Arbaaz Khan and his wife Malaika Arora Khan have been branded as liars and cheats by the Indian media after a publicity stunt backfired.

Yesterday, on the front pages of many Indian newspapers and on this website, a story about Malaika Arora splitting up with her husband Arbaaz Khan was featured. The story was sourced from the horses’ mouths, i.e. Arbaaz and Malaika themselves. However, the world now comes to learn that it was all a lie… for nothing more than a few dollars.

According to Mumbai Mirror, both husband and wife had been contracted by a cosmetics company to launch a skin-care product, and the campaign, unveiled on Thursday night, revolved around Arbaaz playing Adonis to his wife’s Aphrodite. They used the myth to renew their vows on stage, thus the sham of remarriage.

The following is the transcript of the chat between MM reporter Vickey Lalwani and Arbaaz and Malaika.

Vickey: There are rumours about you and Arbaaz splitting up.
Malaika: I don’t want to clarify anything. I am not going to tell you anything.

Vickey: You are not denying it?
Malaika: I am not going to confirm your rumour. If Arbaaz is getting re-married, then it’ll come out. If this is what you have heard, then you can write that you got through to me and say, ‘Malaika was not very forthcoming and not wanting to comment’.

Vickey: Are you two still together?
Malaika: I won’t tell you…this is too personal.

Vickey: Supposing this rumour is wrong then needlessly your family gets dragged into an unseemly controversy, what’s the point? So tell me if there is anything to this news?
(At this point Vickey tells her that if she does not want to be quoted, she can talk to him off-the-record).
Malaika (relenting): What do you want to know–that Arbaaz is remarrying? Well yes, he is remarrying.