Just a bump on the road... says Shiney Ahuja's wife Anupam

Shiney Ahuja's wife stays positive, even after his second bail plea has been rejected; is confident things will eventually work out for them

Shiney Ahuja's wife Anupam (Anu) is coping with the crisis in her marital life with exemplary resilience. Refusing to even consider her husband's guilt, Anu stands by her man and even applauds him for his strength of will during these trying times.

Your husband's bail application has been rejected.
(Sighs) Yes, it has been rejected. Shiney and I have both surrendered to the will of God. We both know the final verdict will come from up there. We also have faith that we'll come out of this, stronger and closer to each other than ever before.

Some people within the film industry seem to believe you've abandoned Shiney.
That's rubbish. How can I abandon my soulmate? I've been with him for so many years. It happened just once. He wasn't well and wasn't expected to go to court, so I didn't go either. The next thing I read was that I had abandoned him.

Are you shocked by the scarcity of support from within the film industry?
Jisse aana hai woh khud aayenge. I can't go around asking for support. I get a lot of text messages from Shiney's colleagues. Maybe they aren't coming forward to speak visibily.

What's the point of invisible support?
My biggest support is God. Not a leaf moves without His permission. It was in our destiny to go through this ordeal. From the industry, Anurag Basu, Sudhir Mishra, producers Tito-Tony, Jahnu Baruah (the director of Harr Pal), Kunal Shivdasani, Pritish Nandy, Ketan Mehta and Soha Ali Khan have been supportive. I don't know that many film people. Shiney and I had made a conscious decision that I stay away from the limelight so that our child could grow up in a normal environment. I wanted Shiney to go out like any jobholder and come home to us in the evening. I didn't want his fame to come home with him.

Where do you find the strength to cope?
My strength comes from God and my love for my husband.

What about your baby?
I haven't seen her since 14 June. Our baby is in Delhi with her nana-nani. I don't want her to catch any of the negative vibrations around me. It's better if she stays away.

Now that the fresh bail plea has been rejected what's your next plan of action?
Our lawyer will go again. We'll go through the legal process; trust the judiciary completely. I'll continue to walk with as much dignity as possible.

Doesn't it all seem unreal to you?
It's bizarre.... Illogical. But I can't say anything right now. Everything is subjudice. I don't want to say anything and hurt his case in any way. But this is not the Shiney I spent 15 years with. This is someone else they're talking about.

Do you still love him?
I love my husband. I love him more than ever. I derive strength from him . When I met him (in prison), he was emotional but he made me strong for both of us. Sai Baba is holding us together. Shiney and I talk to each other by talking to God.

How frequently do you meet him?
Once a week.

How is he coping?
At first, he was unable to comprehend what was happening to him, and that's quite understandable. But now that he has come to terms with his predicament, he's coping better.

Can you give him ghar ka khana?
No. It isn't allowed.

Where are you staying in Mumbai, now that your house has been sealed?
No our home is not sealed anymore. I don't stay there but I go there often. I also stay at Ashok Bhaiyya (director Ashok Pundit)'s home. I'm dividing my time between our home and temples.

Do you hope to have a normal life again?
Oh, we will. We've walked together for fifteen years and will continue to do so. We've just encountered some bumps in the road.