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Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin and Sangeeta Bijlani's divorce happened due to Jwala Gutta?
They spent 14 years together, but one storm of rumors put an end to it all, according to the media. Here’s a look at the Azharuddin-Bijlani split and what Jwala Gutta had to do with it.
In July 2010, Bollywood actress Sangeeta Bijlani and former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin ended their 14-year marriage amid whispers of his closeness with badminton star Jwala Gutta. Fans and media were stunned.
The duo had stood as one of India’s most photographed couples since their 1996 wedding at Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Hotel. Then came reports linking Azharuddin to Gutta—stories both parties called 'manufactured.'
What unfolded was a public spat that merged sports politics with personal lives, leaving the couple to walk away from a union that once seemed unbreakable.
Azharuddin & Bijlani: A 14-year marriage
Bijlani and Azharuddin met on an advertisement shoot in 1985 and married on November 14, 1996, after Azhar divorced his first wife, Naureen. Their romance played out under bright lights, red carpets, charity matches, and gala events became their routine.
Yet by mid-2010, rumors had begun to circulate that Azhar’s friendship with Jwala Gutta had crossed a line. Reports suggested their repeated meetings at the Gachibowli stadium and the badminton championships in Delhi, as per The Telegraph India.
Drama, denials, divorce
When divorce chatter surfaced, Azharuddin fired back. “These reports are… baseless and in bad taste,” he stated, per the publication, “I know Jwala. She is a good friend of mine.” He accused factions within the Badminton Association of India (BAI) of planting the stories to undermine his bid for BAI president.
Gutta, too, pushed back. In a Times of India interview, she said, “I am disgusted by the reports,” blaming internal politics for the false narrative. Despite denials, the damage was done.
Sangeeta and Azharuddin parted ways in 2010, welcoming the end of one of cricket’s most enduring partnerships, over rumors that neither could fully erase.
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