‘I Became Somebody’s Ex-Girlfriend’: Preeti Simoes Reveals Why Her Career Still Gets Overshadowed by Kapil Sharma Link

Producer Preeti Simoes has opened up about a frustrating reality that she says has followed her long after the end of her relationship with comedian Kapil Sharma — being recognised more for who she once dated than for what she has achieved professionally.

Simoes, who has worked behind some of Indian television’s most popular comedy shows, including Comedy Nights with Kapil and The Kapil Sharma Show, said her career has repeatedly been overshadowed by references to her past relationship.

In a recent interview with the Free Press Journal, the producer spoke about how women in the entertainment industry are often identified through their relationships with famous men.

‘I became somebody’s ex-girlfriend’

Reflecting on how her identity has been portrayed in the media, Simoes said that she spent years being described as someone’s girlfriend before eventually being labelled an “ex-girlfriend”.

“For the longest time, I was somebody’s girlfriend. Then, after we broke up and moved on with our separate lives, I became somebody’s ex-girlfriend in every headline,” she said.

According to Simoes, such descriptions often have little connection with her actual work.

She argued that a section of the media assumes audiences will click on a story only when it is connected to a well-known celebrity, even when the individual being discussed has an established career of their own.

The producer also questioned the usefulness of continuing to attach relationship labels to people years after their personal circumstances have changed.

‘Nobody really knows what’s happening between two people’

Simoes said the problem becomes even more frustrating because outsiders rarely know the complete reality of a relationship.

She pointed out that two people who were once romantically involved can later remain friends or maintain a professional relationship without there being any controversy behind it.

Yet, she said, the “girlfriend” and “ex-girlfriend” labels can continue to follow women indefinitely.

Simoes also highlighted what she sees as an unfair assumption surrounding women, saying that when a woman becomes the subject of such coverage, people are often quick to believe that she “must have done something.”

Why women face a different media standard

The producer went beyond her own experience to discuss the broader challenges faced by women in public and professional life.

According to Simoes, women are frequently expected to protect both their professional reputation and personal character at the same time.

She contrasted this with the way male celebrities are often treated, arguing that a controversial headline involving a man may quickly disappear, while women can continue to face the consequences of a single photograph or comment for years.

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“One bad photograph or one quote taken out of context can tarnish your character forever,” she said, explaining that women may then spend years trying to defend themselves.

Her comments touch on a wider debate within the entertainment industry about how female professionals are represented and whether their personal relationships receive disproportionate attention compared with their work.

Preeti Simoes continues her television journey

Despite the continued references to her past relationship, Preeti Simoes has built a substantial career in television production.

Her work on popular comedy formats helped establish her as an important creative figure behind some of India’s biggest television comedy shows.

She is currently associated with ZEE5’s reality show Maa Hain Na, continuing her work in the entertainment industry.

For Simoes, however, the bigger issue appears to be one of identity: being remembered for the work she created rather than the famous person she once dated.