Akanksha Chamola has made it clear that her marriage to Gaurav Khanna is heading toward its final legal chapter. After revealing their separation during the premiere of Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, the actor has now spoken more openly about why the divorce has taken time to move forward. She explained that the decision was not made suddenly for the reality show and that the couple had already been working through the end of their marriage long before she entered the programme.
Speaking at an event covered by NewsX, Akanksha addressed the question directly when asked whether the divorce was actually going ahead. Her answer left little room for confusion, as she said, “It is definitely happening.” She also explained that their professional schedules have made it difficult to complete the paperwork, even though the decision itself had been discussed and considered for a considerable period.
Akanksha Says The Decision Took 18 Months
According to Akanksha, the separation was already underway before either she entered Lock Upp or Gaurav participated in Khatron Ke Khiladi. She said the couple struggled to find a suitable time to sit together and complete the required documents because both actors had demanding work schedules. Her explanation also pushed back against the idea that the divorce became a reality only because of her appearance on television.
“It is definitely happening. It was happening way before I entered the show Lock Upp. It was happening before Gaurav entered Khatron Ke Khiladi. It is just that we have not been able to find that proper time to sit and sign the documents yet, because of our time clashing, work schedules and everything,” Akanksha said.
She added that the reality of an actor’s life can make personal decisions more complicated than they appear from the outside. “Unlike what people think life is not that easy when you are an actor, because when you both are struggling and trying to have your own schedules… not everything is the way you want it to happen,” she explained.
Akanksha further revealed that the couple spent around 18 months trying to understand whether their marriage could continue before deciding that they were no longer moving toward the same future. She said the final decision came roughly two months before Lock Upp, around the period before Gaurav went for Khatron Ke Khiladi.
“Sometime before he entered Khatron Ke Khiladi. So for us to genuinely decide that fine things are not working out, we took time for that. We took 18 months to decide that okay we are meant to be with each other, that marriage is not something that is there for us in the future,” she said.
The timeline is important because later discussions between the two on Lock Upp also made clear that separation and legal divorce were not necessarily the same thing. Gaurav subsequently clarified that they were still legally married while addressing the public speculation surrounding their relationship. Akanksha, meanwhile, said the legal process had only begun shortly before she entered the reality show.
From A 2016 Wedding To A Difficult Separation
Akanksha and Gaurav married in November 2016 after dating for some time. Their relationship had previously been presented publicly as a long-running love story, with reports stating that they first met during an audition before eventually getting together. Their wedding took place in Kanpur and was celebrated over three days, marking the beginning of a marriage that lasted nearly a decade.
For years, the couple largely kept the difficult parts of their relationship away from public discussion. That changed when Akanksha entered Lock Upp and disclosed their separation as part of the show’s secret-revelation format. She said they had been living separately for an extended period and that the matter had not previously been made public.
The revelation became even more complicated because Gaurav and Akanksha had continued to appear together publicly before the announcement. Their past appearances and social media content later became a talking point after viewers questioned how the couple could have been dealing with a separation while still sharing seemingly affectionate moments.
Gaurav himself later addressed some of that confusion when he appeared on Lock Upp. He said that people had misunderstood the situation and stressed that he and Akanksha were still legally married. He also objected to people creating their own narratives around the couple’s private life, making it clear that the public version of their relationship did not necessarily reflect everything happening behind the scenes.
Why Their Divorce Became A Bigger Story
The separation attracted additional attention because Gaurav’s personal life had already been discussed publicly during his Bigg Boss 19 journey. During the show, conversations about children and Akanksha’s decision not to become a parent became part of the narrative around their marriage. Gaurav had become emotional while responding to questions about whether discussing his wife’s position on having children was being used to gain sympathy.
Akanksha later discussed other personal aspects of her life during Lock Upp, including her views on relationships, sexuality and her plans for life after the marriage. Those revelations made the separation more complicated for viewers because they were learning about the couple’s private disagreements through a reality-show environment rather than through a joint statement from the two actors.
At the same time, it is important not to turn the couple’s public comments into assumptions about everything that happened inside their marriage. Both actors have spoken about the relationship at different points, but only they know the complete circumstances behind their decision. What is clear from their public statements is that the separation was not presented as a sudden decision made after Akanksha entered Lock Upp.
Their later appearance together on the show also offered another layer to the story. Gaurav questioned the way their separation had been publicly discussed, while still saying that Akanksha remained his wife legally at that point. The conversation showed that the emotional and legal timelines of their marriage were moving at different speeds, which helps explain why the word “divorce” created confusion among viewers.
What Happens Next For Akanksha And Gaurav?
Akanksha’s latest comments suggest that the decision to end the marriage has been made, while the paperwork and legal process have taken longer because of timing and professional commitments. That distinction matters because being separated, deciding to divorce and becoming legally divorced are three different stages. Gaurav’s later comments on Lock Upp also confirmed that the couple had not simply been legally divorced for the previous year, despite the length of their separation.
For now, both actors are continuing with their professional lives while their personal relationship remains under intense public attention. Akanksha has used Lock Upp to speak about her identity and future beyond being known primarily as Gaurav Khanna’s wife, while Gaurav has continued working in television and reality programming.
The most significant point from Akanksha’s latest explanation is therefore not simply that a divorce is coming. It is that, according to her account, the decision followed a long period of trying to understand whether their marriage could still work. Her statement that they took 18 months to reach that conclusion gives more context to a separation that initially appeared to viewers as a sudden reality-show revelation.
Questions About Akanksha Chamola And Gaurav Khanna
Are Akanksha Chamola and Gaurav Khanna getting divorced?
Yes. Akanksha has publicly said that the divorce is definitely happening, although the legal process has taken time.
How long were Akanksha and Gaurav married?
They married in November 2016 and were together for nearly a decade before publicly confirming their separation.
How long did Akanksha say they took to decide on divorce?
Akanksha said they took around 18 months to genuinely decide that their marriage was no longer going to work.
Were Akanksha and Gaurav already separated before Lock Upp?
Yes. Akanksha said their separation had begun well before she entered Lock Upp. Later, both also discussed the fact that they had been living separately while still being legally married.
Why did the divorce paperwork take so long?
Akanksha said their schedules repeatedly clashed because both were working actors, making it difficult for them to find the right time to complete the necessary documents.
Did Gaurav Khanna confirm that they were legally divorced?
No. When he addressed the situation on Lock Upp, Gaurav specifically clarified that they were still legally married at that point, even though they had been living separately.
