Kamya Punjabi Slams Troll Questioning Her Second Marriage: Why Is Divorce Still Taboo?

Eight years after the actor parted ways with her former partner, remarks on Kamya Punjabi divorce are still in circulation. She is presently married to Shalabh Dang, with whom she tied the knot last year. It seems Punjabi taking the reins of her life to steer it the way she wants is not sitting well with some on social media.

A troll recently questioned the 42-year-old for her second marriage and how she was not able to "save" her first.

"So? Mujhe khush rehne ka ya jeene ka koi haq nahi hai? Talaq ho gaya toh aurat ko marr jaana chahiye? Talaq se zindagi khatam ho jaati hai aurat ki?" Punjabi replied to the Instagram user who commented on a video she shared on her profile. <"Am I not entitled to stay happy? Should a woman die after a divorce? Does divorce mean the end of a woman's life?">

It's empowering that Punjabi, who in October this year joined Congress and is currently pushing Priyanka Gandhi's women-centric election campaign for Uttar Pradesh, did not let the troll's comment pass without reaction. She added that women were raising their voices, as they should, against people who thought life ended after divorce.

With India notoriously ranking near the bottom on the global rates of lowest divorces, our society still attaches misplaced shame and stigma to the idea of two partners breaking the 'holy matrimony' they were tied into. 'Work through it,' 'What will people say?' 'Try harder,' 'Marriage is built on compromises' - these are just some justifications offered to convince a couple to not think divorce.

Suggested Reading: She Hosted A Party Celebrating Her Divorce. Why Is Society Making a Fuss?

Beyond a point, it is not always possible to 'save' a relationship. And culture tells us the burden of 'saving' a marriage disproportionately falls on a woman's shoulders, given she is considered the ultimate figure of domestic sacrifices. But when a bond goes past redemption, why is divorce such an impermissible option for two people to find a way out?

Will they not be happier for it? Or have a shot at finding better compatibility or simply remaining content with their singlehood? Should choices as personal as marriage and divorce be considered an affront to 'tradition,' whatever that is perceived to be, when they go against the tide?

But when a bond goes past redemption, why is divorce such an impermissible option for two people to find a way out?

A woman is, rather unfortunately, seen as "used goods" when she leaves a marriage and seeks to begin a second. These critical labels are not reserved for men, for whom marriages after their first may be seen as a means of sustaining companionship or maintaining a family. He is lauded for having the courage to 'move on' while she is ostracised for daring to do the same.

Punjabi handled the trolling with grace, dignity and spot-on counter questions. But the fact that her divorce and second marriage is a subject being talked about shows that people never do get past a woman's marital status, blindsiding all the achievements she makes in life that truly matter.

Views expressed are the author's own.