Content creator Zaid Darbar said his actor-wife Gauahar Khan had given him a clear view of her ex, actor Kushal Tandon, before he entered Prime Video reality show Alliance. The 30-year-old revealed that his wife had told him that Kushal was a very good person and added that he trusted her completely.
The duo spoke about sharing screen space in a conversation with co-contestant and actor Sohail Khan on the show. The duo have so far appeared cordial despite their past connection through Gauahar. Kushal had earlier dated Gauahar, who is now married to Zaid, but the contestants have remained in the same group since the start of the show and have appeared comfortable around each other.
During the exchange, Kushal also referred to their history and said, “Once I was in love with some girl, and he is married to that girl.”
Zaid told Kushal, “The kind of relationship you and I have, it was only natural that we could have clashed right from the beginning. But only someone with experience will truly understand that.” Sohail Khan then praised the two for being friends despite their shared past.
Responding to that, Zaid said they were cordial because they were mature. He said around 15 years had passed, that he now had two children, and that Gauahar had told him only one thing about Kushal: that he was a very good person. He added that he had complete faith in his wife. Zaid had earlier also said he was but Kushal hugged him as soon as he saw him on Alliance.
Viral clip and backlash
Zaid’s latest remarks come days after on social media over a joke involving Gauahar. In a clip from Alliance, Kushal and Zaid were working out in the gym while speaking with Mini Mathur and Arslan Goni. During the conversation, Zaid recalled asking Kushal for a cigarette because the ones he had were bad. Kushal then joked, “You always like my things,” in an apparent reference to his past relationship with Gauahar.
The clip spread widely online and drew criticism from viewers, many of whom called the remark insensitive and unnecessary. Some also questioned why Zaid laughed at the comment instead of objecting to it. Mini appeared stunned in the clip, while Arslan immediately stopped Zaid and reacted with a disappointed expression. Several social media users said the three should move on from the past and that bringing up an ex-partner in that way was uncalled for.
Gauahar’s earlier defence and their history
The controversy came shortly after Gauahar publicly defended Zaid during another disagreement on Alliance. She criticised fellow contestant Nikhil Chinapa for allegedly trying to create a rift between Zaid and Kushal and said the only person “playing everyone around” was Nikhil. At the time of writing, neither Kushal nor Gauahar had officially responded to the latest criticism.
Gauahar and Kushal met on Bigg Boss 7 in 2013. They fell in love on the Salman Khan-hosted show and later began dating. Their relationship ended in 2014. Gauahar later got engaged to Zaid, son of music director Ismail Darbar, in November 2020. They were married on December 25 that year and have two sons.
About Alliance
Hosted by Kunal Kemmu, Alliance brings together celebrities from different fields, including actors, influencers, gamers and content creators. Contestants enter the game in pairs at first, but later twists force them to switch alliances, test loyalties and rethink their strategies. The show is streaming on Prime Video, with new episodes released every day at 12 noon.