Raj Kundra has recalled reaching an emotional breaking point during his 2021 jail stay, saying divorce rumours involving Shilpa Shetty left him feeling suicidal before her reassurance restored his confidence.
WEBDESK – SHARJAH NEWS
Businessman and actor Raj Kundra has opened up about one of the darkest periods of his life, recalling how rumours that his wife, actor Shilpa Shetty, was leaving him pushed him to an emotional breaking point during his 2021 imprisonment.
In a recent interview with ABP News, Kundra spoke about his 63-day stay at Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail following his arrest in a case involving alleged production and distribution of pornographic content. He said the prison experience was already difficult when reports surfaced claiming that Shetty was planning to divorce him.
Kundra said the reports were later proved to be false, but their initial impact on him was severe.
‘I felt like ending my life’
Recalling the night he heard the reports, Kundra said he struggled to sleep and felt there was no reason to continue living because of the importance of his wife and family.
He described the moment as one in which he genuinely contemplated suicide.
The comments underline the emotional toll Kundra says the combination of imprisonment, media scrutiny and uncertainty about his family took on him. His remarks were specifically about how he felt at that time, rather than an indication of his current mental state.
According to Kundra, the situation changed the following day when he spoke to Shetty by phone.
He recalled her reassuring him that the divorce reports were false and telling him that she trusted him and remained with him.
Kundra said that conversation gave him renewed strength. He described feeling that if his wife and family continued to support him, he could face the challenges ahead.
Raj Kundra’s 2021 arrest and jail stay
Kundra was arrested by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch in July 2021 over allegations linked to the production and distribution of pornographic films through mobile applications.
He was subsequently lodged at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai under judicial custody. A metropolitan magistrate’s court granted him bail on Sept. 20, 2021, on a surety of Rs 50,000. He walked out of the jail the following day.
At the time, police had alleged that Kundra was connected to the creation and distribution of pornographic content through apps. Kundra’s legal team denied the allegations and argued that investigators had not established his involvement in the production or uploading of the content.
The magistrate court, while granting bail, noted that the investigation had progressed and said the accused could not be kept in custody indefinitely while the trial continued.
Shilpa Shetty’s support became a turning point
Kundra’s latest recollection places Shetty’s support at the centre of how he managed the emotional pressure of his imprisonment.
The couple, who have been married since 2009, faced intense media scrutiny during the case, with Shetty also being questioned by investigators at the time. Despite the public speculation surrounding their relationship, Kundra now says her reassurance during his jail term became a crucial source of emotional strength.
His account also highlights the impact that unverified reports can have on people experiencing already intense personal or legal pressure.
Years after the arrest and jail stay, Kundra’s comments offer a more personal account of the psychological strain he says he experienced away from the public eye.
The businessman has previously spoken about the physical and emotional difficulties of his time in custody. His latest comments focus particularly on the moment he believed his marriage was falling apart — and how a single conversation with Shetty changed his outlook.
