It’s official now. Kerala’s star couple Dileep and Manju Warrier’s divorce proceedings have begun with the former filing a petition Thursday seeking a divorce.
Dileep filed the petition at a family court in Kochi and also requested the court to see that the details of the petition and the case are not published by the media citing a Supreme Court directive. The court agreed to his plea.
Dileep and Manju, who got married in 1998, have been living separately for a while now and their teenage daughter has been staying with her father.
Manju, an experienced danseuse, took a break from her acting career after marriage, but last year she re-launched her dancing career and acted alongside Amitabh Bachchan in an ad film. Rumours then started making the rounds that the couple has decided to separate. Manju, however, then went on to face the arclights on the set of How Old Are You.
The court Thursday posted hearing on Dileep’s petition for July 23 and asked Manju to also be present. On that day, the court will decide if there is a need for an in-camera proceeding as requested by Dileep.
Meanwhile, Dileep has also filed a caveat stating that in case Manju files a petition, he should be heard before the court admits it.
Manju, now 35, began her career in films in 1995 and in a short span of four years acted in 20 films before her marriage in 1998.
Some of her best known films include Sallapam, Ee Puzhayum Kadannu, Thooval Kottaram, Kaliyattam, Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu, Daya, Summer in Bethlehem and Pathram.
In her career, she won four Filmfare Awards South for Malayalam best actress and one National Film Award — Special Jury Award for her performance in Kannezhuthi Pottum Thottu in 1999.
