Are extramarital affairs becoming normal because of celebrities? What experts say

The two main foundations of any relationship are trust and respect. But cheating is the termite that hollows the foundation of the relationship from the inside and eventually collapses. In the current era, although extramarital affairs are considered one of the reasons for divorce, it seems that celebrities are gradually normalizing the issue.

Recently, Bollywood actor Ram Kapoor said that during difficult times in a relationship, a person can 'mistakenly' cheat on their partner. Earlier, during a discussion on extramarital affairs with Twinkle Khanna and Kajol on the show 'To Much', the host said, 'Raat gaai, baat gaai' (the conversation ends when the night ends). This comment was severely criticized online.

For decades, celebrity love rumors have been feeding the tabloids. But no one noticed that these issues are gradually changing the general public's perspective on extramarital affairs or cheating.

What is cheating or infidelity?

The issue of cheating or infidelity is not completely black and white (clear). Its definition may be different for each person.

Dr. Deepika Sharma, Consultant-Clinical Psychologist at Asian Hospital, India, says, “Cheating basically refers to violating the mutually established boundaries of a relationship, which violates trust. Infidelity can take many forms besides physical intimacy. Such as emotional relationships, secret romantic conversations, hiding the use of dating apps, getting into intimate relationships online or hiding any interactions that the partner should know about.”

Shalini Singh, founder of ‘AnduMate’, says that cheating is not limited to physical intimacy. She says, “Basically, cheating is more about breaking the mutual trust and expectations of two people than about any specific action.”

Is cheating more common or acceptable than before?

If something comes up repeatedly, its impact starts to decrease and people lose sensitivity to it. The same is true of cheating. Making fun of, ridiculing, or even justifying celebrity infidelity is silently influencing people’s perceptions.

“Celebrity comments and high-profile infidelity stories influence people’s perceptions of what is normal and acceptable in society,” says Dr. Chandni Tugnait, founder, director, and psychotherapist at Gateway of Healing. “When a celebrity says that infidelity was just a mistake, it can gradually become more acceptable.”

This reaction is not limited to cheating, but also depends on how it is received. “There is no formal research directly linking celebrity reconciliation and forgiveness to public expectations. But there is no denying the trend. When a woman publicly forgives her cheating partner, her generosity is praised. But when a man expresses anger in the same situation, it is considered completely normal.

Does fame give celebrities an advantage?

When rumors of a celebrity having an extramarital affair spread, people often take sides. Social media users often try to legitimize the cheating without knowing the full story. For many die-hard fans, a celebrity’s personal and professional life are different.

Dr. Sharma said, “Celebrities are often portrayed as different from ordinary people. When someone with fame, power, money or talent behaves in a harmful way, such as cheating on their spouse, their status can often make that behavior seem more acceptable.”

Dr. Tugnait believes that when someone is famous enough, their behavior is more often justified than analyzed. He says that extramarital affairs become a “difficult time” in a relationship, while extramarital affairs become a “complicated situation”. And the rules that apply to the general public silently become ineffective for them.

Media coverage adds fuel to the fire. When an event is presented as a juicy story to sell, its true emotional consequences are obscured. Broken trust, grief and trauma are often lost in the noise.

“The PR narrative, media coverage and social media all influence how an event reaches people,” says Shalini Singh. “Fans should remember that they are only seeing a piece of the story. They should not rush to support or condemn someone without knowing the full story.”

How modern couples view cheating

Extramarital affairs are not a new concept. They have always existed in society. “Cheating has become more visible in the last 10 to 20 years,” says Shalini Singh. “With social media, messaging apps and 24-hour news, cheating is now being discussed more openly than ever before.”

Dr. Tugnait believes that people still suffer deeply from broken trust, but the nature and structure of it has changed. “There is now a lot more discussion about what cheating actually means,” he says. “And a lot of this ambiguity is being picked up directly from online and celebrity culture.”

While the debate over cheating continues on social media, people’s changing perspectives on relationships, celebrity culture and personal boundaries are redefining the subject.