‘Never expected the divorce; was on the brink of suicide,’ reveals Bhagath Manuel: ‘I travel to film sets by autos and buses now as I had to sell my car’

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However, Bhagath Manuel’s personal life wasn’t all picture-perfect, as he navigated several setbacks, including a failed marriage and financial difficulties. In a recent interview, he opened up about that taxing time, mentioning that he was on the verge of taking his own life following his divorce. He also stated that he tried to find solace in alcohol during certain struggling phases, which made matters worse. Bhagath further shared that post the Covid pandemic, financial difficulties reached such a level that he had to sell his car and has still not been able to buy a new one since then.

‘My parents raised my son’

“I never expected that my marriage would end in a divorce. My wedding took place after I entered the film industry. We have a son, and he now stays with me. Mine is a deeply spiritual family. My father, who was a Naxalite in the past, later became a charismatic Christian. Having been raised as the son of such a father, I couldn’t cope when something like a divorce suddenly happened in my life. I started drinking, and my life became a mess,” he said during a conversation with Chef Nalan.

The actor added, “There were many problems at that time. Mine was a love marriage. Back then, mine was the grandest wedding my hometown had ever seen. After the divorce, I continued living in Kochi. So, my family was unaware of the things I was going through. I used to live in the flat right below Prithviraj Sukumaran’s flat. It took a long time for me to move on with life after the divorce. Having my son by my side was a great blessing; it was my father and mother who brought him up.”

‘My friends pulled me out’

“While I was going through these issues, friends like Nivin and others were very busy (with work). They assumed I was busy as well. Consequently, I became isolated and started drinking heavily, and life spiralled out of control. It was some of my friends who eventually pulled me out of it and brought me back to life. I was on the verge of suicide. Two friends, director Manu and Jio, were the ones who pushed open the door and stepped in. From that day on, they even slept in the same room as me for six or seven months,” he recalled.

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Bhagath Manuel gave marriage another chance about seven years ago and tied the knot with Shelin Cherian, a Zumba fitness instructor. The couple now has a son together.

Even amid the happiness from this new chapter, his life hasn’t been without struggles. After Covid, his mother’s illness led to financial difficulties. “The last car I used was a Volkswagen Passat. I sold it when the pandemic began. Since then, I haven’t been able to afford a car. Currently, I travel to shooting sets by autorickshaws and buses,” Bhagath added.