Almost a month after Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal first spoke about their separation, his former wife, actor-dancer Dhanashree Verma, has now shared her side of the story in a recent podcast.
In a candid chat, she opened up about her emotional struggles during the final divorce proceedings and took a subtle dig at Chahal’s choice of attire on that day—a T-shirt that read “be your own sugar daddy.”
Dhanashree Verma’s emotional breakdown in Court
Speaking on Humans of Bombay, Dhanashree recalled the intensity of the moment when the verdict was about to be delivered. “I still remember standing there when the verdict was about to be given. Even though we were mentally prepared, I got so emotional,” she said.
She described breaking down in front of everyone present. “I started howling in front of everybody. I couldn’t express what I was feeling at that point—I just kept crying and crying,” she added. She also revealed that Chahal left the courtroom first, underscoring the contrasting emotional reactions of the two.
The ‘Sugar Daddy’ T-Shirt controversy
What grabbed headlines that day, however, was Chahal’s T-shirt. His decision to wear one with the phrase “be your own sugar daddy” sparked viral chatter online. Dhanashree expressed her disappointment at the stunt, calling it unnecessary.
“We already knew people were going to blame me for this divorce. Before I even found out about the T-shirt, I knew the backlash would come my way,” she said, before adding pointedly: “Are bhai, WhatsApp kar deta, T-shirt kyun pehna hai? (Brother, you could’ve sent it on WhatsApp. Why wear the T-shirt?).”
Her remarks come shortly after Chahal appeared on Raj Shamani’s podcast, where he addressed the swirling speculation around their divorce. The spinner categorically denied allegations of infidelity, insisting that speculation about his personal life was unfounded.
Also READ: ‘I had suicidal thoughts’ – Yuzvendra Chahal opens up on his divorce with Dhanashree Verma
A divorce in the public eye
Yuzi and Dhanashree, who tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in December 2020, parted ways after a little over four years together. They were granted divorce by the court on March 20 this year.
As part of the settlement, the court directed Chahal to pay Dhanashree ₹4.75 crore in alimony. Of this, around ₹2.37 crore was reportedly paid before the divorce was finalized, while the remaining balance is to be cleared afterward.
Their separation brings closure to a relationship that began during the pandemic and had captured significant public attention from the start.
