Actors Raqesh Bapat and Shamita Shetty, referred to as #ShaRa by fans, officially announced their breakup last week, after months of speculation. Bapat’s ex-wife, actor Ridhi Dogra, also put up a post stating how she has been receiving hate for the split. And Bapat is “shocked” by the entire episode: “I don’t know why people think this (that Dogra is the reason behind his breakup). She has been getting crap for no reason. And it hurts me when somebody talks this way to a dear person of mine. No third person can break a relationship. It is only up to the two people in the relationship.”

Calling his current equation with Shetty “great”, Bapat mentions that they will “always be cordial”. He adds, “It was one of the most beautiful phases of my life... And we realized not all people are the same in terms of their nature, how they look at life. If something doesn’t work out, it’s not necessary to be spiteful.”

The Qubool Hai actor admits that the “pressure” from their fandom did affect their relationship. “It’s not just two people who were involved, there’s a family of fans who are involved in it. I think this was like a marriage of two people with respect to the fans. So, it was our responsibility to not hurt them and tell them that it is not working out, and that we appreciate the love they gave us,” Bapat tells us.

The 43-year-old also confesses that the two “dealt with it (the breakup) very maturely.” “There was no crying or sobbing. It was just two people, who loved each other, taking a decision that’s best for each other,” he concludes.