Akanksha Chamola has finally spoken out about the rumours claiming she demanded Rs 10 crore in alimony from her estranged husband Gaurav Khanna. The Lock Upp 2 contestant dismissed the reports in a new interview and also addressed the “sugar daddy” jibes aimed at her. The actress, who announced her divorce on the premiere of the reality show, clarified that she never asked for such a large sum of money. Her statement comes shortly after she unfollowed Gaurav on Instagram and removed all their photos together.
Akanksha Chamola Addresses the Rs 10 Crore Alimony Claim
Speaking to Mashable India, Akanksha was asked directly about the rumour that she was seeking Rs 10 crore from Gaurav as part of their separation. She responded with a simple and direct answer.
“Agar manga hota aur agar mil gaya hota to main yaha baithti. Agar sach me mere pas itne paise hote na to main kab ka ye desh chor kar chali gayi hoti (If I had demanded and received that amount, then I would not have cared to sit here. If I had that much money, I would have left the country by now).”
She further explained that if she truly had access to that kind of money, she would use it to travel and explore different parts of the world instead of sitting for interviews. The statement made it clear that the Rs 10 crore alimony claims are not based on facts.
The Sugar Daddy Comment and Online Trolling
During the same interview, Akanksha also responded to trolls who labelled her a “sugar daddy seeker” for marrying Gaurav, who is 10 years older than her. She tied the knot with Gaurav when she was 24 years old. Addressing the criticism, she pointed out that men in their 30s, 40s, or 50s are often called sugar daddies by people online. She then took an indirect dig at the trolls by saying, “10 saal bada sugar daddy nahi ho sakta hai” (A man 10 years older cannot be a sugar daddy).
The “sugar daddy” remark has been a recurring theme in the online discussion around their divorce. Socialite Orry, also known as Orhan Awatramani, who is a friend of Gaurav and a co-contestant on Khatron Ke Khiladi 15, had earlier claimed that Akanksha would seek a settlement from Gaurav. Orry said during an interview that Gaurav used to pay Akanksha’s bills during their marriage and hinted that she would ask for financial support as part of the divorce settlement. Akanksha’s latest statement appears to be a direct response to those claims.
Why Akanksha Has Not Changed Her Surname Yet
Akanksha also explained why her Instagram username still reads “Akanksha Gaurav Khanna” despite the ongoing divorce. She said she has not been able to change it because of an issue with Meta. “Meta wale kar nahi rahe hain. I want to even get it changed on my Aadhar card but since I still not divorced yet, I am unable to do it,” she said. Her handle continues to carry Gaurav’s surname, and she has previously reached out to Meta India and Instagram for help in changing it. In August 2026, she tagged the platforms and wrote that she was seeking “urgent assistance for username change.”
Akanksha Unfollows Gaurav Khanna on Instagram
In a fresh development on September 13, 2026, Akanksha unfollowed Gaurav on Instagram and removed all photos and reels featuring him from her profile. Gaurav, however, still follows Akanksha and has kept their pictures on his account. This move came just hours after her interview with Mashable India went viral, where she addressed the alimony rumours and the “sugar daddy” comments.
The Instagram activity marks another public step in their separation. Akanksha had earlier spoken about wanting to rebuild her identity beyond being known as “Gaurav’s wife.” In an interview with SCREEN, she said, “I want the world to know, it’s not easy for any woman to decide to end one relationship, move out of it, and start their journey from scratch.”
Background of the Divorce
Akanksha Chamola and Gaurav Khanna got married on November 24, 2016, in Gaurav’s hometown of Kanpur. Their wedding was a three-day celebration. The couple reportedly met during an audition and later fell in love. They were married for nearly 10 years before Akanksha announced their separation on the premiere episode of Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa in July 2026.
On the show, Akanksha said, “Gaurav and I are getting a divorce. Yes, we have been separated and living separately for the last year. It has not been made public. It was a mutual decision. We have been sitting on it for the last year. Things are not bad between Gaurav and me. We still talk to each other. We both don’t think that we are compatible as partners because we both see a very different future, and unfortunately, it’s not with each other.”
Gaurav later appeared on the show as a guest in the third week. He told Akanksha that her announcement had shocked their families and that he had to deal with questions from both sides of the family after the news came out on the show.
Gaurav Khanna’s Stand on the Divorce
Gaurav Khanna has publicly said he will always support Akanksha. In June 2026, after Akanksha’s revelation on Lock Upp 2, Gaurav told the media, “She’s my wife… will always support her.” He also won Bigg Boss 19 during this period. On the show, he had spoken about Akanksha’s decision not to have children. He faced questions over whether sharing that personal detail was a way to gain sympathy. During a media interaction in the finale week, Gaurav said he would always support his wife’s decision, even though he personally wanted to have a family.
Akanksha on Not Wanting Children
Akanksha has been open about her reasons for not wanting to become a mother. She said she was bisexual before her marriage to Gaurav and later revealed that she had become asexual. According to her, Gaurav wanted children, but she could not give him that and did not want to stop him from having the family he wanted.
“99% want to get married because you want to have kids and family aagey badhana hain warna aap kyu shaadi karoge (Most people get married to have kids and take forward to family lineage). He is not wrong on his part. And then Bigg Boss happened, and I realised that isko bohot zyaada hain aur main nahi kar paa rahi hoon (He wants it badly, and I am unable to provide him that). For me, I don’t want to put him in that situation,” she said.
Akanksha has also clarified that the divorce is not a sudden decision. She said the couple took about 18 months to decide that the marriage was not working for them. “It is definitely happening. It was happening way before I entered the show [Lock Upp]. It was happening before Gaurav entered Khatron Ke Khiladi. It is just that we have not been able to find that proper time to sit and sign the documents yet because of our time clashing, work schedules, and everything,” she stated.
Related:
Where Things Stand Now
The divorce papers are yet to be signed. Akanksha has said that the legal process is almost complete, with only the final documents left to be signed. She has also said that she does not want to rush the process and wants to focus on rebuilding her career. The couple has been living separately for over a year, and both have moved on with their respective professional commitments.
Akanksha’s decision to unfollow Gaurav on Instagram and remove their photos together shows that she is taking clear steps to move forward. Gaurav, on the other hand, has chosen to keep their pictures on his profile and continues to follow her. Their divorce is expected to be finalised once both find the time to sign the papers.
Also Read: Akanksha Chamola on Gaurav Khanna’s Lock Upp 2 Visit: He Came to Clear His Name, Not Support Me
For more updates on television celebrities and reality show news, keep reading VvipTimes.
Leave a Reply