Vivek Dahiya has opened up about an experience that can be complicated for actors whose spouses are more widely recognised by the public: being introduced primarily as Divyanka Tripathi’s husband.
Rather than viewing the association as an attack on his own identity, Vivek says he is comfortable with it. The actor believes professional recognition should come naturally through his work instead of being created through forced introductions or comparisons.
In a recent interview with Pinkvilla, Vivek explained why he does not want his wife to intervene simply to make sure people acknowledge his individual identity.
Vivek Dahiya Says He Does Not Want ‘Forced Respect’
Recalling an incident involving Divyanka, Vivek said someone had referred to him in relation to his wife. Divyanka apparently reacted by pointing out that he was her husband.
Vivek said he later questioned the need for that intervention.
“So, I went home and told her, ‘What was the need? I don’t want this forced respect. That will come organically. And my work speaks for itself.’”
For Vivek, being recognised independently is something he expects to earn through his career rather than demand from others.
He also reflected on how his public identity has changed since his marriage to Divyanka.
“For the longest time, my identity was tied to Divyanka. But very soon, the time will come when she will be identified through me.”
The comment was framed around his belief that both partners can eventually become recognised in their own right, regardless of who was more famous at an earlier point in their relationship.
Why Being ‘Her Husband’ Can Feel Different for Men
The discussion also raises a wider question about how society views relationships in which the woman is the more recognisable partner.
Kruti Shah, a cell psychologist at Mpower Aditya Birla Education Trust, told the publication that men being identified through their wives can sometimes attract a different kind of scrutiny.
She pointed out that women are frequently introduced as someone’s wife without the man’s achievements being questioned in the same way. When the roles are reversed, however, people may immediately wonder about the man’s career, accomplishments and ability to establish his own identity.
According to Shah, this reflects an older social expectation that men should already have an established identity while women are more readily associated with their partners.
When a Partner’s Success Becomes a Question of Self-Worth
Shah said relationships can become complicated when an individual’s self-esteem is strongly connected to professional success, social status or being perceived as the more accomplished partner.
She explained that a person’s discomfort does not necessarily appear as obvious jealousy. It can instead show up in subtler ways, such as irritation when people praise their partner more, discomfort at being introduced as “her husband”, or a repeated need to highlight their own achievements.
In such situations, the issue may have less to do with the successful partner and more to do with what that success makes the other person feel about themselves.
Vivek’s Approach Reflects a Different Idea of Confidence
Shah suggested that a person with a secure sense of self does not necessarily need their partner to be less successful in order to feel successful themselves.
A man can acknowledge that his wife is the more recognisable name while still valuing his own professional journey, she explained.
That does not mean giving up ambition. Instead, it can involve rejecting the idea that a relationship is a competition in which one partner’s success diminishes the other.
Vivek’s comments appear to reflect that approach. Rather than demanding that people immediately treat him as an established name independent of Divyanka, he says he would rather allow that recognition to develop organically.
How Couples Are Challenging Traditional Relationship Roles
The conversation also reflects changing expectations around modern relationships.
According to Shah, equality between partners does not necessarily mean that both people must earn the same amount, have equally prominent careers or receive identical public attention.
Real relationships are rarely that symmetrical.
One partner may be more famous, another may earn more, and one person’s career may attract substantially more public attention at a particular stage of their lives. None of those differences necessarily determines the strength or equality of the relationship.
