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Lekha Washington mentioned how she wouldn’t stand for her relationship being used to fuel hate.
Lekha did a cameo in Imran’s Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola. (Photo Credit: X)
Imran Khan’s girlfriend, Lekha Washington, has responded to trolls who were questioning her relationship with the actor. She recently took to Instagram to slam those who called her relationship “Love Jihad”, and also expressed how she didn’t agree with the idea of her relationship being used to spread negativity.
Lekha shared a video on Instagram saying, “Love Jihad – apparently it is being done to me, a part Burmese, Italian, Punjabi, raised in south India, moved to north India with a dad who’s Roman Catholic but agnostic persona (is being love-jihaded by) a guy who’s father is part Hindu part Scottish and a mom who is Muslim. So I am like, ‘Do Na Love Jihad,’ and I say, ‘No, no. Instead, I make lights.’”
Later, in a chat with MoneyControl, Lekha addressed her interfaith relationship being questioned and said, “Videos of me being used to fuel hate and division are the exact opposite of what I stand for. It’s important to deal with this with humour, in my opinion, quite literally, make light of the ridiculousness of it all.”
Lekha said, “My own family is open, multi-hyphenate and respectful of all, as is my partner’s family. I get to witness how a multicultural, expansive, kind, creative and inclusive people beautifully support each other. How lucky am I? I am deeply humbled by the awesomeness of the folks around me.”
“When other people say nasty, reductive things to you, it says a lot more about them than it does you. We live in a world where women are first judged by appearance and only much later by their own personhood. I will continue to be the best me I can be, doing the best work I can do. Haters are going to hate, lovers have to love,” she concluded.
For the unversed, Imran Khan recently revealed that he and Lekha Washington began dating during the COVID-19 lockdown. Before the couple began dating, Imran and Lekha were part of the same social circle for years. Lekha’s former partner was an old school friend of the actor.
After years of rumours, Imran officially confirmed their relationship in a Vogue India interview in 2024, putting an end to the long-speculated status of their romance. In the same year, the couple took a major step by moving into a sea-facing apartment in Bandra, Mumbai, which they reportedly rented from filmmaker Karan Johar.
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. February 20, 2026, 15:09 IST