Renowned actor Anumol has urged people not to waste time in toxic relationships, emphasising the importance of leaving such situations without hesitation. Talking at MBIFL 2025, she shared her personal experience, highlighting the emotional toll of staying in an unhealthy relationship for years.

"I had realised within three months that the relationship was not right, that something was wrong. Even though I knew it was not what I wanted, I chose to continue. As time passed, things only got worse," Anumol recalled.

Also Read

placeholder

Would love to venture into Malayalam cinema, maybe with Fahadh!: Shweta Tripathi

Reflecting on societal expectations, she said, "We are often told that once we find a partner, we must support them for life. My former partner dragged on our relationship by saying, ‘Stay with me, support me, I need to live well. I feel that I can do so with you by my side.’ Over time, my goal became to ‘fix’ him rather than focus on my own well-being. Every time I felt things were not working, I ended up blaming myself instead of recognising that he was the problem. And as a result, the relationship, which was meant to last just three months, continued for nearly seven years."

It was only after five years that she fully grasped the concept of toxicity. "Friends started telling me that he was toxic. At one point, frustration and pain made me wonder if I, too, had become toxic in response. In the beginning, if he said something hurtful, I would cry. Later, I started reacting with sarcasm. I felt as though I had unknowingly turned toxic myself," she admitted.

Anumol described reaching a breaking point, saying, "There came a moment when I thought, ‘I won’t be here anymore; all my family will have is my photograph.’ That was when I decided to walk away. The key takeaway is this: identify toxic relationships and, once you do, do not waste a single second in them."

She also spoke about how difficult it was to leave the relationship and the misplaced resentment she felt towards her parents. "There were times when I blamed them, saying, ‘Your parenting wasn’t right. It’s because of what you taught me that I endured so much,’" she revealed.

Anumol’s candid revelations serve as a powerful message, urging people to recognise toxic relationships early and prioritise their own well-being.