Celina Jaitly has revealed an unexpected detail from her ongoing divorce proceedings with estranged husband Peter Haag, saying she was questioned in court over the amount of time she spent working out. In a deeply personal Instagram post, the actor said her routine of spending around one and a half hours lifting weights became something she had to defend during an already difficult period of her life. For Celina, exercise was never simply about appearance, but a source of discipline and a way to cope with grief, trauma and the pressures surrounding her family.
Her comments come as her legal battle with Haag continues on multiple fronts. Celina has previously spoken publicly about being separated from her children and the difficulties surrounding her marriage, while Mumbai Police registered an FIR against Haag in May 2026 following her complaint alleging cruelty, physical harm, criminal intimidation and sustained harassment. A Look Out Circular was also issued against him over alleged non-cooperation with the investigation, according to police reports.
Why Celina Had To Defend Her Workouts
Sharing a photograph of herself inside a gym, Celina explained why her fitness routine became so important to her during some of the hardest periods of her life. She said that, despite everything she had gone through, working out had remained one of the few things she could consistently rely on. The actor described her time in the gym as a place where she could channel grief, anger, fear and anxiety while trying to rebuild herself.
“Imagine having to defend weightlifting in court,” Celina wrote. She said that among the various issues raised against her during what she described as her “bizarre divorce proceedings,” she found it particularly difficult to understand why she had to answer for spending one to one and a half hours exercising each day.
The actor connected her approach to fitness with a value she says was instilled in her by her father, whom she described as a Fauji. For Celina, discipline was not about spending hours in front of a mirror or pursuing an image of perfection, but about showing up for herself consistently even when life was difficult. She also connected that discipline to the example she wanted to set for her children.
Her post comes at a time when she has been speaking increasingly openly about the personal pressures surrounding her separation. Celina has described being apart from her three children while also dealing with the legal dispute involving Haag, making her latest comments less about fitness itself and more about what exercise has represented to her during a period of upheaval.
‘Was It Really Wrong For Me To Lift Weights?’
Celina’s post became particularly emotional when she reflected on everything her body and mind had endured. She wrote that her body had carried her through two sets of twins, the loss of a child, the deaths of both her parents, twin C-sections, dance injuries and the wider crisis affecting her family. She also referred to the trauma surrounding her brother and the heartbreak of being separated from her children.
“My body has given birth to 2 sets of twins. It has been shook from, loss of a child, the loss of both my parents, twin #csection , dance injuries, the crisis that has befallen my family, trauma surrounding my brother, & now the unimaginable heartbreak of separation from my children,” she wrote.
Celina then questioned whether spending 90 minutes lifting weights could genuinely be considered something she should have to justify. She said that after everything life had demanded of her, the time she spent in the gym had helped her handle burdens that were considerably heavier than anything she lifted with a barbell.
“Was it really wrong for me to lift weights for one & a half hours a day? Or was lifting those weights precisely what gave me the strength to carry everything else?” she wrote.
She ended that reflection with one of the strongest lines in the post, saying, “The weight on the barbell was never the heaviest weight I carried. It was simply the one weight I could choose to put down.” The statement has given her fitness post a much broader emotional meaning, turning what might otherwise have been a discussion about exercise into a reflection on resilience and control during a difficult period.
Celina Jaitly’s Legal Battle With Peter Haag
Celina married Austrian businessman Peter Haag in 2010, and the couple have three children. Their first set of twins was born in 2012, while their second set of twins arrived in 2017; one of the children from the second pregnancy later died because of a health condition.
The actor filed a domestic violence case against Haag in a Mumbai court in 2025. Her complaint alleged domestic violence and other forms of mistreatment during their marriage, while she also sought relief concerning her children and financial matters. Her lawyer has previously described the allegations as involving a prolonged pattern of abuse, although the allegations remain part of ongoing legal proceedings and should not be treated as established findings against Haag.
The dispute escalated further in May 2026 when Mumbai Police registered an FIR against Haag following Celina’s complaint. The case was registered under Sections 85, 115(2), 351(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, covering allegations including cruelty, causing harm and criminal intimidation. Police also issued a Look Out Circular after alleging that Haag had not cooperated with the investigation.
Celina has also spoken publicly about her separation from her children, who have been in Austria during the ongoing family dispute. In earlier statements, she described returning to India during the crisis and continuing to fight through legal channels while trying to maintain contact with her children. The family dispute has therefore unfolded alongside the criminal complaint and divorce proceedings, creating a complicated legal and emotional situation for the actor.
Her brother’s situation has added another layer to that personal crisis. Celina has previously spoken about her brother, Major (retired) Vikrant Jaitly, being detained in the UAE, meaning her recent public statements have covered several separate family difficulties at once.
Why Her Gym Post Resonated
Celina’s latest message is notable because she did not present exercise simply as a beauty or fitness routine. Instead, she described it as a form of discipline that helped her regain a sense of control when many parts of her personal life were outside her control. That framing makes the court-related question about her workouts especially significant from her perspective.
The actor’s comments also show why personal details can become emotionally charged during high-conflict divorce proceedings. What one person considers a normal daily habit can be interpreted very differently when presented within a legal dispute. Celina clearly believes her commitment to fitness was part of how she remained functional through grief and family turmoil rather than evidence of anything negative about her priorities.
There is also a clear distinction between Celina’s account and any eventual findings in the legal proceedings. Her Instagram post reflects her experience and interpretation of what happened during the divorce case, while the broader allegations against Haag remain matters being addressed through legal processes. Neither the domestic violence allegations nor the disputed circumstances of their marriage should be treated as proven simply because they have been publicly discussed.
For Celina, however, the message is straightforward. She is saying that the gym was one place where she could still make a choice for herself, maintain discipline and work through emotions that could not easily be solved elsewhere. Her closing metaphor about the barbell captures that idea more powerfully than any discussion of workout duration could.
Questions About Celina Jaitly’s Divorce And Gym Post
Why did Celina Jaitly say her workouts were questioned in court?
Celina said that spending around one and a half hours a day working out became an issue she had to answer for during her divorce proceedings. She described the situation as difficult to understand because exercise had helped her cope with major personal hardships.
How long does Celina say she works out each day?
She said she spends around 90 minutes lifting weights and described the routine as an important part of maintaining discipline and emotional strength.
What did Celina say about her fitness routine?
She said exercise had consistently supported her through grief, anger, fear and anxiety and questioned whether she should really have been expected to defend spending that time in the gym.
Who is Celina Jaitly’s estranged husband?
Celina’s estranged husband is Austrian businessman Peter Haag. The couple married in 2010 and have three children.
What legal case has Celina filed against Peter Haag?
Celina filed proceedings under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act in Mumbai. In May 2026, Mumbai Police also registered an FIR against Haag following her complaint alleging cruelty, physical harm, criminal intimidation and sustained harassment.
Was an FIR registered against Peter Haag?
Yes. Mumbai Police registered an FIR at Versova Police Station in May 2026 under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A Look Out Circular was also issued over alleged non-cooperation with the investigation.
Why is Celina separated from her children?
Celina has publicly said that she is separated from her three children amid the ongoing family and divorce dispute. The custody and access issues remain connected to the wider legal proceedings.
What did Celina mean by saying the barbell was not her heaviest weight?
She was using weightlifting as a metaphor for the emotional burdens she has faced. Her point was that the physical weight she lifted was something she could consciously choose to put down, unlike the grief and personal difficulties she has been carrying.
