Weeks after announcing her separation from businessman Suraj Nambiar, actor Mouni Roy has responded to rumours about her sexual orientation that surfaced on social media following the end of their four-year marriage.

Speaking to Monika Sharma on her YouTube channel, the 40-year-old was asked about the most absurd rumour she had heard about herself. Without hesitation, Mouni replied, “Oh, that I am gay.” She also reflected on the strong support system that has helped her navigate challenging times.

“I have always had great girlfriends to support me. They have been there through my good, bad and ugly phases. It is very important to have women like that in your life, the ones who uplift you. My girlfriends are the best. I feel very lucky that I have always had friends and family who have stood by me like a rock,” she said.

Announcing their separation on May 14, Mouni and Suraj had shared a joint statement on Instagram, writing, “We would like to state that we have decided to part ways and are taking the necessary time to address matters privately and amicably. Attempts have been made to sensationalize our private lives by circulation of fictitious narratives and blatant falsehoods, which do not reflect the reality of our relationship. After thoughtful reflection on evolving personal priorities, we have mutually chosen to move forward on separate paths with respect and understanding.”

This is one festival that Mouni Roy eagerly awaits, however, this year the actress has missed most of the celebrations due to her shooting schedule. Amid work, she managed to make a quick visit to a pandal for pujo. Bombay Times captured her at Kumar Sanu’s MBCA Durga Puja in Mumbai. In a conversation with BT, she spoke about celebrating the power of women on Dussehra and her childhood memories of the festival. Excerpts:

The two most important days for me during pujo are the Maha Ashtami day and the Bijoya Dashami (Dussehra). On these two days, the celebrations and the energies are at their peak. It’s a mixed feeling on Dussehra because you prepare for Durga pujo for months, and then, on this day you bid Durga maa goodbye. As kids, I remember we used to wake up early, get ready in our white and red saris and head for sindoor khela. We would see women putting sindoor on each other’s foreheads, cheeks and their shakha pola (white and red bangles that married Bengali women wear).

It’s sad that women face these evils even today, but I think we are moving towards a world where women can command and demand equality. I come from a small town (Cooch Behar, West Bengal) and I have studied in Delhi. So, I have seen everything very closely, and I feel it is important that all men have the knowledge and wisdom to treat women as equals with respect in our day-to-day life and even at workspaces. In terms of our (movie) industry, times have changed a lot. We make many women-centric films today, and some of the biggest global superstars are Indian women. It’s moving in the right direction. But many things come into play when you talk about equality at work, like the films that are mounted on male superstars or heroes… I think everything is equivalent to the number of days that you work and what’s your part in the film. So, there are a lot of metrics at play. I hope and pray to see equality soon, but I don’t see that happening in the near future, but we are definitely taking the right steps.

I could go on and on about this because I am surrounded by women. My mom, aunts and other women are supremely intelligent… some of them are doctors, engineers and teachers. I grew up in a household that’s academically oriented, and we were always taught to be independent and to stand on our own feet. To have your individuality and be emotionally and financially independent is something I have been taught by my father and all the women around me. Now that I am working in Mumbai, I see my manager, stylists, and other team members around me, who are all hardworking women.

Since I’ve been married, I have always worked on Dussehra. So, I haven’t really been able to participate in sindoor khela. I believe that it signifies power, purity, courage and strength. Red is a very strong colour. Sindoor khela is where women celebrate each other’s strength and happiness. I hope I get to be a part of it next year. Suraj (Nambiar, her husband) is equally involved in the festivities. Last year, he came to Mumbai, and we did the puja and ate bhog together. Unfortunately, this year, he is not in the country.

Mouni Roy and her husband, Dubai-based businessman Suraj Nambiar, were dating for three years before they decided to take the plunge and tie the knot. The couple exchanged wedding vows last year on January 27. Mouni and Suraj, who come from completely different worlds, in an exclusive interview with Bombay Times on Valentine’s Day, for the first time, talk about how their romance blossomed and what it is that makes their marriage special. Read on…

MOUNI: For the first few years, Valentine’s Day was all about surprising each other with gifts. Now, it is about spending more time with each other. Though, I must say getting gifts for Suraj is quite a task as he doesn’t like any presents and constantly gets them exchanged. So, it is best I ask him to choose and pick things for himself. We celebrated our first Valentine's Day just a month and a half after we started dating. He gifted me something precious at an open-air theatre where they played one of my favourite classic movies.

SURAJ: Having lived out of India for over 12 years, I wasn’t aware that Mouni was an actress. We met at a New Year’s bash in 2018 in Dubai. I went to the bar to get my drink and saw this bunch of girls and that’s where we exchanged a few glances.

MOUNI: I was in Dubai with nine couples, who were my friends. I was the only single one, so my best friend said that she would help me find someone at the party, and there she found him. That evening we didn’t talk much, but later I ended up going to Dubai frequently and we kept meeting; that’s how it all started.

SURAJ: For a long time, I was against the idea of getting married. However, having experienced it for a year, I must say it is quite peaceful, and I would recommend it. Mouni was quite clear that she wanted to get married very early on. After a couple of years of dating, she clearly said it was either this way (getting married) or the highway. I just kept buying time. Then one day, she gave me an ultimatum, and I realized that if I didn’t marry her, I would lose her. That’s when I realized we should get married as I knew that my life would be better with her.

MOUNI: What works for us is the fact that we both are very occupied in our professional lives. So, the moments we get to spend with each other, we make the most of them. There’s a conscious effort to utilize this time positively. We have grown a lot in this relationship. It has been quite a journey. We have had our fair share of arguments. But today, we are at a stage where we can be with each other without complaining, and just be ourselves and be happy.

