Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has granted divorce to Sandalwood actor Duniya Vijay and Nagarathna, bringing their long-running marital dispute to a legal conclusion. The court has also directed Vijay to pay ₹2 crore as alimony, taking into consideration Nagarathna, the couple’s three children, and the actor’s status and financial position.
A division bench comprising Justice D.K. Singh and Justice H. Shantibhushan passed the order while hearing Vijay’s challenge against an earlier Family Court decision.
High Court grants divorce after years of dispute
The marital dispute between Vijay and Nagarathna has remained before the courts for more than a decade. The couple, who married in 1999, have three children.
The actor had first approached the Family Court in 2013, seeking dissolution of the marriage. At the time, Vijay had alleged marital cruelty and desertion against Nagarathna. Issues concerning the care and upbringing of their children also formed part of the proceedings.
However, the couple subsequently attempted to settle their differences. Reconciliation efforts took place in 2014, following which Vijay and Nagarathna decided to resume their married life. Vijay consequently withdrew his first divorce petition.
The reconciliation, however, did not bring a lasting resolution to their marital differences.
Second divorce petition filed in 2018
The dispute resurfaced in the following years. In 2016, Vijay married Keerthi Pattadi, and a dispute reportedly occurred between Nagarathna and Keerthi in 2018.
Following the developments, Vijay once again sought a divorce from Nagarathna. On October 29, 2018, he filed a second divorce petition before the Family Court in Bengaluru.
As in the earlier proceedings, Vijay cited marital cruelty as one of the grounds for seeking dissolution of the marriage.
The second round of legal proceedings continued for several years, eventually resulting in a decision by the Shantinagar Family Court.
Family Court had rejected Vijay’s plea
On June 13, 2024, the Shantinagar Family Court in Bengaluru dismissed Vijay’s divorce petition.
The Family Court held that the allegations of cruelty levelled by Vijay against Nagarathna had not been sufficiently established before it. The dismissal meant that the actor’s second attempt to obtain a divorce through the Family Court had not succeeded.
Vijay subsequently challenged the Family Court’s decision before the Karnataka High Court.
The matter was heard by the division bench of Justice D.K. Singh and Justice H. Shantibhushan, which has now overturned the earlier outcome by granting the divorce.
Court orders ₹2 crore alimony
Along with dissolving the marriage, the High Court directed Vijay to pay ₹2 crore in alimony to Nagarathna.
While determining the amount, the court considered the circumstances and future requirements of Nagarathna and the couple’s three children. The bench also took into account Vijay’s position as a public figure and his financial status.
The alimony order is a significant part of the High Court’s decision, as it considers not only the marital dispute but also the financial circumstances and welfare of the family members affected by the dissolution of the marriage.
The court’s consideration of the couple’s three children was also an important factor while arriving at the order.
Long-running legal battle comes to an end
The latest judgment brings a significant chapter in the prolonged matrimonial dispute to a close. What began with Vijay’s first divorce petition in 2013 went through reconciliation, a second divorce petition in 2018, a Family Court dismissal in 2024 and eventually an appeal before the High Court.
The High Court has now granted the divorce while imposing the ₹2 crore alimony obligation on Vijay.
The decision also highlights how matrimonial proceedings can continue for several years when allegations, reconciliation attempts and subsequent legal challenges form part of the dispute.
For Nagarathna and the couple’s three children, the court’s consideration of their circumstances and future needs has been reflected in the financial direction issued alongside the divorce order.
The case therefore concludes with the legal dissolution of Vijay and Nagarathna’s marriage, subject to the terms contained in the High Court’s order.