By Rita Banerji:
Dear Hrithik Roshan,
I have received your tear-soaked letter about your impending divorce. It was duly delivered at 6 a.m. on December 14, at my doorstep in both my weekend newspapers. In fact it was in the headlines, on the front page of both newspapers! At first I was angry. I thought these idiots are copying off each other, and just fooling me into paying for two different subscriptions. But then I thought, what if this is a matter of utmost national importance? And so I read your letter slowly and carefully, registering all the critical information it gave, in both newspapers.
I am proud to say that I’m now enlightened. You say that it was “Sussanne [who] has decided to separate from me and end our 17 year relationship.” Clearly, it was not you who decided to separate from her! In fact you lay emphasis on that by saying “I am a firm believer in this institution [of marriage] and respect and honour it at the highest level.” I get your drift Hrithik. You believed in your marriage, and you respected and honoured it, but Sussanne didn’t! For her it was just a piece of paper that she didn’t think twice about ripping up and throwing into the trash, right? Oh! What shallow values!
In fact I was shocked to hear you say that your “treatment is going well” and you “should be able to resume [your] life in every way very soon.” Should be able very soon? That means you are still not fully well after your ill-health and operation, and are struggling to recover! Awwh! Bad woman, Sussanne, leaving poor you in this state! Very mean! Very cold-hearted.
In fact I’d say, you are better rid of her Hrithik. You are such a warm, caring, man, you deserve better. In fact I wept to see how in the middle of the worst crises of your life, you weren’t thinking about yourself, you were more worried about your fans. I have to admit, I am one of your biggest fans (though I hurry to add — of your dancing, and not so much your acting). I wept, to see how much you care about us…me. You say, “I do not wish this news to dis-empower my fans and the people about the institution of marriage in any way.” That is super sweet! You are worried that because of your divorce your fans will all rush to the courts like herds of trampling elephants to get their divorce papers.
No worries there Hrithik! Most Indian wives are not like Sussanne. They are loyal to the core and won’t leave a marriage even if it kills them! I mean that both figuratively and also literally. They will allow their selves, their individualities, their hopes, their dreams, their desires, their needs, their self-esteem, in fact everything they have, to be killed — but they will not leave the marriage. They will tolerate physical, emotional and psychological abuse, but they will remain true to the institution, respecting and honouring it at the highest level, just like you! In fact they will stare death in the face, and still not leave. No one can convince them to leave, and if you try to make them, they fly right back, like the bird to its nest. Like true Bharatiya naris, which unfortunately Sussanne is not, they make sure that it is only their arthi, their dead bodies that leaves their husbands’ houses! I can testify to this personally Hrithik, from my work with Indian women, to assure you that your divorce is not going to inspire any of these women to leave their marriages.
So chin up Hrithik. Wipe your tears, and be brave and free like that Krrish character you play in your movies! And next time, I don’t want your tear-soaked letter on the front page of my newspaper. Let us be kind and give that space to people who really have something to cry about. For instance the 600 million people who go to bed hungry in India, who Sonia Gandhi fought so hard for with her blood and tears, to get them the food security bill. She was just like you. So unselfish, not even caring about her ill-health and her life, to fight and care for the public — in public. But the public is far more perceptive than she assumed. It left her in tears by not even rewarding her with its votes! See now, that’s another lesson to learn Hrithik.
Wishing you a brand new, and healthy perspective on life!
Your fan and well-wisher,
Rita Banerji