This Indian actress from Ambala married a businessman who has assets exceeding $500 million. She cancelled a lavish wedding with him and opted for…
This actress has been part of the industry since 1988 and was the winner of the 1984 Miss India beauty pageant. Born in Ambala, she also won the Best Costume Award at the Miss Universe contest in the same year. Known for keeping her marriage and children out of the spotlight, she married a businessman who lived a life far from the glitz and glamour of Bollywood. However, fate brought them together, and their friendship eventually blossomed into love, leading to marriage. But the journey wasn’t as simple as it sounds. The actress in question is Juhi Chawla.
Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta’s love story
Juhi Chawla first met Jay Mehta through their mutual friend, actor and director Rakesh Roshan, at a dinner party, according to a report by BollywoodShaadis. Although they met frequently as friends, there wasn’t any romantic spark initially. In 1990, tragedy struck Jay when he lost his wife, Sujata Birla, in a plane crash. She flew with her family from Bombay to Bangalore. During this difficult time, Juhi supported him through his grief. Gradually, love developed between them, though they were initially hesitant to acknowledge their feelings.
Juhi Chawla breaks down on wedding day
When the couple decided to marry, their families initially planned a grand affair. However, it had not even been a year since Juhi Chawla’s mother’s passing, which made the actress very emotional. Jay Mehta and his family had invited around 2,000 guests, but Juhi, heartbroken over her mother’s absence, struggled with grief. She even broke down in tears on her wedding day. Recalling the incident, Juhi once shared, ‘I was filming some of the biggest movies of my career and preparing to get married. My mother had passed away just a year earlier. As the wedding date approached, I kept thinking my mother, whom I loved most, is gone, and now my career will also disappear. I didn’t know how to be happy about it. So, I broke down one day and told my mother-in-law, and she said, “It’s okay.”
Juhi Chawala and Jay Mehta
Juhi went on to describe her mother-in-law’s touching gesture, recalling how she convinced the family to cancel the grand wedding. Her MIL instead opted for a simple ceremony at home with only close family and friends—around 80-90 people in total. Juhi reflected, “Imagine your mother-in-law cancelling the invitations that had already been sent out.”
Juhi and Jay were introduced by filmmaker Rakesh Roshan. During an earlier appearance on the reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Juhi shared anecdotes about her love life, revealing how Jay used to write her letters daily before they were married. She joked that it all stopped after their wedding, saying that in those days, people sent letters and cards, whereas now it’s all about emails and WhatsApp messages. She also recalled how, on one of her birthdays, Jay sent her a truck full of red roses. ‘It took me a year to say yes to him,’ she added with a smile.”
Juhi Chawla Mehta has been named as the richest self-made woman in the Hurun India Rich List 2024 with a net worth of Rs 4600 crore. Jay Mehta commands attention as the Chairman of The Mehta Group, a juggernaut in the business world with a staggering Rs 4,171 crore empire. He is also the co-owner of IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
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