Lekha Washington has finally reacted to the comments calling her a 'homewrecker ' and stood up for her relationship with the actor.
Imran Khan and Lekha Washington found love in each other after being left heartbroken by their prior relationships. However, amid that, Lekha has had to face intense backlash, including comments from trolls calling her a "slut" and a "homewrecker". Now, after a long silence, Lekha has finally reflected on how these comments have affected her, her family and her relationship with Imran.
Imran Khan and Lekha Washington have been dating for a while now. For the unversed, Imran was previously married to Avantika Malik, but the two parted ways, following which he began a relationship with Lekha. However, their relationship has faced intense backlash, especially with netizens calling Lekha names. The latter has faced scrutiny online and has often been labelled a "homewrecker". Recently, the actor and artist responded to the criticism and opened up about being judged for her personal life.
Lekha Washington spoke to ETimes and revealed how the constant online scrutiny has affected her. Speaking about her relationship with Imran Khan, and how people often feel free to judge others despite not knowing the full story. She shared that she won't make herself smaller to fit someone else's idea of her and was quoted as saying:
"Since I was 16, I've been called all kinds of names — growing up in Chennai and even later. Labels like 'sl*t' and 'homewrecker' are often used to diminish and control women. They don't define me, and I refuse to shrink myself to fit someone else's need to cut me down. That's where I stand today."
In the same conversation, Lekha shared that people who keep labelling her have no idea about their reality. She shared that no one understands what they have been through. She admitted that she would rather have people talk about her work than her relationship and stated:
"People who use these labels don't know the reality. No one truly understands the intricacies of someone else's relationship, so how can they pass judgment? I'd much rather focus on conversations around my work. After putting out original work, if the first thing people reduce me to is my proximity to a man, that says more about them than it does about me."
In the same conversation, Lekha Washington revealed that before they became a couple, she and Imran had known each other for nearly 15 years, having moved in the same circle of friends. However, it was during the COVID-19 lockdown that their relationship began to take shape. Reflecting on their relationship, Lekha shared:
"I was in a formative long-term relationship for a decade beginning in 2009, and while we weren’t legally married, it shaped who I am. In the isolation of COVID, I had to face parts of myself that I had avoided. The subconscious parts of myself that had brought me there. When Imran and I began dating, it wasn’t a fairytale romance - it was two broken people in a broken world trying to pick up the pieces and do better."
Imran Khan married Avantika Malik in 2011. In June 2014, the couple welcomed their daughter, Imara. They later separated after an eight-year-long marriage due to irreconcilable differences. After his marriage ended, Imran began dating Lekha Washington in 2020. The two grew closer during the COVID-19 lockdown and have been together ever since.
What are your thoughts on Lekha Washington's revelations? Let us know.
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