If the internet had a favourite phrase this week, it would probably be “milking the divorce.”
Mm hmmm.
Ever since actor Akanksha Chamola entered Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, her separation from husband Gaurav Khanna has become one of the biggest talking points on the show. So yeah, it began as viewers sympathising with Akanksha, but now…it has taken a kaleshi turn after the latest promo revealed Gaurav Khanna entering the house for an emotional face-off.
SIR WHAT?
Jab GK was inside the Bigg Boss house, Akanksha came there. And now he is coming inside Lock Upp. What an UNO reverse ji!
The promo has split the internet. While some believe the meeting is necessary closure, many Reddit users are convinced the estranged couple is “milking their divorce” for publicity.
But what does that even mean?
What does ‘milking a divorce’ mean?
The phrase “milking a divorce” isn’t a legal or psychological term. It’s an internet slang expression used when people believe someone is continuously using their divorce or separation to generate attention, publicity, sympathy, engagement, or financial opportunities long after the news has broken.
The word “milking” comes from the idiom “to milk something,” meaning to extract as much benefit as possible from a particular situation.
Examples include:
- Repeated interviews discussing the breakup
- Turning every public appearance into divorce-related content
- Using the separation as a reality show storyline
- Posting emotional content that keeps the conversation alive
- Participating in multiple media appearances centred around the relationship
Of course, the phrase reflects public perception and does not prove that anyone is intentionally doing this.
How did this controversy begin?
The entire discourse has unfolded in phases.
Phase 1: Bigg Boss and the ‘children’ controversy
Months ago, Akanksha Chamola had appeared on Bigg Boss, where conversations around her marriage often revolved around one question; why the couple didn’t have children, even after 10 years of marriage?
Yeah, all the aunties feel triggered rn.
Many viewers felt she was judged for not becoming a mother and that the narrative unfairly painted her as the problem in the relationship. At the time, a large section of social media sympathised with Gaurav Khanna, while Akanksha Chamola faced criticism.
Phase 2: Lock Upp changes the narrative
Everything…mmm..changed after Akanksha entered Lock Upp.
During the show, she opened up about their separation, revealing that:
- she got married at a very young age,
- she now wanted freedom and independence,
- she and Gaurav wanted very different things from life,
- Gaurav wanted children while she didn’t,
- and that she chose to walk away because staying together would have been unfair to both of them.
She also shared that she left “for his own good” because their life goals no longer aligned. Those revelations changed public perception considerably. Many viewers began empathising with her, saying compatibility matters more than forcing a marriage to continue.
Phase 3: Gaurav Khanna enters Lock Upp
Just when audiences thought they had heard Akanksha’s side, the show’s latest promo revealed Gaurav Khanna entering Lock Upp for what is being billed as an emotional confrontation.
Instead of focusing on the reunion, Reddit users started asking a question:
Was this entire storyline planned?
Reddit thinks they’re “milking” the divorce
Several Reddit threads discussing the promo were flooded with comments accusing the estranged couple, and sometimes even the show’s makers, of turning their separation into reality TV content.
One highly upvoted comment read:
“Maut aa jaye but rozi-roti kamane ke liye yeh sab nautanki na karni pade.”
Another user questioned why the personal matter had become such a prolonged storyline:
“All this drama for what? Winning a show?”
Many felt the timing of Gaurav’s entry was too convenient.
One Redditor wrote:
“The way makers are portraying this makes it even more worse.”
Others believed the couple had been leveraging public curiosity for months.
One comment claimed:
“Both of them have been using their marriage for months now… acting all lovey-dovey… This was all to leverage Gaurav’s rise in popularity.”
Another added:
“They both have planned this meticulously.”
Some even labelled them “the biggest clout chasers.”
Others accused them of seeking publicity through reality television, writing that the pair were “milking all the attention and PR footage.”
A different user suggested:
“Everyone is covering only Akanksha’s statement related to marriage. Only four weeks are left. He will clear the air and leave.”
Some comments got harsher bro, calling both of them “fake” and saying the couple were simply creating entertainment around their divorce.
One popular remark summed up the scepticism:
“There’s not much reality left in reality TV shows these days.”
But not everyone agrees!
Despite the criticism, plenty of viewers remain invested in their story. (Me too, sorry yaar).
Some admitted they were genuinely excited to see Gaurav enter the house.
“I am very excited,” one Reddit user wrote, while another hoped the couple might eventually reconcile.
Others defended Gaurav, saying he appeared emotional and was only entering the show to support Akanksha or wish her well rather than exploit the situation.
Several fans also pointed out that a reality show’s promo is designed to maximise the kalesh, meaning audiences don’t yet know how the actual interaction will unfold.
Is there any evidence it was planned?
At this point, no.
The speculation is based on:
- the timing of Gaurav’s entry,
- the amount of airtime devoted to their marriage,
- and viewers’ interpretations of the episodes and promos.
- how much free time indian audiences actually have
Neither Gaurav Khanna nor Akanksha Chamola has confirmed that the separation or subsequent appearances were orchestrated for publicity.
Toodlesss.