Kamal Haasan’s Ex-Wife Rubbishes the Actor’s Bankruptcy Story

Kamal Haasan’s ex-wife Vani Ganapathi rubbishes his claim of going bankrupt because of their divorce settlement

Vani Ganapathy and Kamal Haasan parted ways 28 years ago but the past is back to haunt them. While the actor claims to have gone bankrupt in the process of settling their divorce, his ex-wife has rubbished his claim. Haasan was married to Ganapathy, a classical dancer for ten years (1978-1988).

In a recent interview published in the Times of India, the superstar admitted that his divorce with the Bengaluru based classical dancer Vani Ganapathy had left him with no money. In an excerpt from the joint interview with his daughter Shruti Haasan, the superstar revealed his side of the story.

Just around the time she (Shruti) was born, I had lost all my money due to the various alimony settlements with Vani that I had to pay and had to restart with a zero bank balance. My father thought, because of that, I should not have a complex, so he started calling Shruti a ‘Millionheiress’. It was a sort of his goodwill cheer. I was living suddenly in a rented house, which I was not used to, but fortunately my career was in great shape.
– Kamal Haasan

Ganapathy however narrated a totally different version to The Economic Times rubbishing everything the actor’s version.

Do you really believe that in India, an alimony, which is part of a divorce, can make a man bankrupt or that it ever settles a woman comfortably? Does the court even give such an order to settle the woman comfortably? No.
– Vani Ganapathy

According to Ganapathy, the couple had lived in two rented accommodations throughout their marriage, with the exception of spending some time in their family house that was owned by Haasan’s father.

All through our marriage (1978-88), we lived in two rented apartments. Except when we lived in the family house, of course, with Kamal’s brother, Mr Charuhasan, his wife and three daughters. Those years were in the house which belonged to the family and when Kamal’s father was very much alive. So to make it look like he was living in the most palatial house and then had to move to a rented house after our divorce is a complete hog wash. I think Kamal was trying to get the sympathy of I don’t know who — maybe his daughter — to make himself look like the father who sacrificed so much and that’s just very, very, very petty and childish.
– Vani Ganapathy

Ganapathy also said in the interview that Haasan always liked to place the blame elsewhere instead of owning up to his mistakes and that he was never bankrupt.

Kamal can’t just blame somebody else for his situation. Anyway, he was never the type who took the blame on himself — be it about his films or his personal life. He’s just looking for somebody to blame all the time. Honestly, I don’t know if he was bankrupt at that time. I don’t think he was bankrupt. But if he was, there could be other reasons. I could guess the reasons for his bankruptcy, but that’s not something I want to discuss.
– Vani Ganapathy