Aruna Irani Was Unaware of Kuku Kohli’s First Marriage, Recalls Her First Meeting with Late Husband

Veteran actress Aruna Irani and late filmmaker Kuku Kohli’s love story and reported “secret” marriage have been the subject of public interest for years. Aruna largely chose not to discuss their relationship while Kuku Kohli’s first wife was alive. However, around four years ago, the actress opened up about their relationship in an interview, recalling how they first met on a film set and eventually fell in love.

"We met each other during one of the films we worked on together. During that film, he used to make all the other actors wait until Dharmendra ji arrived on set to start the shoot. And I used to get very angry at him as I was also working on some other films at that time. So we started with a love-hate relationship. I used to get very upset with him and he used to console me. Uss chakkar mein kaise lafda ho gaya samajh nahi aaya (I don't know how we fell for each other because of that)," Aruna Irani told a news source.

Aruna also revealed that she was unaware that Kuku was already married and had children when they first met.

"He didn't even tell me that he was married when we met, and that's how I fell in love with him. So it didn't feel right to speak about our relationship as he was already married with a wife and daughters. Now I am talking about it because his first wife passed away a few months back," she said during the interview.

Aruna Irani and Kuku Kohli got married in 1990, when the actress was 40.

In an earlier interview with another news source, Aruna also spoke about their decision not to have children.

"When I see my nephews and nieces today, I'm glad I have no children. If a visitor came to the house and my child didn't greet them or kept lolling on the sofa, as today's children do, I would be upset. Their attitude is, 'So what?' God is great. A dear friend, Dr Ajay Kothari, helped me see reason and make up my mind. He said, 'It's fine that you got married, you need companionship, but the generation gap between a child and you would be too much to handle.' I believe he was right. My child and I would have suffocated each other," she said.

Veteran filmmaker Kuku Kohli, known for his 1991 film Phool Aur Kaante, died at the age of 77, friend Ashoke Pandit said.

"He was feeling uncomfortable and was therefore admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital yesterday. He passed away due to a massive heart attack around 4:30 pm," said Ashoke Pandit.

Kohli is survived by his wife, actress Aruna Irani, and his two daughters, Pooja and Karishma, from his first marriage to Rita Kohli.