Aruna Irani first met Kuku Kohli in the early 1990sAt the time, the two did not get along and romance was certainly not on their minds.
Published: August 26, 2026, 4:51 PM IST
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Aruna Irani and Kuku Kohli (PC-Instagram)
The death of filmmaker Kuku Kohli has brought attention back to his long and unconventional relationship with veteran actor Aruna IraniKohli, who directed films such as Phool Aur Kaante, Suhaag and Haqeeqat, died at the age of 77 after suffering a heart attackHe is survived by Aruna, his second wife, and daughters Pooja Kohli and Karishma Kohli from his first marriage to Rita Kohli.
Aruna and Kuku’s relationship remained largely away from the spotlight for several yearsHowever, the actor had spoken openly about their love story in interviews, including how their relationship began when Kuku was already married.
Aruna Irani and Kuku Kohli’s first meeting
Aruna first met Kuku while working with him in the early 1990sAt the time, the two did not get along and romance was certainly not on their minds. Recalling their first equation in an interview with Zoom, Aruna had said, “I used to hate Kuku ji, and he too had issues with me.” The actor explained that they often had disagreements, especially over dates and shooting schedulesTheir relationship, however, slowly changed as they began spending more time together.
“Then I don’t know what happened, he started to soften and we became friendsThen he started adjusting my datesAnd eventually, love happened,” she recalled.
Aruna Irani knew Kuku Kohli was married
When Aruna and Kuku’s relationship began, the filmmaker was already married to Rita Kohli and had two daughters. Aruna later addressed reports claiming that she did not know about Kuku’s first marriageShe made it clear that she was aware of his family from the beginning.
She said, “I don’t know where this stupid news came from that I was not aware of his first marriageHis wife would come on the sets along with the childrenI knew about it.”
Aruna admitted that marrying Kuku was not an easy decision“It was a tough decision to make,” she said, while adding that Kuku “fought the world to marry me.”
The actor also explained why she chose to keep their relationship private for many yearsShe did not want her relationship to cause pain to Kuku’s first family.
“My affair, my relationship with Kuku Kohli was not there to hurt anybody or snatch away somebody,” she said.
Aruna Irani on being called ‘the other woman’
Aruna also spoke about the criticism often faced by women who become involved with married menShe said that responsibility for a marriage should not automatically be placed on the other woman. “Wives always blame the other womanSee, I am not responsible to keep you happyYour husband is responsibleHold him accountable first,” she said.
She further explained her perspective on how such relationships happen. “I did not have an affair to destroy someone’s familyBut something happens, I don’t know whatOnly a man would know or a woman would know as to why a third person enters.”
Talking about marriage and relationships, Aruna said, “Marriage has no security, only love has securityIf there is love, then you have a marriage, otherwise it’s just a piece of paper.”
Why Aruna Irani and Kuku Kohli did not have children
Aruna also revealed that she and Kuku consciously decided not to have a child togetherShe said she did not want a child to experience the complications that came with their relationship. “I got married to a married manI am sufferingIt’s my jobLet the pain be with me only,” she said.
Their relationship also extended into their professional livesAruna appeared in several films directed by Kuku, including Phool Aur Kaante, Kohraam, Suhaag, Haqeeqat, Anari No.1 and Zulmi.
She later turned producer and backed Kuku’s 2002 film Yeh Dil Aashiqanaa.
The couple’s relationship remained private for much of their life togetherAruna became more open about their story after Rita Kohli’s death in 2022, speaking about the choices they made and the circumstances surrounding their marriage.
