Imagine the pressure: a rising star, on the cusp of superstardom, secretly battling the fear of jeopardizing everything she’s worked for. This was the reality for Juhi Chawla when she decided to marry Jay Mehta. Let’s delve into the story of their 30-year marriage, a tale woven with both love and the anxieties of a career in the limelight.
Juhi Chawla, at the peak of her career in 1995, with a string of blockbuster hits like Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Darr, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, and Ishq, made a life-altering decision. She chose love, but the fear of losing her hard-earned success loomed large. This led to a period of secrecy surrounding her marriage.
But here’s where it gets controversial… The world didn’t know about her marriage until 2001, when she was pregnant with their first child, Jahnavi Mehta. This secrecy highlights the pressures faced by actresses in the industry, where marriage was sometimes seen as a career killer.
Juhi herself admitted, “I was just about established and just starting to do well. That’s the time he was serenading me, and I was afraid of losing my career just when I kind of got there. So, I wanted to carry on, and this seemed to be the midway – that we keep it quiet and it’s okay, you can carry working.” This reveals the difficult choices women in the entertainment industry often had to make.
Their relationship blossomed in a unique way. Before marriage, Jay showered her with daily letters, a tradition that evolved into emails and WhatsApp messages. Their courtship began at a dinner, and Jay’s grand gestures, like sending a truckload of red roses for her birthday, eventually won her over. It took her a year to say ‘yes’.
And this is the part most people miss… Despite being married to a Bollywood A-lister, Jay Mehta preferred to stay out of the public eye. He is the chairman of The Mehta Group, a multinational conglomerate with a significant presence in Mumbai, Gandhinagar, the USA, and Africa. He inherited the business from his parents, Mahendra and Sunayana Mehta.
Before Juhi, Jay was married to Sujata Birla, sister of industrialist Yash Birla, who tragically passed away in the Indian Airlines Flight crash in 1990. Juhi played a supportive role in Jay’s life after this devastating loss, helping him heal. Their friendship gradually deepened into love.
What do you think? Do you believe the fear of losing a career is a valid reason to keep a marriage secret? Share your thoughts in the comments below!