The fear of being cheated

Insecurity seems to loom large over Indian marriages, as a new survey reveals that 45 per cent of Indians want to check their partner's phone without their knowledge and 55 per cent have already done it.

As per the Hotstar 'Out of Love' survey, the suspicion of infidelity is higher in the India's north (32 per cent) and east (31 per cent), whereas in the west and south, an average of 21 per cent suspect getting cheated on.

Suspicion is the highest in Jaipur, Lucknow and Patna, and least in Bengaluru and Pune.

It added that more than half of Mumbaikars and Delhiites claimed to have checked their partner's phone without their knowledge. Interestingly, people in love marriages feel the need to pry with the figure touching almost 62 per cent than 52 per cent in arranged marriages.

The report also said that women are more mistrusting than men, since more women than men have checked their spouse's phone.

"There are various types of infidelity; some that happen out of purely physical needs and some where it is more emotional. Cheating is not planned.

It happens because humans have no control over their feelings or emotions. Often, they realize there is a void that they are trying to fill which could be either psychological, emotional or physical," Ramon Llamba - Life Coach, Therapist and Quantum Medicine Doctor said.

Over the past few years, the definition of 'an affair' has evolved beyond the physical aspect of a relationship to now include emotional and social media influence as well.

"While 47 per cent claim that physical intimacy is the worst form of cheating, 37 per cent feel that way about emotional infidelity," the streaming platform said in a statement.

As social media dominates personal time, 16 per cent respondents are bothered by social media infidelity, it added.

For the reasons of cheating, not being good enough is the answer of 1/4 Indians, and 1 out of 5 say their partner might be out of love with them. Other major reasons include boredom, financial and lifestyle problems.

When faced with infidelity, what will India do?

The survey revealed that 78 per cent Indians will boldly confront infidelity, whereas almost half of Indians are willing to forgive their partner's infidelity. Twenty per cent are also willing to forget.

"Reasons to forgive range from acceptance citing it as a 'one-time thing', to kids and future holding prime importance or even feeling societal or family shame.

Delhi has one of the higher rates of people who will choose to fight but 5 on 10 Mumbaikars will choose to forgive."

The survey by Hotstar is in partnership with Mindshare and Unomer, and was carried out with 1,088 married respondents in the age-group on 18-64 years from across metros and Tier 1 towns with an equal female-male ratio.

It comes on the heels of Hotstar Specials' latest show 'Out of Love' that deals with the aftermath of infidelity and the myriad choices that people are faced with.