‘Disgusted to call you our father': When Mahabharat actor Nitish Bharadwaj spoke about abuse and alienation in his marriage; impact on parent and children

Indian Express

14 hours ago

The emotional toll of separation and divorce can be overwhelming, especially when children are involved. Actor Nitish Bharadwaj, best known for playing Krishna in BR Chopra's Mahabharat, shared a personal account of such a situation in an old interview, shedding light on the impact of parental alienation and emotional abuse within marriage.
In conversation with Telly Talk India, when asked if he would ever marry again, Bharadwaj replied, 'In this marriage, I have faced extreme amounts of abuse of all sorts, and even now with parental alienation, my two children are being taken away from me. If I tell you only the two lines my 11-year-old daughter told me, 'Papa, we are disgusted to call you our father,' this is what one child told me.'
Questioning how the relationship with his children deteriorated, he reflected, 'Why is the child saying this after doing everything?' He believes it is the result of alienation. Nitish added, 'It's a lie that I am asking for money. I'm asking for my money that I was cheated of. I feel I'm cheated. So today, it is my children's battle I'm fighting.'
Despite the trauma, he hasn't lost faith in love or companionship. 'The institution of marriage is special to me. I believe in it. I have seen many, many, successful marriages including my parents' marriage.'
Jai Arora, counselling psychologist and co-founder of Kirana Counselling, tells indianexpress.com, 'Parental alienation occurs when one parent manipulates or influences a child to reject the other parent without just cause and by feeding them biased information about the other parent. This can involve subtle messaging or direct character attacks. For the child, it can distort their understanding of love, trust, and attachment, leading to anxiety, guilt, identity confusion, and relationship issues later in life.'
For the alienated parent, it's emotionally devastating. He adds, 'They may experience symptoms similar to grief, deep sadness, helplessness, and a prolonged sense of loss. Over time, it can also affect their mental health, self-esteem, and belief in their parenting ability.'
'Abuse, especially within intimate relationships, can leave deep wounds of self-doubt, shame, and fear. Therapy offers a space to process these wounds and reclaim self-worth,' notes Arora.
It's equally important to build legal and emotional support systems — friends, lawyers, therapists — who can provide clarity when emotions are running high. 'Parents need to remind themselves that healing is not linear; setbacks will occur. Women in particular, due to societal conditioning, may jump into 'only taking care of their children' and not giving enough attention to their own needs after the separation. The focus must remain on modelling emotional regulation and healthy coping, for both parents and the children,' asserts Arora.
Keep showing up, even in small ways — sending birthday cards, emails, or short messages that say 'I'm here, whenever you're ready.'
Arora recommends, 'Try to look at and understand the place from where the comments are coming from. Parents should learn not to see these as attacks on the self but rather as an insight into the child's inner world.'
He adds that when possible, involve a child therapist or family counsellor who can mediate and help restore communication without pressure. Over time, the quiet presence, not loud declarations, often rebuilds trust.