South Indian actress Priyamani, who gained nationwide fame through her performance in Shah Rukh Khan’s film Jawan, recently opened up about the backlash she has faced due to her inter-faith marriage with Mustafa Raj. Despite her successful professional career, her personal life has often been targeted, especially after she announced her engagement in 2016.
Priyamani On Hate For Inter-Faith Marriage
In a recent interview with Filmfare, Priyamani shared the hateful messages she received from people who disapproved of her marriage to a Muslim man. She revealed that some individuals had used the wrong language, accusing her of promoting religious conversion and claiming her children would be labelled as extremists. Priyamani expressed her dismay over these attacks, pointing out how unfair it is that only select couples are targeted while many prominent celebrities in the industry who marry outside their religion do not receive such backlash.
The actress highlighted the double standards she observed, noting how some top actors who marry outside their religion are often spared from such criticism. She stated that these individuals are rarely judged based on their faith, emphasizing that her marriage was not about converting to another religion but about falling in love regardless of faith. Priyamani expressed confusion over why such negativity and hatred still surround inter-faith unions, calling it unjust and disappointing.
She also mentioned how she faced backlash on social media for sharing a picture celebrating Eid, while no one questioned her absence of posts for Hindu festivals like Navratri. Priyamani explained that while initially feeling disturbed by such remarks, she has since chosen to ignore them and not let them affect her peace of mind. Her approach now is to avoid engaging with negativity and to stay focused on what matters most to her.
Additionally, Priyamani’s marriage has been controversial due to allegations from Mustafa’s ex-wife, Ayesha. Ayesha claimed that their marriage was invalid, arguing that Mustafa had not legally separated from her before marrying Priyamani. Mustafa, however, dismissed these accusations, suggesting that Ayesha was attempting to extort money by making such claims. He clarified that he has been providing financial support for his and Ayesha’s children, maintaining that the allegations were baseless.