In February 2025, the two filed for divorce. And by March, the marriage was officially over. What followed was a storm of online trolling that refused to let Dhanashree breathe in peace.
In the world of celebrities, personal lives often become public property. Every smile, every silence, every heartbreak is dissected by millions. For Dhanashree Verma, life after her divorce from Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal has been exactly that: an open book, read and judged by strangers.
The couple tied the knot in December 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown. Their love story, which began with dance and laughter, became a lockdown fairytale for fans.
In February 2025, the two filed for divorce. And by March, the marriage was officially over. What followed was a storm of online trolling that refused to let Dhanashree breathe in peace.
Social media turned ruthless. Thousands labeled her a "gold digger," ignoring her own career as a choreographer and influencer. The trolling reached another level when Chahal appeared at their final hearing wearing a cheeky T-shirt that read, "Be Your Own Sugar Daddy."
That one picture was enough to fuel endless memes and harsh comments.
But Dhanashree, instead of disappearing into silence, has chosen to face the criticism head-on. Currently, she is a contestant on Ashneer Grover's reality show 'Rise and Fall,' where she has spoken openly about the respect she held for her marriage.
In a heart-to-heart with fellow contestants, she explained that for her, dignity mattered even when the relationship was falling apart.
"When you are married, the respect of the other person is in your hands too," she said softly. "Of course, I could have spoken disrespectfully. Do you think I don't have things to say as a woman? But he was my husband. I respected him then, and I respect the fact that I was married to him even now."
The show has also given her a stage to address the "gold digger" tag in her own witty style. In a promo clip, contestants were asked to pick between a gold bag worth ₹2 lakh and a silver bag worth ₹1 lakh.
Actor Arjun Bijlani, paired with Dhanashree, joked, "Diamonds and silver don't suit me. Gold suits me."
Everyone laughed, but Dhanashree's reply stole the moment. With a smile, she said, "I cannot say this line. If I say it, even the love that I might receive in the future will disappear."
Apart from Dhanashree, 'Rise and Fall' has gathered an eclectic mix of contestants: Arjun Bijlani, Kubbra Sait, Sangeeta Phogat, Anaya Bangar, Aarush Bhola, Akriti Negi, Noorin Sha, Kiku Sharda, Aditya Narayan, Aahana Kumra, Bali, Nayandeep Rakshit, Arbaz Patel, and Pawan Singh.
Hosted by Ashneer Grover, the show streams on Amazon MX Player at noon and airs on Sony Entertainment Television at 10:30 PM.