Aruna Irani says Mehmood’s wife told him not to work with her over affair rumours: ‘We were more than friends, but…’

Aruna also explained how she got the chance to pair opposite Mehmood in films. Calling Mehmood her guru, she said, “We did a lot of films together. We were more than friends, hum bahut acche dost thay (we were very good friends). At that time Mumtaz became a heroine and Shubha Khote got married. The makers called girls to work opposite him and they selected me. Usually, it takes time to get tuning right in comedy. Comedy is difficult but I learnt a lot from him. He was my guru, he taught me timing.”

Speaking about the rumours that led to their hit onscreen pairing break, Aruna said, “There were rumours that we were more than friends. When he took me as the heroine in Bombay To Goa, people thought there was something between us; ‘otherwise, why would he take me as the heroine?’ Later, the rumours became so strong that his wife didn’t want us to work together. She put her foot down and said, ‘You work with anyone else but not with Aruna.’ Mehmood also said, ‘No, there are a lot of fights so we don’t want to…'”

Aruna Irani’s illustrious career spans acclaimed films such as Humjoli, Pet Pyaar Aur Paap, Aan Milo Sajna, Sanjog, and Beta, as well as notable television shows like Mehndi Tere Naam Ki, Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand, Rabba Ishq Na Hove, and Vaidehi, among others.