mallika and antonio banderas

Just weeks ago, gorgeous brunette Natalie Burn was forced to deny that she was romantically involved with actor Antonio Banderas following reports that she was the one who had come between him and wife Melanie Griffith.

While the pair were pictured enjoying a sexy flamenco dance during the Cannes Film Festival in May - just prior to the couple filing for divorce on June 6 after 18 years of marriage - it now appears that another beauty was in fact the catalyst for the split.

RadarOnline reports that the 53-year-old shares an 'intense' bond with Indian actress Mallika Sherawat, whom he met at the same Cannes Film Festival two years earlier, in June 2012.

Scroll down for video

+7

+7

'There is a real chemistry between them': Antonio Banderas' 'intense' connection with Indian actress Mallika Sherawat - whom he met during the Cannes Film Festival in June 2012 - is said to have been the catalyst for his split from wife of 18 years, Melanie Griffith, according to the Bollywood star's best friend and stylist, Ivan Bitton

Indeed, the 53-year-old Spaniard once again wowed the beauty with his impressive dance moves
as the pair got close on the dance floor during a party aboard a luxury yacht.

The 37-year-old Bollywood star appeared to be having the time of her life as she cosied up to the hunky married man, dressed seductively in a black frock featuring a sheer lace bodice with plunging neck detail.

At the time, the couple's dance floor dalliance was captured on video by the actress's best friend and stylist, Ivan Bitton, and while he insists he wasn't the one who leaked the tape, he's since opened
up about the pair's flirtation, which he believes could have led to the demise of Antonio's marriage.

The 46-year-old tells Radar: 'I remember when they danced and they had a lot of PDA; he had a lot of public affection with Mallika. He was saying, "God you're so beautiful," like a horndog would do talking to [his] prey.'

+7

'He was really mesmerised by her': The glamorous 37-year-old - pictured at this year's Cannes Film Festival on May 22 - 'doesn't want to be seen as a homewrecker', her pal insists, adding that her feelings for the now-single actor are genuine and 'it's very possible' they could rekindle their romance

+7

'He was really mad': The 53-year-old reportedly told Bitton at this year's Cannes Film Festival - seen here on May 19 - that video of him and Mallika dancing together had 'caused problems with his wife', whom he split from just weeks later, on June 6

However, while Antonio's long-time love Melanie was nowhere to be seen during the event, another woman wasn't at all happy about the father-of-one's very public display of affection with someone else.

'They were dancing and everything was fun ... and this woman barged onto the dance floor
and literally [pushed Mallika]. It was like, "Get
off my man!"' Bitton divulges.

According to Bitton, he was later told that the woman in question was the angry friend of another female who claimed to be in a relationship with the lothario - 'the daughter
of some big agent'.

While the stylist says Mallika and Antonio's relationship didn't end there, he admits that he also saw the Zorro star with a third 'thin-haired, white American girl' on a yacht in Cannes as
he partied once again without his wife.

Despite Banderas's alleged wandering eye, Bitton claims that he 'got really like "wow" on Mallika' and even took her on a romantic vacation to Spain.

'It was just the two of them,' he reveals of the
trip, which allegedly took place in early 2012.
'He took her without the wife knowing. He really made sure that this was a very discreet trip.'

He adds: 'I believe she met some of his family - that's how involved he was with her emotionally.'

If Bitton's accounts are to be believed, regardless of Antonio's alleged feelings for
the Indian beauty, she wasn't the only to catch his eye.

'He was with other women [too]. I had seen him with other women,' Bitton says. 'He was always
in public with other women. So, for me, I didn't realise that what happened [between him and Mallika] would cause Melanie to go around town with her ring on.'

However, the publication of the dancing video was apparently a turning point in Antonio's relationship with his 56-year-old wife, who was furious that she had been so publicly embarrassed by his behaviour.

+7

'He was always in public with other women': Bitton speculates that 56-year-old Melanie 'must have known about other girls', adding, 'They probably had an arrangement that it's cool for him to have other [flirtations], as long as it's not public, [but] with our case, it became public and I think that's where she got mad'

Happier times: Griffith files for divorce from Banderas

Bitton insists the Oscar-nominee 'must have known about other girls', adding: 'To me, it's very obvious... only because he's so public about it.

'What I'm guessing is that they probably had an arrangement that it's cool for him to have other [flirtations], as long as it's not public,' he speculates. 'With our case, it became public and I think that's where she got mad.'

Indeed, Banderas was reportedly 'really mad about the video', while he told Bitton during a run-in at this year's Cannes Film Festival in May that it had sparked the beginning of the end of his marriage.

'He specifically said that after that video, this is when everything started to go down. It specifically started to cause problems with his wife,' Bitton explains.

+7

NOT the other woman: Antonio's Expendables 3 so-star Natalie Burn was forced to deny rumours of a romance with the then-married actor after the pair partook in a sexy flamenco dance in Cannes on May 18

With Mallika also terribly embarrassed upon the tape being leaked, she apparently 'froze Antonio out', though Bitton adds that she only did it 'because she doesn't want to be seen as a homewrecker'.

'She really isn't [a homewrecker],' he states.

Bitton insists the only reason he's speaking out now is because he feels that it's 'really done' between Antonio and Melanie this time, which leaves the door open for his best friend to possibly rekindle that original spark she had with the now-single star.

'I know that it's very possible,' he says. 'She likes him. What's not to like? And I know he was really mesmerised by her. There is a real chemistry between them.'

+7

'He mentioned he had some problems. He was saying that he was trying to fix the marriage': The pretty brunette told RadarOnline that while Banderas confided in her about his troubles, he was still 'deeply in love' with Melanie