Well-known south Indian movie actor Samantha Akkineni and her husband Naga Chaitanya on Saturday announced that they were parting ways. Sharing an emotional note with her followers on Instagram, the actor wrote that they now wish to “pursue (their) own paths.”

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A post shared by S (@samantharuthprabhuoffl)

“To all our well-wishers. After much deliberation and thought Chay 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 wishers and the media to support us during this difficult time and give us the privacy we need to move on. Thanking you for your support,” Samantha wrote in her post.

Also Read: Manoj Bajpayee, Samantha Akkineni bag the Best Actor awards at IIFM

Naga Chaitanya also shared the same statement on his social media accounts asking fans and media to respect their privacy in difficult times.

Rumours of Samantha and Naga’s separation have been doing rounds for quite some time now. Fand had started to sense things after the actor changed her name on social media platforms from Samantha Akkineni to simply ‘S’

However, the actor vehemently denied the claims during a question and answer session on Instagram. A fan asked Samantha if she was relocating to Mumbai, to which she responded by saying, “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.”

Samantha Akkineni and Naga Chaitanya, both are famous actors, most known for their contribution in Telugu cinema. The couple got married in 2017 in an intimate ceremony.

Four years later, in early 2021, rumours that the couple had been going through a rough patch emerged but both the actors on various occasions denied the claims.

Recently, Samatha shared an Instagram post on what she thinks when she is in despair and how she handles pain, giving fans a hint that all was not well in her personal life.

“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 wrote.