MUMBAI: Nach Baliye 9 never fails to make headlines. The popular dance reality show continues to buzz for varied reasons. The show that returned with a new format features both real and ex-couples. Vishal Aditya Singh and Madhurima Tuli are one of the most talked about former couples on the show.

However, more than their performances, it’s their animosity that has become a talking point on the dance reality show. The former couple has teamed up for the ongoing dance reality show. However, Vishal’s behaviour towards Madhurima on the show has shocked many. In one episode, when he was asked to hug her after a performance, he flatly refused. In fact, Vishal has been in the eye of a storm for insulting Madhurima every now and then — so much so, that it makes many wonder if their rift is for real, or has been staged to grab eyeballs.

Now, in an interview with BT, Vishal spoke about the same. He said, “During an episode, Salman (Khan) sir asked us what had gone wrong in our relationship. I replied, ‘Yeh mere liye galat insaan thi’. But she mistook galat for ‘ganda’ and Salman sir corrected her instantly. See, no relationship ends on a good note. One is either happy or sad in a relationship. However, when we were together, I was perpetually in a predicament whether to laugh or cry. She must have broken up 50-odd times during our courtship, over the pettiest of issues. I never wanted it to end because I was madly in love with her.”

Speaking about Madhurima, he said, “Besides finding me desi and not fluent in English, I think she felt that I wasn’t financially strong. She would fight with me every time before we went out. I once asked her if she was ashamed to be seen with me in public, and she agreed. She was also abusive. I have never spoken about this before, but the relationship had started affecting my work. I was in a terrible state of mind during our courtship. It’s better to part ways if a relationship obstructs your growth. I was always averse to marriage and my break-up with Madhurima has made that resolve stronger. I just want to adopt a girl now.”

When asked why he participated in the dance reality show if things had come to a head, he said that the makers approached him first and when he learnt that they wanted him to pair up with Madhurima, he turned down the offer. He said that she told him that the show will boost her career and hence, she wanted to participate in it, so he relented eventually, as his friends convinced him.

The actor also told the publication that their fight is not staged and that he is being real on the show. He said, “Let people think that it’s staged; I don’t care. If I am that rough on stage, they should know to what extent I have suffered in this relationship. To hug a person is my personal choice. I am not letting the equation come in the way of our work. If that was the case, I would have told the choreographer to avoid any hugging or intimacy in the performances. I am absolutely fine with the way I am behaving on the show and have no regrets. Just because I bare my heart on stage and she stays quiet, doesn’t mean that’s how it is backstage, too. Whatever you are seeing on screen is the real me and I am not faking it for the ratings. Nothing is scripted either. Though we share a vanity van, we don’t interact at all. But the minute the camera is on, she starts exchanging pleasantries. I can’t be fake like her. In fact, she claimed on the show that we broke up recently, but it’s been a year since we parted ways.”