Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan recently shared an interesting account of how his marriage to actress and politician Jaya Bachchan came together, recalling that the couple made the decision with remarkably little planning or formal discussion with their families.
The revelation came during an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati 18, when contestant Aheli Roy from Kolkata asked Amitabh how he had managed to convince Jaya’s family before their wedding. Rather than describing a lengthy process, the actor recalled that the decision between the two was surprisingly straightforward.
Amitabh recalls how the marriage was decided
Amitabh explained that he and Jaya had simply reached a point where they felt they should get married. According to the actor, neither of them initially approached their families to formally discuss the proposal.
He recalled telling Jaya one day that they should marry, to which she agreed. The decision was then communicated to her parents, who accepted it and came to meet them. Amitabh said that after a brief discussion, the wedding took place the following day.
The actor’s recollection painted a picture of a much simpler wedding decision than the elaborate preparations often associated with celebrity marriages today.
Big B jokes about elaborate wedding preparations
While talking about the subject, Amitabh also took a light-hearted view of the planning that often surrounds modern weddings. He joked about the arrangements involved in fixing dates, selecting clothes, organising ceremonies and making other preparations.
For him, the most important part of the occasion was the personal commitment between the couple rather than the scale of the celebration. Amitabh said that once they accepted each other as husband and wife, he felt there was little else that mattered.
His comments came in the familiar conversational setting of KBC, where stories from his personal and professional life frequently become part of his exchanges with contestants.
Amitabh and Jaya married in 1973
Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan married on June 3, 1973. Their relationship had developed while they were working together in the film industry, and their marriage followed the success of Zanjeer.
The couple had reportedly been planning a trip to London with friends around that period. Amitabh has previously recalled that his father, poet and writer Harivansh Rai Bachchan, told him that if he intended to travel with Jaya, they should get married first.
Jaya later spoke about the wedding plans as well, recalling that the marriage had originally been expected to take place in October but was brought forward. The couple eventually married shortly before their planned London trip.
The couple’s films together
Amitabh and Jaya also shared the screen in several notable films during their careers. Their collaborations included Zanjeer, Abhimaan, Chupke Chupke, Mili and Sholay, among others.
Their professional partnership became an important part of their early years together, while their marriage continued alongside their individual careers in Indian cinema.
The couple have two children, daughter Shweta Bachchan Nanda and son Abhishek Bachchan. Over the decades, both Amitabh and Jaya have remained prominent figures in Indian public life, with their careers spanning acting, television and politics.
Amitabh’s latest recollection offered a personal glimpse into the circumstances surrounding a marriage that began more than five decades ago and followed a decision he remembers as considerably simpler than the elaborate wedding planning common today.