What Sangeetha's divorce petition says about Vijay and their marriage

Sangeeta Vijay (who goes with the spelling 'Sankgeetha'), wife of Tamil film actor and politician Joseph Vijay Chandrasekar, has filed a petition before the District Court at Chengalpattu seeking dissolution of their 26-year marriage, alleging adultery, mental cruelty and desertion.

The petition, filed on December 3, 2025 under the Special Marriage Act, 1954, states that the marriage has "effectively ceased to exist and survives only on paper."

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The petitioner, a 48-year-old British citizen, says she discovered in April 2021 that her husband was involved in an adulterous relationship with an actress — a relationship he continued "without remorse" despite initial assurances that he would end it. She has withheld the actress's name for now but has reserved the right to implead her as a co-respondent. Two rounds of legal notices and two personal meetings, the last on November 9, 2025, failed to produce a settlement.

The marriage

The petition states that Sangeetha and Vijay — son of SA Chandrasekar and Shobha Chandrasekar — were first legally wed on July 10, 1998, in the United Kingdom. A ceremonial marriage according to Hindu customs and rites was held on August 25, 1999, at the Rajah Muthiah Mandram, Egmore, Chennai. Sangeetha, who holds a BSc in Biomedical Science from London, subsequently moved to India to join her husband.

The couple lived at various addresses in Chennai — first at Saligramam, then at Kasturba Nagar, Adyar — before settling at their current matrimonial home at No 36, Casuarina Drive, Sri Kapaleeshwar Nagar, Neelankarai, Chennai – 600 115. The marriage produced two children: son Jason Sanjay, born on July 25, 2000, now 25 years old, and daughter Dhivya Sasha, born on September 9, 2005, now 20 years old.

The petition acknowledges that in the initial years, the marital relationship was cordial and harmonious. Vijay provided a comfortable lifestyle, while Sangeetha "devoted herself to the household, the upbringing of the children, and the welfare of her husband". The couple regularly travelled abroad on family vacations, and Vijay took his wife to film-related functions and social gatherings.

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Vijay, the petition notes, is "a prominent actor in the Tamil film industry, commanding substantial remuneration and widespread popularity." In 2024, he entered politics and founded the political party Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), which has since been recognised by the Election Commission of India.

Alleged discovery of adultery

The unravelling of the marriage, the petition states, began in April 2021, when Sangeetha allegedly discovered that her husband was involved in an "adulterous relationship with an actress". "This caused her deep emotional pain and mental suffering, amounting to betrayal and violation of marital trust," the petition states.

Though Vijay initially assured her that he would end the relationship, he "continued the adulterous association without remorse", "subjecting the petitioner to prolonged mental cruelty." Between September 2021 and February 2022, Sangeetha attempted through her counsel to resolve the matter amicably, the petition adds.

Notices were exchanged, but no resolution was reached. The petition notes that the proceedings were deferred at the time out of consideration for the children's studies and emotional well-being, and that Sangeetha "at no point condoned the Respondent's conduct."

'Desertion and public humiliation'

The petition goes on to describe a sustained pattern of emotional and physical withdrawal by the respondent. Since 2021, he reportedly neglected Sangeetha emotionally, mentally and physically — withdrawing from conjugal relations, excluding her from his social and professional life, and deliberately distancing himself. She was allegedly treated with verbal disdain and subjected to what the petition calls "constructive desertion," effectively forcing her to live separately within the matrimonial home itself.

Matters worsened, according to the petition, because the respondent continued travelling abroad and attending public events with the actress in question. The actress regularly posted photographs of these outings on social media, and "the Respondent neither denied nor objected to these posts, thereby tacitly endorsing them." These widely circulated posts, the petition states, caused repeated humiliation to Sangeetha and the couple's children, and led to embarrassment in their social circle and among the children's friends.

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The petition is careful not to name the actress at this stage. Sangeetha states that she refrains from doing so "in order to avoid unnecessary publicity and protect the reputation of all parties," but reserves the right to implead the actress as a second respondent if the burden of proof is imposed on her during proceedings.

Attempts at resolution

By 2024, the respondent's continued adulterous conduct and repeated social media controversies were causing Sangeetha "constant mental torture", the petition claims. Despite her silence to avoid public scandal, she once again reached out through her counsel, exchanging notices and correspondence between August 2024 and February 2025 in the hope of an amicable resolution, it adds.

Instead of remorse, the respondent "responded by withdrawing facilities previously enjoyed" by Sangeetha as his wife and imposing financial restrictions, including, the petition alleges, curtailment of her freedom of movement. The replies from the respondent's counsel "reflected financial dominance and superiority" and further humiliated her, it claims.

Two personal discussions were also held between the parties in the hope of reaching "a mutually honourable exit," the last of which took place on November 9, 2025. Both attempts failed. "The Petitioner is therefore left with no alternative but to approach this Hon'ble Court," the petition states.

What the petitioner seeks

Sangeetha has prayed for the following relief from the court:

1) Dissolution of the marriage

2) Right to continue residing at the matrimonial home at Neelankarai

3) Fair and reasonable permanent alimony

Noting the sensitive nature of the subject matter, Sangeetha has also prayed that the entire proceedings be conducted in camera. She has further sought an interim order of injunction restraining social media platforms, YouTube channels, Facebook pages, and other print and digital media outlets from hosting interviews, public discussions, or publishing any material relating to the proceedings, in accordance with Section 33(1) of the Special Marriage Act, 1954. Without such a restraint, she argues, the petitioner and her family would be subjected to further humiliation and mental agony.