Actor Kamya Punjabi has opened up about the troubled phase of her first marriage, recalling the domestic violence she experienced, the restrictions placed on her career and the emotional toll of staying in an unhappy relationship.
She also revealed that her daughter Aara witnessing one of their fights eventually became a turning point for her.
Kamya was previously married to businessman Bunty Negi. The couple, who have a daughter, Aara, separated after being married for nearly 13 years. In 2020, Kamya married Shalabh Dang.
Kamya On Marrying Bunty Against Parents' Wishes
Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, Kamya recalled marrying Bunty when she was 25. She had been dating him for three years before their wedding. According to the actor, the relationship already had serious problems, with frequent arguments taking place even before they got married.
She said, "We were already not getting along. We used to fight even before we got married, and things had reached a point where we should have decided not to go ahead with it-that he was not the one for me, or I was not the one for him. But you know how first love is. You feel, 'This is it. This is the person.' My parents also told me that this relationship was not right and that we were not right for each other. But I just didn't want to listen."
Kamya said she continued making efforts to save the marriage because she wanted to know that she had done everything possible before walking away.
She added, "People tell me, 'You wasted 13 years.' But I tried my best. I gave everything to the relationship so that I would never regret later that I didn't try."
"I knew it was all a waste. No matter how much I tried, it was not going to work. Neither could I stay, nor could I leave. We were both so unhappy. Nothing was working, but we kept trying."
Kamya On Facing Domestic Abuse
The actor also spoke about experiencing domestic violence during the marriage. She said she would conceal the marks on her face with makeup before stepping out in public.
"I have been through domestic violence. There was a time when I would put makeup on my face before going out so that the marks wouldn't show."
Recalling an incident, she said, "I remember going to receive an award once and feeling ashamed of myself. I thought, 'Who am I, and what am I doing?' I was getting beaten up at home and then going outside to receive an award. Why? What kind of life was I living? Who was I trying to prove anything to?"
She said there were also times when she would isolate herself and cry for hours.
"I have locked myself in the bathroom and cried for hours, sometimes through the entire night."
Kamya further recalled turning up for rehearsals of a comedy show with heavy makeup because she wanted to hide the marks on her face. She said people around her did not know what she was dealing with.
"Everyone wondered why I was wearing so much makeup for a rehearsal. I would cry so much in my vanity van. I was acting 24/7. Nobody knew what was happening to me."
On Not Giving Up Her Career
Kamya also spoke about the pressure she faced to stop working. She said her former husband wanted her to leave her career, but she refused because she had responsibilities towards her parents and family.
She shared, "He wanted me to stop working, but I said, 'I will not leave my work. Why should I?' I had to support my parents and my family."
She added, "I don't know what his thought process was, but he was suspicious about everything. If he called every 10 minutes and I didn't answer the phone, there would be questions about why I hadn't picked up. 'What is this scene? Who are you with?' Even questions about what I was wearing."
Kamya eventually ended the marriage and later found love again with Shalabh Dang. The two got married in 2020.
