Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta are perhaps one of the few couples in Bollywood who prefer to keep their relationship out of the media eye and enjoy their marital bliss in solace. Their unbeatable jodi is rather rare to be seen as mainstream films and family business are poles apart fields. However, the duo has made it through thick and thin because they have chosen to be by each other’s side, no matter what. Take a look at their unparalleled love story.
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One of the most popular faces of the early 90s decade of Bollywood, Juhi Chawla had no clue what destiny had in store for her, gradually unfolding its paths. After giving massively successful films like Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Darr, Ishq, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani and more, when she was working in the film, Karobaar: The Business Of Love when the film’s director, Rakesh Roshan introduced her to his childhood buddy and industrialist, Jay Mehta. The duo instantly hit off as friends and matched their wavelengths.
All this while as they connected as the best of friends, there had been absolutely no romantic inclination that any of them felt towards the other. They frequently met at parties and chatted for hours long, as best friends would do. However, there came an unforeseen tragic point in Jay’s life, when his first wife, Sujata Birla passed away in a shocking plane crash in 1990, leaving his life toppled upside down.
The times were terrible for Jay after such a heart-wrenching loss of his beloved wife, to whom he was absolutely dedicated. But it was with the help of his dear friend, Juhi that Jay gradually bounced back to strength. She helped him to cope with the loss as she did not want it to form a permanent setback in his life.
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Interestingly, this was the first time when the duo felt that their relationship had perhaps blossomed into something else more than just friendship. While Juhi was initially hesitant to put a tag to this new feeling, she gradually changed her mind after seeing Jay’s dedication and positive influence in her heart. The two of them came close and decided to give each other a fresh start in life.
Nevertheless, both Jay and Juhi decided to be tight-lipped about their blossoming relationship, as the latter felt that it could put her steady career into a downfall. Moreover, as it was just too soon after the passing away of Jay’s first wife, they decided to take things slowly. In an interview quite later in her life, Juhi Chawla had once recalled her dating period with Jay Mehta and had revealed how he started to send her roses almost every other day. In her words:
“From then on, everywhere I went, he turned up. Everywhere I looked, he was there with flowers and notes and gifts. Every day! On my birthday, I remember he sent me a truckload of red roses. I was like, what do you do with a truckload of flowers? He really did all he could.”
As things were slightly turning sweet from bitter, life again took a toll on the couple and tragedy struck Juhi this time. She lost her mother, Mona Chawla in an unfortunate car accident, leaving her completely shattered and bereaved. Obviously, she lost her correct frame of mind and the duo had to postpone their decision to jump into marital bliss. But even after it all, Jay and Juhi never drifted apart, and even came closer. Much like the latter, it was Jay’s turn to completely support Juhi in her difficult times, making them emerge out as the perfect partners for each other. Recalling those hard times in her life, Juhi had once mentioned:
“That was a very difficult time for me, because I felt I was going to lose everything I loved.”
After all such hurdles and setbacks, the couple finally decided to tie the knot in December 1995. Quite contrary to what people would think of their wedding to be full of glitz and glam, theirs was a secret wedding, and it never made it to the headlines. It was only in the year 2001, when the couple were expecting their first child, that the news about their marriage surfaced in the media. Much later in her life, in an interview with Rajeev Masand, Juhi had revealed the reason behind keeping her marriage a secret for a long time and mentioned:
“At that time, you did not have the internet and you did not have cameras on every phone, so you could do it that way. I was just about established and doing well. That’s the time Jay was serenading me and I was afraid of losing my career just when I had kind of got there. I wanted to carry on and this seemed the midway.”
After a few years of marital bliss, the couple got blessed with their daughter, Jahnavi in 2001. And the family got completed two years later, in 2003 with the arrival of their son, Arjun. The doting parents preferred a strict out-of-media life for their kids so that they enjoy all the prospects of a normal childhood. In an interview with Pinkvilla, Juhi had once opened up on her motherhood journey and had revealed that it was only after having her own kids did she realise her fondness for children. In her words:
“When you get married, you don't know how it is going to be like, no matter what everyone says. Then when you have children, it is a new experience. In fact, frankly, before I had kids, despite doing films like Hum Hai Rahi Pyaar Ke, I had no fondness for children. I would find them as a nuisance. But I started looking at children differently once I turned into a mother. It changed me."
For the unversed, Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta are proud co-owners of the popular IPL team franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) along with Shah Rukh Khan. While Juhi and SRK have remained best of friends and best co-actors in many of their films, it has been IPL that has brought them together as a family. A few years back in 2019, Juhi had shared a beautiful picture on her social media handle that captured her daughter, Jahnavi along with SRK’s kids, Aryan and Suhana stepping into their parent’s footsteps during the auction of players in that year’s match. Penning a heartfelt note as she saw all their children grown up, she mentioned:
“As the years have passed her interest in the game has only increased. When cricket is discussed, her face lights up, she is happy and enthused. Her knowledge on the topic, is to me, astounding. Jahnavi set a sort of record of being the youngest person to be allowed at the IPL Auction table 3 years ago, she was just 17. Aryan and Jahnavi attended the last Auction, and this time Suhana joined them."
Well, as the couple has completed so many blissful years if togetherness, there is no denying that the duo has been a match made in heaven. A proof of their undying love for one another was given a glimpse in 2021 when Juhi graced the couch of the famous controversial chat show, Koffee With Karan. When the host, Karan Johar asked why she did not prefer to marry and handsome Bollywood hero in place of a hardcore businessman, Juhi gave an apt response, that could be read as:
“They're all fantastic heroes, but I don't think I could've handled my husband looking into the mirror as much as I would. As an actor, you're so full of yourself, and I couldn't imagine I would get married to somebody like that, so I was quite clear."
We surely find Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta as one of the most adorable couples! What about you? Let us know!
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