Actor Raja Chaudhary is rarely out of the headlines, though usually for one controversy or another. This time, though, it's a candid, personal statement about his daughter, actor Palak Tiwari, that has put him back in the news.
The Ibrahim Ali Khan question he wouldn't answer
Speculation about Palak Tiwari dating Ibrahim Ali Khan, the son of actor Saif Ali Khan, has been swirling for quite some time now. When a reporter raised the topic with Raja Chaudhary during an interview, he chose not to weigh in directly. He said he wasn't the right person to comment on Palak's relationship, and that if anyone wanted to know whether it was a matter of concern, they should ask her mother, actress Shweta Tiwari, instead.
'I only think of myself as her biological father now'
Talking about where things currently stand between him and Palak, Raja said he has deliberately stopped checking her posts, photos and videos on social media. He explained that he spent years trying to rebuild a bond with his daughter, but has since stopped making that effort. Today, he said, he sees himself as nothing more than Palak's 'biological father', a phrase that captures how distant the relationship has become despite the biological connection.
Just two or three conversations in 18 years
Raja went on to reveal just how limited their contact has been. Over the past 18 years, he said, the two have spoken to each other only two or three times in total. Their most recent meeting took place around 2022 or 2023, on the occasion of Palak's birthday, but he admitted that even that meeting was brief, and the two didn't spend much time in each other's company.
Why he stays out of her personal life
Explaining why he doesn't try to involve himself in Palak's day-to-day life, Raja said it's because she isn't on her own; she has people around her. Speaking about their equation, he said
Maybe if she were with me, or a part of my life, it would matter to me. She doesn't consider me her father, so this question should be asked to her mother, not me.
He also made it clear that despite the distance, he would never turn his back on her if she genuinely needed his help, saying he would always be there for her if that day came.
The marriage that ended when Palak was eight
The estrangement between Raja and Palak traces back to his marriage to Shweta Tiwari, which the couple had entered into as a love marriage. The two separated when Palak was only 8 years old, ending their marriage while their daughter was still a child. After the separation, Shweta accused Raja of domestic violence and of issues linked to alcohol addiction.