SURAJ: I also had a lot of apprehension about partially moving to Mumbai. I thought it would be tough, but I saw Mouni putting in a lot of effort to make me feel comfortable here. Now, her friends are my friends and vice versa. It’s been a journey of growth. We’ve always enjoyed doing things together, soon we are partnering over work, too.

SURAJ: In the early phase of our relationship, Mouni and I met in Dubai and places abroad. So, it wasn’t like she was constantly surrounded by fans and paps. It was only during my initial visits to Mumbai that I saw fans asking for her selfies and paps waiting to click her… that’s when it really hit me. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I wanted everything that came with it (dating an actor). I realized that being married to Mouni would mean that I would have to live in the public eye. It’s part of the deal, and with time, I am getting used to it.

SURAJ: It’s all about prioritizing. One person can’t have all the qualities. So, you have to ask yourself what are the three qualities that you absolutely need in a partner and then find that person. This is the longest relationship I have been in, and a big part of that is because I let go of a lot of unnecessary expectations (from my partner).

MOUNI: At the beginning of a relationship, you will never know if the person is right for you. All you can do is, give them a lot of love and respect. Also, give the person space, and like Suraj said, don’t have unnecessary expectations. If you treat your relationship with respect every single day, you will see it flourish, and the rest, of course, is destiny.

Mouni Roy is set to tie the knot with her beau, Suraj Nambiar, in Goa. The two-day affair will take place on January 26 and 27, with just 50 people in attendance. While the sangeet and a Bengali wedding will be held on January 26, the couple will exchange nuptial vows in the South Indian style on the following day. Suraj is a South Indian, and the couple wanted their wedding to be a mix rituals. A reception party was planned to take place in Mumbai a couple of days later. However, we hear that they have had to cancel their reception because of the Coronavirus pandemic-led restrictions.

Informs a source close to the actress, “Mouni and Suraj had planned a reception party for their friends and her industry colleagues. However, keeping in mind the surge in COVID-19 cases, they have cancelled the party. She doesn’t want to put anyone’s health at risk. Her family and close friends will be attending the wedding in Goa. Mouni has planned both a Bengali and South Indian-style wedding, as she wants to incorporate rituals from both regions on her big day.”

The actress didn’t respond to our text message

Actor Mouni Roy is all set to get married on January 27. We’ve learned that, contrary to rumours, Roy will not get hitched in Dubai, where her fiance, businessman Suraj Nambiar, is based. According to a source, Roy is, in fact, planning to tie the knot in Goa. “A five-star resort has been booked as the venue. Although invites have started going out, the guests have been asked to be tight-lipped about it. They have been asked to carry their vaccination certificates as well,” an insider informs.

It is further noted that a five-star resort near Vagator beach is the venue for the wedding. We have also gathered that the ceremony will take place in the afternoon and that it will be a beach wedding. 

Following the wedding, the couple intends to throw a dance party. Reportedly, Pratik Utekar and Rahul Shetty will be choreographing the dance routines. And Roy is trying her best to make Nambiar shake a leg, while he is being hesitant. It’s also being said that Roy had her bachelorette in Goa. The actor has been flying between Mumbai and Goa, overseeing the arrangements. And Nambiar is also in the country.  

According to reports, producers Karan Johar and Ekta Kapoor, designer Manish Malhotra, and actor Aashka Goradia Goble are among the ‘almost’ confirmed invitees.

There has been buzz about Mouni Roy tying the knot with beau Suraj Nambiar, a Dubai-based businessman. According to reports, Mouni’s cousin confirmed to a local newspaper in Cooch Behar, West Bengal, that she will marry Suraj on January 27. However, we have now got an exclusive update on the Naagin actress’ wedding. BT has learnt that Mouni and Suraj will have their pre-wedding rituals and exchange nuptial vows on January 26 and 27.

Mouni, who has always been tight-lipped about her personal life, could not be reached. However, a source said, “Her close friends have been asked to save the date. The venue is yet to be disclosed. It could be a destination wedding.”

Mouni started her acting career on the small screen with Kyunki... Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. She later featured in shows like Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev and Naagin. The actress then moved to Bollywood and made her debut with Gold. Her last theatrical release was Made in China opposite Rajkummar Rao.

If rumours are to be believed, Mouni Roy will tie the knot with her Dubai-based banker and businessman beau, Suraj Nambiar, in January. According to a report in India Today, Roy’s cousin, Vidyut Roysarkar, gave confirmation to a local newspaper about the Naagin actor’s wedding.

The 36-year-old’s nuptials will reportedly take place in Dubai or Italy, as the couple wants to keep the celebration private. Later, they plan to host a function in Roy’s hometown, Cooch Behar, in West Bengal.

Apparently, Roy has been dating Nambiar since 2019 and they got closer during her stay in Dubai last year.

Nambiar and Roy celebrated her birthday together in Goa on September 29, and this was evident from the photos of the location they posted on their respective Instagram accounts. She had also posted a story of Nambiar that had a pup and wrote, “Both mine. I love you.”

In August 2020, a video of Roy playing basketball in Dubai, with Nambiar seemingly cheering her in the background gave a hint of their relationship. In March, her social media PDA with Nambiar set the rumour mills churning. After she shared a series of dance videos on Instagram, Nambiar reacted with a ‘rawrs’, while she called him ‘babubabu’.

Apparently, Roy’s mother met Nambiar’s parents at her good friend, Mandira Bedi’s home earlier this year.

Despite repeated attempts, Roy was unavailable for a comment.