Fairy tales often speak of marriages as the beginning of a happily ever after, but IRL, the path to wedded bliss isn’t so linear. At times, life may take you down paths you didn’t plan, and people who pledged to be together forever, move apart. Such has been the case for some celebrity couples too. From Bollywood stars like Malaika Arora to international A-listers like Jennifer Aniston, celebrities have experienced tough separations, just like the rest of us. One common thread that binds most of them? Despite the rough time, they managed to learn a valuable life lesson through it all. Here, we list out all the times the celebrities spoke about their experience of divorce, and shared tips on what people can do to rise above it all.

Saif Ali Khan

When Saif Ali Khan split with former wife, Amrita Singh, after 13 years of marriage, he offered his advice to overcome the guilt a parent is likely to face after separation. In an interview, Khan said, “No child should be deprived of a warm home. You have to make the most of whatever situation you are in. Life is beautiful and nobody can be sitting around, complaining too much. Sometimes, having two parents together might not be the best thing for anyone. A nice stable home is a wonderful environment and that’s what you would like to share with your kids."

Malaika Arora

Malaika Arora and Arbaaz Khan, who got married in 1998, ended their 18-year-long union amicably in 2016. Since then, the duo has been spotted together on many occasions, and hasn’t let their differences come in the way of spending quality time with their son. On her best friend Kareena Kapoor Khan’s talk show, Arora spoke about overcoming the stigma women face after a divorce. “Don’t let anybody bring you down or tell you that you are any less of a person or a woman, just make sure that you’re a strong, wonderful woman,” she said. The 46-year-old, who has now made her relationship with Arjun Kapoor official, also shared her point of view on finding love post separation. “I think all women should jump back into it with equal gusto. It’s not impossible. Swipe left, right, whatever it might be. Have fun! For the first time in your life, you will also discover a kind of freedom,” she advised.

Farhan Akhtar

The Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara actor married hairstylist Adhuna Bhabani in 2000. In January 2016, the couple officially announced their separation after 16 years of marriage. According to reports, Farhan Akhtar found love again around October 2018, when he started dating actor Shibani Dandekar. In an earlier interview, Akhtar spoke about the power of honesty when it came to breaking the news to his kids. “Nothing is easy. Anything you tell your child which you think your child doesn’t want to hear is never going to be easy. You can be honest with your child, they are not dumb or stupid. They understand way more than you and I can imagine. They have a sense of energy of how their parents are feeling. As long as you don’t lie to them and you feel ‘It’s okay, I have told them, they can now do whatever’, things will come around. Eventually, a child will understand why you have done what you have done. Maybe not at the moment but you just have to be honest with them and in turn, they will be honest with you,” he said.

Arjun Rampal

Both former models, Arjun Rampal and Mehr Jesia were married for 21 years, before they announced their separation on July 25, 2018. In a 2019 interview, the actor, who shares two daughters with his former wife, spoke about how family comes around. “It was of prime importance that my daughters should accept Gabriella [Demetriades, his partner] as a part of the family. I’m blessed that they have, no questions asked,” he revealed.

Katy Perry

After her divorce from Russell Brand at age 27, our January 2020 cover girl talked about the importance of self-care in an interview. “There are two ways you can go—you can either nurture yourself or go destructive. I have gone down the destructive path before, and that didn’t work for me. You dig deep beyond those scars and find that soft tissue again, and you massage and nurture it and bring it to life, little by little, through serving yourself well. I did it through hikes and vitamins and therapy and prayer and good friends,” she disclosed.

Kim Kardashian West

Kim Kardashian West separated from her first husband, Damon Thomas, at age 24, and her second husband, Kris Humphries, at 32. In an interview, Kardashian West revealed that her divorces had taught her to not get ahead of herself in relationships. “I’ve always been the type to fall in love fast and, with every boyfriend; I plan out my wedding in my head. It’s taught me to take things slow. Anyone would want to move on and take the lesson learned from it. I loved this person; it just wasn’t the right situation for me. I try to hold my head up high and live my life,” she said.

Scarlett Johansson

Following her spilt with Ryan Reynolds at 26, Scarlett Johansson talked about understanding relationship expectations in an interview. “I feel I know now more of what I need in a relationship, what I want in a relationship. And I know I have more tools to communicate, not just with my partner, but with myself. That’s not necessarily any reflection of who I was married to or what was happening in my marriage, but really where I was in my life,”