Aruna Irani and Mehmood used to lit up the silver screen in the early ’70s with their effortless chemistry in films like Aulad, Humjoli, Devi and Naya Zamana, among others. Apart from their on-screen romance, their off-screen bond also made headlines. Aruna has never shied away from admitting that she fell for a then-married Mehmood. However, some chapters from their story have been hidden for decades. In a recent interview, the actress revealed how Mehmood ended her career and what led to their breakup.
Aruna Irani reveals she was asked to impress Mehmood
Aruna Irani recently sat down for an interview with Lehren Retro and touched upon the much-talked-about chapter related to her off-screen bond with Mehmood. She explained that she hailed from a poor family, and making it big in the Hindi film industry with no support and resources wasn’t easy for her. So, Aruna was told early if she wanted to survive in the long run, then she had to impress Mehmood, whom she used to admire since her childhood days. The Bobby actress didn’t do so but admitted that the latter supported her anyway, which made her develop a soft corner for him. In her words:
“Dance director Suresh Bhatt told me ‘tu Mehmood ko ghaas dal, only he can get you work.’ But there also I kept saying yes and no to Mehmood. Still, he started giving me work even on that basis, and slowly, I developed a soft corner for him. Through him, I saw money, fame, name, and I thought, ‘Mein kab tak iss aadmi ko bewkoof banaugi.'”
Aruna Irani revealed that they soon became friends, and the bond deepened between them. However, when the rumours about their marriage began to surface, Mehmood kept mum, which had a negative impact on her career. She recalled one instance when Vinod Khanna, who wanted to cast her as a lead actress came to Mehmood for approval and asked if the speculations were true. But his reaction had a major impact on her career. She said:
“Mehmood just looked at me and smiled and didn’t say anything. So he made my career and ruined it also.”
Mehmood’s family didn’t want him to work with Aruna Irani
In the same conversation, journalist Bharti Singh mentioned that Mehmood told her that his wife had issues with Aruna, and while she wanted to marry him, which led to their breakup. In turn, the actress mentioned that they parted ways after they realised that they weren’t good for each other’s careers. But she did want to marry him, and his family asked him not to work with her, which he agreed to. Due to their breakup, she stopped getting work and had to take up doing songs despite being a lead actress. However, Aruna never felt bad over it, as she simply wanted to earn money and fulfil her responsibility towards her family. When asked if she ever stepped out of line to please him, Aruna Irani said:
“Not out of the way, but definitely haad se bahar jakar. I pleased him. I came from a very poor family so that was the first time I saw name, fame, money.”
More about Mehmood
Mehmood has been among the finest stars to ever grace Indian cinema and has worked in more than 300 films over four decades. He was especially praised for his comic roles and worked in hit films like Padosan, Kunwara Baap, Bombay To Goa and Gumnaam among others. He was first married to Madhu Kumari, and they had four kids. But, they parted ways after 15 years in 1967. Mehmood next married Tracy Ali and they had three children. The actor passed away in his sleep in July 2004.
What do you think about Aruna Irani’s revelations about her break-up with Mehmood?
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