A few days ago Kamalrukh Khan, wife of late music composer Wajid Khan, has shared an Instagram post alleging that both her late husband and his family had tried hard to convince her to convert to Islam post their marriage under the Special Marriages Act. Now she she has chosen to go public with the pressure she has faced throughout her marriage to convert her religion. Talking to Times of India, Kamalrukh said that she wanted to highlight the trauma she went through in the 17 years of their marriage. “Life has brought me to a point where I need to fight for my children’s due inheritance as his family has usurped his assets post Wajid’s death. I am both father and mother to them, and in practical matters, always have been! My daughter is 16 years and my son is 9 years. I have to pay for their education and our upkeep. I work as a clinical hypnotherapist and our primary source of earning has been Wajid’s marital support. If that too is being snatched away (by those who haven’t bothered to keep in touch with me or my children for the past 7-8 years, on such unfair grounds, I need to fight back on every front. Also my reasons for speaking out is tied to an inherent sense of justice.
No woman should have to face what I have faced during these 17 years of marriage,” she said. Talking about the scare tactics used to pressurise her, Kamalrukh said, “Wajid’s family kept insisting that our children were illegitimate as was our marriage since we had not married as per Muslim law... His mother would openly tell Wajid, in my presence, to re-marry, which he obviously did not agree to do. His family’s behaviour was disrespectful towards me. Wajid’s refusal to budge on his beliefs, his refusal to accept another point of view, and his family’s unnecessary interference and influence ensured that he never stood by my side as a husband should. Another scare tactic was him filing for divorce if I did not convert. Of course, eventually we did not end up getting a divorce as he realised his folly.”. Wajid Khan passed away earlier this year of a cardiac arrest. The music composer passed away at 42 due to coronavirus complications leading to kidney issues. Wajid was known for his compositions for Salman Khan's popular movies such as 'Wanted', the 'Dabangg' franchise and 'Ek Tha Tiger.