Relationship red flags have become one of the most widely discussed topics in modern dating, with everything from staying friends with an ex to avoiding labels being debated online. While promoting Musafir Cafe, Vikrant reflected on his relationship with his wife, Sheetal Thakur, whom he met in 2015 through a mutual friend before they later co-starred in Broken But Beautiful season one. The couple got engaged in 2019, married in 2022 and welcomed a baby boy in 2024. Explaining his approach to relationships, he said, “I’m an old school guy. If we’re together or not together… woh clarity honi bahot zaroori hai (that clarity is very important). That’s how I’ve always been. I’m lucky that I found her before all this chatter about labels in relationships. We both wanted the same things. We weren’t ever conscious of the fact that I wanted to be with her and she with me.”DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.He also spoke about openly acknowledging long-term relationships, saying, “Humne kabhi duniye se bhi nahi chhupaaya. I feel that people who don’t want to label their relationships or hide them are shady. If you’ve spent a considerable time together, maybe four to five years, and you aren’t wanting to share it with the world that includes your friends and family, that’s kind of shady.” Sharing another personal boundary, Vikrant said, “Being friends with an ex is a red flag for me. Neither Sheetal nor I are friends with our respective exes. It’s not like ki dosti nahi karni hai (that we don’t want to make friends), but just by virtue of us being the way we are, we aren’t friends with our exes.”Speaking to News18, he added, “If your partner has a tracker on their phone or they panic if you don’t pick up their calls the first time is a red flag. One can be caught up with work, also. Worrying is okay, but not panicking. I know a lot of people who would say that if their partners surprise them at their workplace, it’s a red flag. But I don’t mind it.” According to him, “What’s an out-and-out red flag is when your partner doesn’t like hanging out with your friends. My partner has to like my friends, and they need to like her too.”Communication, trust and relationship expectationsSonal Khangarot, licensed rehabilitation counsellor and psychotherapist, The Answer Room, tells indianexpress.com, “As a psychologist, I would say that none of these behaviours is automatically a relationship red flag. Staying friends with an ex can be healthy when both partners have clear boundaries, emotional closure and transparency. However, it may become concerning if the friendship involves secrecy, unresolved romantic feelings or emotional intimacy that undermines the current relationship.”Similarly, Khangarot says, choosing not to label a relationship is not inherently problematic. The concern arises when two people have different expectations but avoid discussing them. A relationship can be private and still be secure; privacy becomes concerning when it is used to hide the relationship, to avoid accountability, or to create uncertainty. “Ultimately, the psychological significance of these behaviours depends on communication, trust, consistency, boundaries and mutual expectations.”Healthy concern vs controlling behaviour“Healthy concern is rooted in care, respect and the freedom to respond,” shares Khangarot, adding that controlling behaviour is rooted in entitlement, fear and the need to manage a partner’s choices or availability. “Checking in might look like, ‘Let me know when you reach safely,’ while excessive monitoring may involve repeated calls, demanding immediate responses, checking a partner’s phone or tracking their location without genuine mutual consent.”Story continues below this adHealthy relationships allow for boundaries, privacy and individual autonomy. The expert adds that partners can discuss reasonable expectations around communication and safety, but these should be mutually agreed upon rather than imposed. Trust does not mean never feeling anxious; it means learning to communicate anxiety without making the other person responsible for constantly regulating it.Balancing shared and separate social circlesQuick QuizSee if you can answer this:What is the healthiest approach to managing friendships in a romantic relationship?A. Partners should spend all their social time together and share the same friends.Story continues below this adB. Partners should keep their friendships completely separate and never meet each other’s friends.C. Partners can maintain separate friendships while respecting each other’s social lives and creating opportunities for shared connections.D. A healthy relationship means avoiding all friendships outside the relationship.Reveal the answer✅ Correct answer: CKhangarot says, “Healthy relationships don’t require partners to share every friend or social activity. Maintaining separate friendships can support individuality, but mutual respect is essential. If one partner repeatedly isolates the other, undermines their friendships or creates conflict whenever they spend time apart, it may signal deeper issues such as insecurity, control or mistrust. The goal is to balance independence with inclusion and respect.”Story continues below this adDISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.