The legal battle between actor Ravi Mohan and his estranged wife, Aarti Ravi, has taken a fresh turn after Aarti's mother, producer Sujatha Vijayakumar, broke her silence on the maintenance amount being sought in court.
Speaking to reporters in Chennai, Sujatha dismissed reports that the Rs 40 lakh monthly maintenance was meant only for Aarti's personal expenses. She alleged that Ravi left the family facing serious financial difficulties, claiming they were burdened with debt and had even received a bank seizure notice.
Sujatha also said the financial strain has affected the family's daily life, including the education of Ravi and Aarti's two sons, Aarav and Ayaan.
Children's Expenses Explained
Sujatha stated that both children are enrolled in an American school, a decision she said Ravi originally made. She revealed that their annual school fee is Rs 86 lakh, which the Chennai Family Welfare Court has directed Ravi to pay.
She further said the court ordered Ravi to provide Rs 3 lakh per month as interim maintenance to Aarti, while each child has been granted Rs 1 lakh per month. In addition, Ravi has reportedly been instructed to cover the children's extracurricular activity expenses.
The producer also denied allegations that Aarti prevented Ravi from meeting their sons. Instead, she claimed Aarti herself approached the court to ensure he was given access to the children.
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Ravi Mohan Shares Cryptic Message
Hours after Sujatha Vijayakumar's remarks, Ravi Mohan appeared to respond with a cryptic post on Instagram Stories, though he did not mention anyone by name.
Thanking his friends for standing by him, Ravi said it was "unfortunate that some people continue to act in ways that amount to contempt of court." He also wrote, "The four of us will not ever be in the same room together as long as I am alive," before signing off with the message: "Choose your friends wisely."
Later, Ravi shared a more upbeat update, posting a video of himself celebrating and a family photo with his parents, Mohan and Varalakshmi, and his brother, filmmaker Mohan Raja. He said he had screened footage and music from his directorial debut, An Ordinary Man, for them and thanked his family for their love and support.
Court's Interim Order
According to The Indian Express, the Chennai Family Welfare Court rejected Aarti's request for Rs 40 lakh per month in July 2026. Instead, it directed Ravi to pay Rs 3 lakh per month as interim maintenance until the divorce case concludes.
The court also ruled that there should be no restrictions on the children meeting their father, following Ravi's earlier claims that he had been denied access to them.
Ravi and Aarti married in June 2009 and publicly separated after Ravi announced their split in September 2024. Aarti later alleged that the separation announcement was made without her knowledge or consent. Meanwhile, Ravi also remained in the headlines earlier this year following reports that his relationship with healer-musician Keneeshaa Francis had ended after she reportedly moved out of Chennai.
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