Veteran actor Aruna Irani has expressed gratitude to her fans for standing by her following the death of her husband, filmmaker Kuku Kohli, saying their love and encouragement have helped her find the strength to resume work.
In a recent video message, the actress thanked her admirers for their support during what she described as a difficult period in her life.
“After the death of Kukuji, the love you all gave me, the support you gave me, I am very, very grateful for that,” Aruna said.
Admitting that she had not expected such an outpouring of affection, the veteran actor said the support had helped her move forward and return to work.
“I can’t believe that in such a difficult time of mine, you all will be with me, will be standing with me,” she said.
Aruna added that she hoped her fans would continue to stand by her throughout her life, thanking them for giving her the strength to face the challenging period.
Kuku Kohli, known for directing the Hindi film Phool Aur Kaante, died on August 25, 2026, at the age of 77. His death prompted tributes from members of the film fraternity.
Aruna and Kuku shared a relationship that began on a film set. The actress had previously described their early equation as a “love-hate relationship”, recalling that she would become frustrated when shooting schedules were delayed because actors had to wait for Dharmendra to arrive. She said Kuku would later console her when she was upset, and their relationship gradually evolved.
Their relationship was complicated by the fact that Kuku was already married and had children when they met. Aruna had said she initially did not know about his first family and kept their relationship private for years.
The couple married in 1990, when Aruna was 40. She later explained that she had avoided discussing their marriage publicly while Kuku’s first wife, Rita Kohli, was alive, out of respect for his family.
Now, as she begins returning to professional commitments after her husband’s death, Aruna has credited the affection of her fans with helping her through the difficult transition.