Veteran playback singer Kumar Sanu earlier this year secured a significant legal victory in a defamation suit filed against his ex-wife Rita Bhattacharya. In January, the Bombay High Court restrained from giving any contentious interviews about him, bringing relief to the singer after a prolonged legal battle.

Speaking about the judgement, Sanu expressed a sense of closure and emphasized the importance of maintaining dignity in personal matters. “We have decided that no one will throw mud at each other. Personal life is personal and it should not be made public. I don’t feel anyone has the right to defame someone just like that,” he said.

Highlighting the emotional toll of such allegations, the singer added, “Whatever I am today, I struggled for 40 years to reach this place. I made my name. If someone tries to defame me in a minute, that is not right. That’s why I went to court,” he stated.

On the professional front, Sanu remains content with his journey in the music industry. He is glad to see his classic songs resonate with younger audiences. “It’s wonderful to see those songs being performed on television shows. The younger generation is rediscovering them, and we should be happy that our music is still being played even after 40 years,” he said.

The singer continues to be busy with recordings, live performances and focusing on his official YouTube channel. “The biggest thing is that my channel releases two new songs every month. That keeps me very busy,” he shared.

Sanu also commented on reports surrounding Arijit Singh potentially stepping back from the spotlight. Calling it a personal decision, he said, “That is his choice. This is not the age of retirement, but whatever decision he has taken, it takes a lot of courage.”

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday granted ad-interim relief to singer Kumar Sanu in his Rs. 50 crore defamation suit against his ex-wife, Rita Bhattacharya, filed in December 2025.

The court also passed a gag order in Sanu’s favour, restraining Rita and several independent media houses from publishing any allegedly defamatory statements about the singer or his family.

Reacting to the order, Sanu’s lawyer Sana Raees Khan said the relief protects a reputation built over decades and reinforces that “dignity and reputation are legally protected rights”.

Rita’s counsel, Atif Noor Hasan Shaikh, urged the bench to refer the matter for mediation and said Rita would remain present on the next date. He added that her reply and supporting evidence would be filed through due process, and she was open to an amicable resolution, including mediation, “for the sake of Kumar Sanu and their three sons Jesee, Zicco and Jaan Bhattacharya”.

Sanu, who separated from Rita in 1994 and divorced in 2001, is seeking Rs. 50 crore in damages, alleging she made false claims about him through social media and interviews, harming his reputation and goodwill.

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My reputation is the result of years of dedication and my family should never have had to suffer because of the defamatory statements that affected my reputation and our dignity.

- Kumar Sanu

Singer Kumar Sanu has sent a legal notice to his ex-wife Rita Bhattacharya over allegations that he and his family deprived her of food and basic necessities during her third pregnancy.

“We will ensure that malicious attempts to defame him are met with the full force of the law to protect his dignity, legacy and family honour. No individual or media platform has the right to malign a father’s honour or trade his family’s respect for sensationalism,” his lawyer Sana Raees Khan said in a statement on Thursday.

Rita had said in an interview on Saturday: “He denied them milk. He denied them medical care. You don’t know how much this man has tortured my children. The milkman told me he’d been told not to come over anymore, but he still gave me milk. Same with the doctor who delivered all three of my sons.” She also said she was given only Rs. 100 during the divorce and had to sell her jewellery to survive.

Kumar Sanu (67) married Rita in 1980 and divorced in 1994 after a turbulent marriage. During that time, Kumar was also linked to actor Kunickaa Sadanand. He later married Saloni Bhattacharya in 2001, with whom he has two daughters.

Kumar Sanu is hurt by his youngest son Jaan Kumar Sanu’s recent comment that his father has never been a part of his life. Jaan, who was recently evicted from the Bigg Boss house, also said that he has been brought up single-handedly by his mother, Rita Bhattacharya. Speaking to BT from Los Angeles, Kumar Sanu said, “It is sad that Jaan is saying all this about me when he met me right before he went into the Bigg Boss house. He says I haven’t given them anything, but the fact is that during the divorce, I gave Rita ji what she had asked for, including my very first bungalow.”

The veteran singer shared, “The court had given custody of our three children to her because they were quite young. She has raised them single-handedly, which is commendable. I used to meet them under restrictions for a limited time. Later, after I remarried, I moved out of India because I did not have much work in Mumbai. But whenever I visited India, I would get in touch with my sons (Jessy, Jeeko and Jaan). We went out for dinner a few times. They were busy with their lives, but whenever they contacted me, I would try to be available if I was in Mumbai. We were in touch over calls. My work is such that I can never be in one place for a long duration. I can’t even stay with my wife Saloni and my two daughters for a long span of time, as I have to travel all over the world for concerts.”

One of the allegations that Jaan made was that his father never helped him in his career. Jaan told BT, “I have no idea why he never supported or promoted me as a singer… you can ask him why. I find it quite silly when people say I am a product of nepotism. I have created my own path.”

Reacting to this, Kumar Sanu said, “Jaan would send me songs and ask me what I thought about his singing. I have always encouraged him, and I always will. He asked me to call a few industry people who I know. I called Mukesh Bhatt ji, Ramesh Taurani ji and a few others, and Jaan went to meet them, but now it’s up to them if they want to give him work. In fact, when Jaan wanted to be a part of some of my live concerts, I let him join me for a few.”

Talking about his son’s comment on his mother bringing him up single-handedly, Kumar Sanu said, “I’ve heard him say in his interviews and also in Bigg Boss that his mother is his mom and dad for him. I appreciate his respect for his mom, and I believe in giving even more respect to his mother. He should write his name as Jaan Rita Bhattacharya, not Jaan Kumar Sanu because, firstly, she has done a lot for him, and secondly, people will compare him with me, which won’t be good for him as a newcomer. I’d be the happiest father to see him successful.” He added, “Recently, when I tested positive for Coronavirus, I was all alone. I was so weak and sick that I couldn’t go to the washroom by myself, but none of my sons bothered to ask about my health. Love can’t be just one-sided; it’s always two ways.”

— With inputs from Tanvi Trivedi