Mumbai | December 17, 2025 :
Veteran Bollywood playback singer Kumar Sanu has filed a ₹30 lakh defamation suit in the Bombay High Court against his former wife Rita Bhattacharya, escalating a long-running personal dispute that has resurfaced in the public domain through viral interviews and social media content.
According to court filings, the singer—whose real name is Kedar Nath Bhattacharya—is seeking monetary damages as well as directions to remove multiple online interviews in which his ex-wife allegedly made false, defamatory, and damaging allegations against him. The interviews, published in September 2025 on digital platforms including Viral Bhayani and Film Window, reportedly revived claims dating back to their troubled marriage and divorce proceedings.
Allegations and Legal Grounds
In the interviews, Rita Bhattacharya accused Kumar Sanu of mistreatment during her third pregnancy, claiming he denied her food and medical supplies, locked the kitchen, forced court hearings despite her condition, and engaged in multiple extramarital relationships. She also made statements regarding Sanu’s family members and raised questions about aspects of their children’s adoption process.
Sanu’s petition contends that these statements are baseless, malicious, and defamatory, and directly violate a clause in the couple’s 2001 mutual consent divorce agreement, which explicitly barred both parties from making public allegations against each other.
Background of the Dispute
The couple married in the 1980s, prior to Sanu’s rise to fame, and have three sons, including singer Jaan Kumar Sanu. They separated in 1994 and finalized their divorce in 2001, following years of reported marital discord.
Sanu’s legal team stated that a formal legal notice was issued to Bhattacharya in late September 2025, warning of civil and criminal proceedings if the content was not taken down. While some platforms removed the material, the singer proceeded with the lawsuit citing continued circulation, reputational harm, and mental distress.
Impact on Reputation
The suit emphasizes the damage allegedly caused to Kumar Sanu’s professional standing and personal dignity. The singer has enjoyed a career spanning over four decades, remains one of Bollywood’s most recognizable voices of the 1990s, and holds a Guinness World Record for recording the highest number of songs in a single day.
The case also brings renewed attention to post-divorce confidentiality clauses, the legal limits of public speech, and the role of social media and digital platforms in amplifying long-settled personal disputes.
The matter is currently pending before the Bombay High Court.
