‘I have to choose which battle to fight, and my brother takes priority right now’: Celina Jaitly on separation from her children and brother’s UAE detention

Calina Jaitly speaks about her abusive marriage

Talking about her marriage, Calina Jaitly said, “I was in a very abusive and bad marriage. But you do everything to make your marriage work when you have children. When you don’t have parents, when you no longer have your assets, you do everything to keep your marriage going for your children.”

Celina revealed that after fleeing her home in Austria and returning to India on October 11, she has been almost entirely cut off from her three sons. “I haven’t been able to reach my sons since I came here. After getting an injunction order from the High Court in Austria, I was able to talk to my sons, but that too was cut abruptly in two minutes. Since I have escaped to India, I have spoken to my children only twice,” she said.

Celina on being separated from her children

The actor spoke about the emotional toll of being separated from her children. “I keep thinking what my sons are going through, what they are being put through. I don’t know what they think about their mother. They are little, they can be influenced. Maybe one day when they grow up, they will understand the trial of their mother. But right now, I have to choose which battle to fight, and my brother takes priority,” Celina shared.

Legal fight to access her Mumbai home

Speaking about her financial struggles, Celina Jaitly disclosed that she had to legally fight for access to her own Mumbai home. “When I reached Mumbai, I didn’t have access to the house I made in 2004 through my own hard work. I had to go to court to get access to my own house,” she said.

Recalling the moment she re-entered the home after 15 years, she said, “This house, which once had luxury cars, four parkings, the best furniture — my parents and I entered it without any furniture, without any cars, without any money and without my parents. I returned to India after 15 years, and imagine, the only family you have is your brother, and you have to fight just to hear his voice and know where he is.”

When asked why she currently has no money despite a successful film career, Celina did not hesitate. “Fifteen years of marriage happened. Fifteen years of giving up your career. Fifteen years of trusting someone with your love, with your finances, with your property — that’s what happened,” she said.

Support from the film industry

The actor also spoke about the support she has received, and the silence she has encountered, from the film industry during this period.

“I wouldn’t relegate it to one industry. It’s human nature. Human nature prevails everywhere. There are people from the industry who are standing by me and have been a big support to me now. When you are really deep in the doldrums, you get to know who is on your side, who your true friends are. I realised I have neither friends nor family. Complete strangers have come and stood by us like a rock. Our own people have left us.”

Celina expressed special gratitude toward actor Preity Zinta, who reached out to her amid the turmoil. “She is a Fauji daughter and sister. I have great respect, courage and dignity for this amazing woman,” she said.

While acknowledging calls and messages of support from several actors and directors, Celina underlined the limits of what the film fraternity can do. “A lot of people from the industry have called me and extended their support. But there is only this much they can do. Ultimately, this is a procedure that can happen only through diplomatic lines,” she said, referring to her brother’s detention.

Celina alleges domestic violence by husband Peter Hag

Celina Jaitly filed an application under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, alleging severe emotional, physical, verbal and financial abuse by her husband Peter Haag, “to the extent that she was forced to flee” their Austrian home in the middle of the night and return to India, leaving her children behind. She has also alleged that Haag has blocked her access to the children, barring one interaction on November 14, and has sought directions for “unhindered virtual and telephonic access” to them. The plea further states that Haag has initiated divorce proceedings in Austria, where their marriage was registered under Austrian civil law in 2010.