Meet Amitabh Bachchan’s heroine who started working at 9, father was a gambling addict, couldn’t afford schooling, took care of eight siblings after…, her name is…

Bollywood actress Aruna Irani has worked in the industry for close to 65 years, and just like every other actress, she faced a financial crisis. For the unversed, Arun Irani had eight siblings, and his father was addicted to gambling. Born to her father’s second wife, Aruna Irani couldn’t enjoy her early days. At the age of nine, Aruna was forced to work and look after the family.

Aruna Irani opens up about her struggles

Aruna Irani, during a conversation with Kunickaa Sadanand’s podcast, said there were days when they had no money and were poor. Her family somehow managed to keep their stomachs full. Aruna said, “There was a lot of poverty, but there was never a realisation that we’re poor. We were in our own world. That’s why childhood is so wonderful: If you have a lot of money, you don’t realize the abundance. And if you don’t have anything at all, you don’t realise the paucity. We just wanted our stomachs to be full.”

Aruna further said, “Some days, we just survived on plain rice. But we never complained. It felt delicious too. We just ate what we got and slept. It was a very nice childhood.”

‘I couldn’t see my child travelling ‘

Aruna Irani has spoken openly about her personal and professional life in an interview given to Laharen Retro. She said, ‘Nowadays, even if you are not married, you can still have a child. I saluted the courage of Neena Gupta ji, that look, wow. I did not have this much courage. Not for myself but for my child. I can face all kinds of situations but this should not happen to my child. I can manage without my child, but it will not work if he comes and travels.’

People used to call Aruna Irani ‘Anpadh’

During her early days, Aruna Irani couldn’t afford to go to school. During the podcast, she revealed that women were seen only working in kitchens. So the society didn’t want women to pursue education. “When I look back, I was an unpadh (uneducated) woman in that era. Even then, I survived and accomplished something. Today, girls are getting educated, but in my time, we were asked, ‘Why do you need to study? Women only have to cook eventually.’ Our father didn’t educate us either. I forcefully got myself educated till the fifth or sixth standard. He’d say, ‘Now, you know ABCD, that’s enough. Only your brothers will study now.’ Because men had to study to get jobs.” Due to this, Aruna Irani struggled during the early stages of her life.

Aruna Irani’s father had two marriages

The actress said that her father had two marriages. Aruna recalled, “There were no children from the first marriage. Then he married my mother. I was born to my mother, and the line started. You could never officially call Papa Papa. I did not like that. I did whatever I could, but I did not want the same to happen with my child.” Aruna’s personal life was nothing less than a tragic story. However, Aruna made sure that her career grew in the film industry, and she proved it. Today, Aruna Irani is one of the names in the film industry that everyone remembers.

News