Actor Ravi Mohan has finally addressed the controversy surrounding his separation from estranged wife Aarti Ravi and his association with singer Keneeshaa Francis.
The issue gained momentum after Ravi and Keneeshaa began appearing together in public following his separation announcement.
Social media speculation intensified, with several users alleging that Keneeshaa had played a role in the breakdown of his marriage.
Aarti Ravi had also added to the controversy by stating that she was not informed in advance about Ravi’s separation announcement. Ravi, on the other hand, later accused her of causing him severe emotional distress over the years.
The controversy took a dramatic turn when Keneeshaa announced that she was leaving Chennai, social media and her professional commitments.
In an emotional Instagram statement, she said she had “walked into this story with love” and was walking out of it “with silence.” She also said she was tired of noise, judgment and manufactured narratives.
Before posting the farewell note, Keneeshaa had uploaded and later deleted two videos addressing the controversy.
In those videos, she denied allegations that she was responsible for Ravi Mohan’s marital problems. She said she had first known him in a professional capacity and later became his friend.
“I disconnected from my assignment in therapy and became a friend. Ravi Mohan is not a child. He knows whom to talk to and how to live his life,” she said.
The backlash against the two increased after Ravi and Keneeshaa attended a wedding together.
It further intensified after she posted a video from her performance at Meenkulathi Bagavathi Temple, where Ravi was seen cheering for her and embracing her after the event.
During a press conference in Chennai, Ravi Mohan revealed that he had decided to put his acting career on hold until his divorce was legally finalised and the online abuse stopped.
“Until my divorce comes through, I will not act. I am not able to. Whenever I get my divorce, my life will be normal again. Whenever this cyberbullying stops, I will return,” he said.
Ravi said the last two years had taken a serious emotional toll on him. He explained that he was not mentally prepared to continue working while his private life was being constantly discussed and judged in public.
He also became emotional while speaking about Keneeshaa’s decision to leave Chennai, saying public hostility had effectively “sent her away.”
During the same interaction, Ravi made serious allegations against Aarti Ravi and her family. He claimed he had endured humiliation for years and said he had entered the marriage against his parents’ wishes.
“They are not letting me meet my sons. My sons are being assisted by bodyguards. I entered marriage against the will of my parents. I am paying the price now for doing that,” he said.
Ravi also claimed that he had once slit his wrists and still reported to a film shoot the next day, saying it showed his commitment to work.
He further alleged that he had been living a “hellish life” from the beginning and claimed that PR groups were being used to cyberbully him. He said he was unable to live without his children.
Ravi also referred to an “idly nadigai” and alleged that the actress had ruined his family. Though he did not name anyone, many social media users speculated that he was referring to Khushbu Sundar, who has openly supported Aarti Ravi.
Khushbu later responded on X, writing, “Some are just hell bent to prove their DNA. Thank you for proving me right.”
Ravi Mohan was recently seen in Sivakarthikeyan’s Parasakthi and the romantic entertainer Kadhalikka Neramillai.
