‘I felt like a pet; I’m not a spider to be put in a glass cage’: Kris Venugopal

Television star and voice artist Kris Venugopal married serial actress Divya Sreedhar last Wednesday, marking a second marriage for both. Soon after their wedding photos circulated, the couple faced criticism online.

Much of the debate focused on the age difference between the two. Social media posts, reacting to Kris’s white beard, speculated he was as old as 60. Rumours also surfaced alleging Kris had betrayed his first wife, who reportedly hasn’t removed his name from her social media accounts. In response to these discussions, Kris and Divya addressed the public together.

Venugopal recently opened up about his first marriage, describing it as one where he felt a lack of freedom. In a YouTube interview, he revealed the difficulty of leaving that relationship and shared that he married Divya four years after his divorce.

“My first marriage was a relationship where I wasn’t allowed to stay with my family. I couldn’t accept that because I have to take care of my parents. I wasn’t allowed to have guests, make phone calls, or even go out. I ended up feeling like a pet. I’m not a spider to be kept in a glass cage; I’m a human being. It was with a heavy heart that I walked away from that life six years ago,” Kris explained.

“I filed for divorce in 2019, and the case was finalised in 2022. Nine months later, I felt ready to share my life with someone. There was someone, but unfortunately, she passed away. Later, I met Divya and got married," he added. 

Venugopal also expressed frustration over YouTube videos discussing his personal life. “Some have posted videos calling a certain person my wife. It’s all on the internet. I had already publicly shared that I was divorced. Those who made these videos could have clarified things with me before posting content that tarnishes someone’s life,” he said.

Before his television career, Venugopal was a radio jockey and has lent his voice to numerous commercials. He currently works as a motivational speaker, writer, voice coach, and hypnotherapist.