shweta was the primary breadwinner while he took care of managing everything else.“She was earning and I was managing everything. And she was earning a lot. I was just a manager and who cares about a manager?," he said.
Reflecting on the breakdown of their relationship, Raja admitted he was not mature enough at the time to deal with the situation. He also blamed Shweta's mother for creating a rift between them. “Her mother would tell her, ‘You don't need him. You have made everything on your own. She believed I was wasting her money to buy cars and other expensive things,” he said. The actor later admitted he hid the bigger expenses from Shweta, saying it wasn't the right thing to do.
“I was the unpaid househelp, and an unpaid driver. We were just fighting, not understanding each other. I was trying to prove my point of view and she was just trying to prove hers, but no one's point was proved. It was just a broken family,” he added.
Raja admitted that the separation took a toll on him. He fell heavily into drinking and spent time in a rehab facility as part of his recovery. "It wasn't just alcoholism. It was a mental breakdown; these were all my emotions. I had no control over anything. I couldn't even see my daughter. I couldn't fathom the fact that my daughter was no longer with me. I had a very strong connection with her,” he said.
Talking about his daughter Palak, Raja said he took care of her every day until she turned eight. However, in the last 18 years, he has spoken to her only 2-3 times. When asked about her career and social media presence, Raja said he has blocked everything related to her on social media.
“I don't want to see their photos, videos because I have done my level of begging. I have justified myself enough, saying how much I miss her. I don't want to, anymore,” he said.
The question of Palak's alleged relationship with Ibrahim Ali Khan also came up. To which Raja responded matter-of-factly, claiming he did not see it as an issue. He remarked that having girlfriends or boyfriends is a normal part of life.
"I would be bothered if she was a part of my life but she doesn't consider me a father. You should ask her mother if she is bothered. Why should I be bothered? I am just a biological father, that's it. That's what I was told. I was told that I have nothing to do with her. What can you do about it?," he said.
Despite their strained relationship, Raja Chaudhary said he would not hesitate to support Palak if she ever needed him. He claimed that although he does not follow her life or remain involved in it, he would be there for her even if she called him in the middle of the night. “I will be there for her if she calls me in the middle of the night also, but I am not needed in her life,” he said.
Shweta Tiwari and Raja Chaudhary got married in 1999. The couple welcomed their daughter Palak in 2008. Shweta officially filed for divorce after nine years of marriage, citing domestic violence, harassment on television sets and Raja's severe alcoholism. The divorce was finalised in 2012.