Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan recently opened up about his marriage to actress-politician Jaya Bachchan during an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati 18.
He revealed that the couple's decision to tie the knot was made rather spontaneously, without either of them going through an elaborate process of seeking approval from their families.
The conversation began when contestant Aheli Roy from Kolkata asked how he had managed to convince his mother-in-law and win over Jaya's family before their marriage.
Responding to her question, Amitabh recalled that he and Jaya simply decided one day that they should get married.
“Humne unko kuch nahi kaha. Humne bas Jaya ji ko ek din bola ki shaadi kar leni chahiye. Toh unhone kaha, haan kar leni chahiye aur bas tay ho gaya. Humne kisi se bhi baat nahi ki. Shaadi tay hone ke baad Jaya ji gayi, apne mata-pita ko bataya hoga. Humein yeh bhi maloom nahi unhone kya bola hoga, lekin woh log maan gaye aur aa gaye. Phir thodi baatein hui aur agle din shaadi kar li,” he said.
(We didn't tell them anything. One day, I simply told Jaya ji that we should get married. She said yes, we should get married, and that was it. It was decided. We didn't speak to anyone. After the marriage was decided, Jaya ji must have gone and told her parents. We don't even know what she told them, but they agreed and came over. Then there was a little conversation, and we got married the next day)
Amitabh went on to joke about how weddings today often involve extensive planning and preparations, saying he preferred the simplicity with which he and Jaya approached their marriage.
“Sach bolun toh aisa hi hona chahiye, hai na? Kaun uss jhamela mein jaaye ki yeh taarikh hogi, yeh kapde pehnenge, idhar jaayenge, udhar jaayenge, yeh sab karenge, band-vand bajega. Iska kuch faayda nahi. Humne maan liya ki woh humari patni hain. Isse bada mann kuch nahi,” he said.
(Honestly, this is how it should be, isn't it? Who wants to get into all that hassle of deciding a date, choosing clothes, going here and there, making all these arrangements, having the band play and everything? What is the point of all that? We simply accepted that she was my wife. There was nothing greater than that for me)
For the uninitiated, Amitabh and Jaya got married on June 3, 1973. Their relationship had blossomed after working together in films.
Their decision to marry came soon after the success of Zanjeer, with the couple having planned a trip to London with friends. Amitabh later recalled that his father, poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, told him that if he wanted to travel with Jaya, they should get married first.
Jaya later revealed that the couple had originally planned to marry in October but moved the wedding forward. The wedding took place just days before their planned London trip.
The two have also worked together in films including Zanjeer, Abhimaan, Chupke Chupke, Mili and Sholay. Their marriage followed the success of Zanjeer, which marked an important phase in both their professional and personal lives.
The couple went on to build a family together and are parents to daughter Shweta Bachchan Nanda and son Abhishek Bachchan.
