by
Advertisement
Premium

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

Veteran actor Aruna Irani shed light on how Mehmood's wife expressed her displeasure with the persistent rumours of their "affair" and instructed him to refrain from working with her.

Aruna Irani and MehmoodAruna Irani and Mehmood.

Veteran actor Aruna Irani and the legendary king of comedy, Mehmood, formed an iconic onscreen duo, known for their impeccable comic timing, throughout the 1970s. Their effortless chemistry on screen was so captivating that rumours of romantic involvement between the two began to circulate. However, this very speculation proved to be detrimental, ultimately leading to them never collaborating again. In a recent interview, Aruna shed light on how Mehmood’s wife, Tracy Ali, expressed her displeasure with the persistent rumours and instructed Mehmood to refrain from working with her in the future.

During a chat with Zoom, Aruna was asked about her career transition from being a leading actor to portraying motherly roles. Explaining the same, she said, “Two of my films — Caravan and Bombay To Goa — both were running in theatres and both were jubilee and I got a lot of praise for them… But I didn’t get work (afterwards). And this was because there were rumours that I had married Mehmood. But there was nothing like that. We also were fools not to clear it out. We should have called the media and cleared it. We were friends but nothing else and because of that rumour my track got changed in the Hindi film industry.”

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.”

Also read | Mehmood: The comedian who made heroes insecure, his presence on posters could make film a hit

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.

From the homepage
US clears Excalibur artillery shells, Javelin anti-tank systems for India
SC clarifies Governor’s powers: How it answered 14 questions referred by President
90% of selected students Muslim, Sangh outfits want admission for Vaishnodevi medical college scrapped

Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.

© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
Tags:
  • Aruna Irani Mehmood
Edition
search
Install the Express App for
a better experience
Featured
Today's E-paper
Nov 21, 2025
Trending Topics
News
Multimedia
Follow Us
Express ExplainedSC clarifies Governor’s powers: How it answered 14 questions referred by President
X