Veteran actor Aruna Irani, in a recent podcast, opened up about many aspects of her personal life, including her relationship with late actor Mehmood and her marriage to director Kuku Kohli.

When asked about the role Mehmood played in her life, Irani said: “Jab main industry mein aayi thi, mujhe koi kaam hi nahin de raha tha. Jab Mehmood sahab ke saath maine kaam shuru kiya, unhone mujhe kaam dilaana shuru kiya.”

The 76-year-old continued, “Toh mujhe lagta tha ki khuda ka bheja hua aadmi hai... liking badh gayi. I know he was a married man... That’s why hum bahut aage nahin jaa sakte the, lekin we were more than friends.”

Things, however, turned sour when rumours about the two getting married emerged. She recalled, “Jab Bombay To Goa (1972) release hui, ek rumour bahar aaya ki I am married to Mehmood. Mujhse koi puchne nahin aata tha. He was a star and a married man, so log unko hi pehle puchte the, ‘Suna aapki shaadi ho gayi?’ He just used to nudge. Na haan bolte the, na na... that spoiled my career. [People used to think] Mehmood sahab se shaadi ho gayi hai toh woh ab isko kaam nahin karne denge. See how he made my career and how he ruined it. Unhe lagta tha ki agar ye heroine ban gayi toh he will be left alone.”

Irani also spoke about Kohli, whom she married in 1990, while being unaware that he already had a wife and kids. “When you get married to a married man, it gets very difficult. She (Kuku’s first wife) had some problems, she died a year back. I never used to talk [about my marriage] as I didn’t want to hurt anyone. My affair, my relationship with Kuku Kohli was not to hurt anybody or snatch away somebody.”