Controversy rocked life of Rajinikanth and Big B’s co-star after marrying producer with 3 children; she gave up everything for him but was branded ‘the other woman’

As she was soaring high, the actor found herself embroiled in a controversy after she tied the knot with a film producer, who was already married and reportedly had three children.

By: Entertainment Desk
Kochi | Updated: October 20, 2025 10:14 AM IST

5 min read

As she was soaring high, Jaya Prada found herself embroiled in a controversy after she tied the knot with a film producer, who was already married and reportedly had three children.

Jaya Prada made her screen debut in the Telugu film Bhoomi Kosam, appearing in a song for which she reportedly received a salary of Rs 10. (Credit: Facebook/@jayapradaofficial, Express Archives)

Once a reigning star in Indian cinema, Jaya Prada shared the screen with some of the biggest names of the ’70s and ’80s, including Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, NT Rama Rao (NTR), Dr Rajkumar and Kamal Haasan, leaving her mark in various languages across India. Although she entered the film industry as a supporting artiste, Jaya quickly rose to fame during her teenage years itself, and her strong performances catapulted her to lead roles in no time. While she initially made strides in her home ground of Telugu cinema, she soon ventured into other South Indian languages and eventually made her way to Bollywood.

Born on April 3, 1962, to Krishna and Neelaveni in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, Jaya Prada made her screen debut in the Telugu film Bhoomi Kosam (1974), appearing in a song for which she reportedly received a salary of Rs 10. Shortly after, she also made her Tamil debut in K Balachander’s Kamal Haasan-starrer Manmadha Leelai (1976). Impressed by her potential, the filmmaker cast her in the lead role when he remade his 1974 Tamil film Aval Oru Thodar Kathai in Telugu as Anthuleni Katha. Thanks in part to her skills as a classical dancer, Jaya soon became a star in South India. From Seetha Kalyanam, Adavi Ramudu, Sanaadi Appanna, Ninaithale Inikkum and Bhale Krishnudu, to Ooruki Monagadu, Siri Siri Muvva and 47 Natkal, and Saagara Sangamam, Jaya turned everything she touched into gold.

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Meanwhile, she also made her Hindi debut in a remake of Siri Siri Muvva, titled Sargam. Owing to her potential as an actor, offers began pouring in from Bollywood as well, and she appeared in several movies like Sharaabi, Tohfa, Sanjog and Kaamchor, sharing the screen with superstars like Amitabh Bachchan, Sridevi, Jeetendra and Rakesh Roshan. Her pairing with Jeetendra was considered one of Bollywood’s best, and together they delivered several blockbuster films. In a short period, she became one of the highest-paid actresses. Meanwhile, she also worked with Mammootty in the Malayalam movie Iniyum Katha Thudarum.

‘Srikant Nahata stood by me during tough times’

However, as she was soaring high, Jaya Prada found herself embroiled in a controversy after she tied the knot with producer Srikant Nahata, who was already married and reportedly had three children. What made their marriage a hot topic was that Srikant never divorced his first wife. In a 2005 interview with FilmChamber.com, she opened up about their relationship and revealed how romance blossomed between them. “At a time when my career was at its peak, I faced certain problems related to income tax. Srikant Nahata stood by me during these tough times. He supported me, brought a smile to my face, and was a real friend. Srikant was already married but, slowly, love blossomed. We tied the knot on February 22, 1989.”

Jaya Prada with Rajinikanth in Tyagi. (Express archive photo)

She added, “I have always been sincere towards my loved ones. But nothing had prepared me for the pain and trauma that followed my marriage to Srikant. I had given up everything for Srikant, but all I got from others was insults. I was branded the ‘other woman’ and subjected to ridicule.” Jaya Prada also stated that marriage made her a tougher person. According to information provided on My Neta Info, she continues to name Srikant Nahata as her husband; however, they reportedly aren’t together anymore. Jaya later adopted a son, Samrat.

Jaya Prada with Amitabh Bachchan. (Express archive photo)

At the same time, her career also began to decline following their marriage. Nonetheless, offers did not dry up completely. From Tyagi, Indrajeet, Ezhai Jaathi, Dhartiputra, Paappi Devataa, Lohpurush and Chandravamsam, to Khakee, Tathastu, Dasavathaaram, The Desire, and Suvarna Sundari, she continued to receive movies. Meanwhile, she also acted alongside Mohanlal in two widely acclaimed movies — Devadoothan (2000) and Pranayam (2011).

Jaya Prada with Mohanlal in Devadoothan. (Screenshot: YouTube/amritamovies)

In the mid-90s, Jaya Prada also entered politics and joined NTR’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP). In the 2000s, she joined the Samajwadi Party and then, in the 2010s, she became a part of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). In 2019, she joined the BJP. While she served as a Rajya Sabha member from 1996 to 2002, Jaya later won twice — in 2004 and 2009 — from the Rampur Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh as a Samajwadi Party candidate.

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