Story of India Pak queer couple Anjali Chakra and Sufi Malik announced breakup

Anjali Chakra and Sufi Malik, popular social media influencers based in New York City, have decided to part ways after a five-year relationship. They shared the news via individual posts on their respective Instagram accounts on Sunday. Malik confessed to his unfaithfulness towards Chakra just weeks before their scheduled wedding. Their proposal a few months ago had captured the internet's attention.

“Hey everyone, there has been a major turn of events in my relationship with Anjali,” Malik began her black-and-white Instagram post. “I made an unrecognisable mistake of betrayal by cheating on her a few weeks before our wedding. I’ve hurt her tremendously, beyond my own understanding. I’m owning up to my mistake and will continue to do so. I understand the gravity of the situation and can only ask relentlessly for forgiveness, from Anjali and Allah.”

Story of India Pak queer couple announced breakup

“I’ve hurt the people I love and care about the most through my actions, including our family and friends; our community that I cherish,” she continued. “Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us all these years, we owe everything to you all. We ask you all for privacy and respect at this time.”

Malik signed her statement: “With humility, Sufi.”

Meanwhile, Chakra took to her respective Instagram page to share her own statement about the breakup, where she also confessed to fans that Malik had been unfaithful to her. “Sufi and I have enjoyed a loving and beautiful partnership for over five years that we have been honoured to share with all of you,” she communicated to her 237,000 Instagram followers.

The influencer based in New York City and San Francisco explained to fans that they have played a special part in her relationship with Malik with their outpouring of love and support, and they will carry that love forward.

“This may come as a shock, but our journey is now shifting,” Chakra continued. “We have decided to call off our wedding and end our relationship due to infidelity committed by Sufi.” She wished for “absolutely no negativity” to be directed toward Malik and that their fans “respect this difficult decision”.

“What we have shared has been so full of love and nothing short of magical - I will choose to remember it this way,” Chakra concluded her post, signing it: “All my love, Anjali.”

Who are Sufi Malik and Anjali Chakra?

More than five years ago, Malik and Chakra garnered internet fame after their photoshoot together went viral. The couple, known popularly as a same-sex interfaith couple, gained 136,000 subscribers on their shared YouTube channel since 2019 and attracted over 200,000 followers on their individual Instagram pages.

Back in 2019, Malik and Chakra swept the internet when Sarowar Ahmed, the photographer, captured and shared charming images of the couple posing under an umbrella on a rainy New York City day to celebrate their first anniversary. He titled the photoshoot, “A New York Love Story.”

Malik, a Muslim artist and teacher from Pakistan, and Chakra, a Hindu event planner from India, instantly charmed internet users. They started dating in July 2018 and have been regularly documenting their relationship on social media. They make frequent Instagram posts dedicated to each other for birthdays or anniversaries.

"People message us so often, expressing their happiness for finding us because they previously didn't realize that other queer South Asian people existed," the couple previously told Business Insider. "For us, using our platforms responsibly means we share information about others who are doing important work for our communities without those privileges."

"In September 2022, Malik and Chakra took to Instagram to announce their engagement. The Pakistani artist proposed to his then-girlfriend at the Empire State Building, which also happened to be the location of their first date. Chakra posted photos of the proposal on Instagram and captioned the post, "Easiest yes of my life!!!!"."

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