Dhanashree Verma reveals parents urged her to end marriage with Yuzvendra Chahal: ‘It takes courage to walk away’

Dancer and choreographer Dhanashree Verma recently opened up about the emotional toll her separation from Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal took not only on herself but also on her parents. In a candid interview with Humans of Bombay, she described the divorce as a confusing and overwhelming experience for her family.

Dhanashree shared that while she had learned to cope with online criticism and trolling, her parents found the scrutiny far more difficult. “I had to stay strong to make my parents feel better. We belong to this generation, so we know not to pay attention to negative comments, but how do you explain that to your parents? My parents’ friends would call them, asking ‘What happened? (Yeh kya ho gaya?)’ It was a delicate situation because I also needed strength and so did my parents,” she explained.

The situation at home became especially tough. There were moments when her mother broke down in tears, and both her parents avoided answering phone calls to escape the constant questioning from relatives and friends. “It was so overwhelming and unnecessary because parents face so much pressure from society. And then when they have to deal with something like this, how do they fix that?” Dhanashree added, recalling how she had to ask them firmly not to respond to every call.

Despite the challenges, Dhanashree credited her parents for their unwavering support throughout the ordeal. They stood by her and reminded her daily that choosing to end the marriage was the right decision. “To even take that decision requires a lot of courage. Knowing that you are with someone who is more powerful than you, to come to the decision of leaving that partnership takes immense strength, and my parents reminded me of that every day. They kept telling me how proud they were that I made this choice. It’s not easy,” she said.

Dhanashree also addressed the trolling and rumours that surrounded her marriage and divorce settlement. She revealed that she chose to remain silent as a way to safeguard her peace of mind. “Silence is not easy, it takes a lot of strength to stay silent. There is a reason why we say ‘personal life’. It has to be private. And look, a coin has two sides. You can’t clap with one hand,” she reflected, highlighting the complexities of public life and private pain.