Taking to Twitter, Naga Chaitanya said, “After much deliberation and thought, Sam and I have decided to part ways as husband and wife to pursue our own paths. We are fortunate to have a friendship of over a decade that was the very core of our relationship which we believe will always hold a special bond between us.”

“We request our fans, well wisher and the media to support us during this difficult time and give us the privacy we need to move on. Thank you for your support,” he added. Samantha also issued a similar statement on her Instagram profile.

It was widely speculated by the media that the couple was heading for a divorce in the past few months, particularly after Samantha seemingly hinted at this by removing the surname of Akkineni from her Twitter and Instagram accounts, changing it to ‘S’. However, even after multiple attempts by the media to clarify the rumors about their marriage, the couple did not rubbish or deny them, only aggravating the speculation that all was not well between the couple.

In an interview with Flim Companion, Samantha was asked about the speculation, for which she responded by saying that she will not be “bulldozed” into saying something just because people were talking about it. Samantha, not attending the birthday party of actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, her father-in-law, in August, also fuelled further speculation.

Samantha Akkineni and Naga Chaitanya’s marriage life has been the talk of the town for a month now. Both of them remained silent and never addressed the rumours till today.  This heartbreaking news is really difficult for fans to digest as they have loved the couple since their first film and also have a special hashtag #Chaysam.

On being asked about relocating to Mumbai during an Instagram Q&A session, she said, “I don’t know where this rumour started but just like a hundred other rumours, not true. Hyderabad is my home, will always be my home. Hyderabad is giving me everything and I will continue to live here very happily.”

Earlier on Saturday, Samantha had shared a post on what she thinks in moments of despair. “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it – always.” She shared it with the hashtag #MYMOMMASAID.

Samantha Akkineni and Naga Chaitanya fell in love on the sets of their film Ye Maya Chesave and had a fairytale destination wedding in 2017 in Goa. They took vows first in a traditional Hindu wedding followed by a Christian wedding amidst close friends and family members.