Raghu Dixit Reacts To Criticism Over 16-Year Age Gap With Wife Varijashree: 'It Did Hurt'

Age may be just a number when it comes to love, and musician Raghu Dixit’s love story with wife, Grammy-nominated singer and flautist Varijashree Venugopal, is proof of that. The couple, who share a 16-year age gap, tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in October last year.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Raghu Dixit reveals that married life has been surprisingly simple. “We laugh a lot, we make music, we travel, and we give each other space to be ourselves. That’s something I value enormously,” he says, adding, “We understand each other’s lives because we both live and breathe music, but our relationship isn’t only about music. We encourage each other to grow as people.”

Raghu praises his wife, saying, “She’s an extraordinary musician,

of course. But more importantly, she’s an exemplary human being. I can go on and on and on in her praise (laughs).”

While their wedding was celebrated by fans, it was the couple’s 16-year age gap that became a major talking point. Raghu was 50 and Varijashree was 34 when they tied the knot. The two had been friends since 2021. “To be honest, we knew people would always have opinions, especially when you’re in the public eye. And to be honest again, it did hurt. But then you know there’s a little trick to a good, happy life — don’t take the internet too seriously,” admits Raghu.

He adds, “The people who matter were with us to celebrate. Real fans sent their love and blessings. What else could we ask for? Beyond that, honestly, we’ve never felt the need to explain ourselves. You know, love is a peculiar thing. It sees beauty that’s unseeable…It just happened. We were friends for a long, long time before we chose to get married. And when we did, it just felt so natural. If your decisions are based on love, mutual respect and trust, then outside noise becomes, frankly, quite irrelevant. I now look forward to building my life with Vari. It’s perhaps one of the most satisfying journeys of my life,” he rounds off.

Dixit was first married to dancer Mayuri Upadhya from 2005 to 2019.