Badshah, Isha Rikhi confirm divorce after 5 months of marriage: 'Decision made with mutual respect'

Rapper Badshah and Punjabi actor Isha Rikhi have confirmed their separation, five months after reports of their marriage first emerged. The couple addressed the speculation surrounding their relationship on 31 August through identical statements posted on their respective Instagram Stories.

In the statements, Badshah and Rikhi said they had mutually decided to go their separate ways and appealed to the public to respect their privacy.

Badshah, Isha Rikhi issue joint statement

The couple said the decision to end their marriage was mutual and made with respect for each other.

“I and Isha Rikhi have mutually decided to part ways and move forward on our separate paths. This decision has been made with mutual respect, and we request everyone to kindly respect our privacy during this time.”

They also asked people not to speculate about the reasons behind their separation.

“This will be our only statement on the matter. We sincerely request that there be no further speculation or assumptions regarding our relationship.”

A relationship largely kept private

Badshah and Rikhi had largely maintained a low profile throughout their relationship. Reports about their marriage surfaced in March 2026, when Isha's mother, Poonam Rikhi, shared photographs from what was described as an intimate ceremony.

The couple had reportedly been together for nearly four years before getting married.

Isha later confirmed the marriage herself during an Instagram Ask Me Anything session in June 2026. Despite that confirmation, the couple continued to keep details of their married life away from the public eye.

Isha's posts fuelled speculation

Questions about their relationship began circulating in July after Isha shared a series of posts on social media.

On 26 July, she posted a montage featuring photographs and videos of herself and Badshah with the caption, "Every storm is a lesson. Every prayer is hope", accompanied by heartbreak and folded-hands emojis.

She subsequently shared a longer post about personal struggles, writing, “There are battles that leave no visible scars. For a long time, I remained silent because I was afraid. I felt overwhelmed by the influence, power, and resources I believed my husband had, and I convinced myself that staying quiet was the safest thing to do. Silence was never acceptance. It was survival. Today, I'm choosing courage over fear. I may not be ready to tell the whole story, but I'm finally ready to stop pretending that everything was okay.”

The posts led to speculation about the couple's marriage. Around the same time, Isha's mother shared posts referring to karma, further fuelling online discussion. Neither Badshah nor Isha addressed the speculation at the time.

Badshah's second marriage to end

The separation marks Badshah's second marriage to end in divorce.

He was previously married to Jasmine Masih, whom he married in 2012. The couple welcomed their daughter, Jessemy Grace Masih Singh, in January 2017 before separating and finalising their divorce in 2020.

Following their separation, Jasmine moved to London with their daughter. Badshah and Jasmine have continued to co-parent Jessemy.

Isha Rikhi linked to Bigg Boss 20

The separation announcement also comes amid reports that Rikhi has been approached for Bigg Boss 20.

Salman Khan is set to return as the host of the upcoming season. However, neither Isha nor the show's makers have officially confirmed her participation.

Badshah releases Marathi track Chimna

On the same day as the separation announcement, 31 August, Badshah also released his first Marathi hip-hop track, Chimna.

The song features Divya Kumar and Marathi folk artist Nagesh Morwekar, with music produced by Hiten. Marathi actor Neha Khan also appears in the music video.

Speaking about the track, Badshah said, “India's regional music is a goldmine, and I want to celebrate every corner of it. 'Chimna' is my love letter to Maharashtra’s rich creative canvas. I am incredibly grateful for how this project turned out, and this one’s dedicated to all my day one Maharashtrian fans!”