After 13 years of legal proceedings, actor-director Duniya Vijay, whose real name is Vijay Kumar, and his wife Nagarathna have officially been granted a divorce by the Karnataka High Court. The court has also directed Vijay to pay ₹2 crore as alimony to Nagarathna.

A Division Bench comprising Justice DK Singh and Justice H Shanthibhushan passed the order, taking into consideration Nagarathna’s future, the welfare of the couple’s three children, and Vijay Kumar’s social standing and financial position.

The actor had first approached the court seeking divorce in 2013. An attempt was made to reconcile the couple in 2014, following which Vijay withdrew his petition. However, differences between the two continued, and he filed for divorce again in 2018, citing mental cruelty.

The matter remained in court for years. In 2024, a family court dismissed Vijay’s divorce petition, following which he challenged the order before the High Court. The latest ruling has now brought the prolonged legal battle to an end.

Soon after the High Court order, Vijay Kumar released a statement thanking the court and his lawyers. While stating that he respects the court’s decision, he also made one request to the media and his fans: he does not want to speak publicly about the divorce or have the matter discussed further. Vijay specifically cited the well-being of his daughters while making the appeal. He said his daughters are adults and have established their own identities in society, and that he does not want them to face any embarrassment because of his personal matter.

The actor added that he has accepted the court’s decision keeping the future and welfare of his children in mind and is now ready to move towards a new phase of his life.

Vijay Kumar and Nagarathna married in 1999 and have three children: daughters Rithanya and Monisha, and son Samrat. Rithanya has made her acting debut with Landlord, while Monisha entered films with City Lights. Samrat is currently pursuing his education.

Vijay, who rose to prominence with Duniya, has since established himself as both an actor and filmmaker in Kannada cinema. His personal life, however, has been in the public spotlight for years due to the prolonged dispute.

With the High Court’s order, the marriage has now formally come to an end. Vijay Kumar, meanwhile, has made it clear that he wants to leave the matter behind and focus on what lies ahead. He is looking forward to the September 18 release of his next directorial venture, City Lights, starring Vinay Rajkumar and his daughter Monisha in her debut.