Zoro star Antonio Banderas and his wife Melanie Griffith recently announced their separation after 18 years of marriage. The couple released a joint statement on June 6 saying, “We have thoughtfully and consensually decided to finalise our almost 20 years marriage in a loving and friendly manner honouring and respecting each other, our family and friends and the beautiful time we have spent together,” reports E! Online.
Since then, rumour mills have been churning, and fingers have been pointing at none other than Bollywood beauty Mallika Sherawat for being the reason behind the split. The actor, who was recorded on video dancing with Banderas in Cannes two years ago, has gone on record to squash these rumours. “Antonio Banderas is a wonderful man, a great dancer and an acquaintance of mine,” Sherawat said in a statement to E! News. “I did not go on any vacation with him, and I’m sorry he’s going through a divorce.”
Stylist Ivan Bitton, who claims to be a very good friend of Sherawat’s, told Radar Online that she and Banderas shared a romantic relationship, and that he even took her on vacation.
Sherawat was quick to rebuff these statements. “Ivan Bitton is not my best friend,” she said. “I hired him as a stylist at Cannes and then fired him. I’m sure he released the video. I don’t know what he’s even talking about now. I haven’t been in touch with Ivan since I fired him. Whatever he’s saying about me is ridiculous.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2014.
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