Divorce notice came as anniversary gift, twins read it: Celina Jaitly

Actor Celina Jaitly recalled receiving a divorce notice in Austria just before her 15th wedding anniversary, saying the document was read out to her by her twin sonS. In an exclusive conversation with India Today, the 44-year-old said she initially thought the letter was from the municipality or related to her residence status, and even joked with her husband about whether the authorities had sent her some money.

She said the notice, which she described as having been served on the pretext of a wedding anniversary gift, contained allegations against her and stated that the marriage had suffered an “irretrievable breakdown”. Jaitly also spoke about the separation process, custody of the children, her financial difficulties, and her later return to India, where she said she tried to rebuild her life with the support of a small circle of friends.

Speaking to India Today's Gaurav Sawant, Jaitly said her husband had dropped her below the hill where



their house stood, and when she climbed up, her older twins were at home doing their homework. She said she did not want to spend time translating the letter herself and asked them to read it for her. “My twins had to read that terrible divorce notice,” she said.

Recalling the period after the first hearing, Jaitly said the judge had asked the couple to try for an amicable separation until November. She said she had very little money in her bank account at the time and felt as if she was living through a nightmare, although part of her also felt relief because, in her words, she was in an abusive marriage “at some level”.

She said she agreed to separate amicably in the best interests of the children and immediately sent a request to her husband’s lawyers saying she did not want anything except her assets back, the money she had invested, and joint custody of the children. She said she had hoped both sides could remain friends.