For much of their relationship, Badshah and Isha Rikhi chose to keep their personal lives away from public attention. Even their marriage came to light through social media speculation before the couple themselves addressed it. Months after finally confirming that they were husband and wife, the rapper and Punjabi actor have now announced that they are going their separate ways.
Badshah and Isha shared matching statements on their Instagram Stories on August 31, confirming that they had “mutually decided to part ways and move forward on our separate paths.” They described the decision as one made with mutual respect and asked people to give them privacy. The couple also said the statement would be their only comment on the matter, requesting that there be no further assumptions about their relationship.
Their marriage had itself been a relatively private affair. Rumours began circulating in March after photographs from what appeared to be an intimate wedding were shared online by Rikhi’s mother, Poonam Rikhi. Badshah and Isha were reportedly together for around four years before tying the knot. At the time, neither immediately offered a detailed confirmation.
It was only in June that Isha addressed the marriage herself. During an Instagram Ask Me Anything session, she responded to repeated questions about her relationship with Badshah and confirmed that she was married to the rapper. She also shared a photograph of the couple and jokingly suggested that her husband owed fans an explanation about why they did not follow each other on Instagram.
Isha is known for her work in Punjabi cinema and has appeared in films including Happy Go Lucky, Nikka Zaildar 2 and Naukar Vahuti Da. Badshah, meanwhile, is among the prominent names in the Indian independent music and Hindi film music space, known for tracks such as 'DJ Waley Babu', 'Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai ' and 'Genda Phool', besides his work as a composer and rapper.
The marriage was Badshah’s second. He was previously married to Jasmine Masih, with whom he has a daughter. Badshah and Rikhi have not disclosed any reason for their decision to separate and have specifically asked against speculation about the circumstances surrounding their split.