Meet Amitabh Bachchan’s heroine, who suffered heavy debts due to father’s habit of gambling, started working at 9 to save her family, is now…, name is…

Aruna Irani’s glittering 65‑year career hides a foundation built on survival. As the eldest of eight siblings, she began working in films at the mere age of nine because “there was a lot of poverty, but there was never a realisation that we’re poor… We just wanted our stomachs to be full.”

When her father succumbed to illness and gambling, her mother couldn’t manage, leaving young Aruna to feed and clothe her brothers and sisters. “Some days, we just survived on plain rice. But we never complained… It was a very nice childhood.”

No formal school, only street smarts

Despite her innate thirst for knowledge, Aruna faced resistance: “I was an unpadh (uneducated) woman in that era. … I forcefully got myself educated till fifth or sixth standard.” While her brothers attended school, she learned ABCD and relied on life experience. Her theatrical break came in her father’s drama troupe—an unexpected yet vital lifeline.

Debt, drama, and a house on the block

After a stint in theatre, her father’s betting on racehorses plunged the family deeper into debt. With Rs 8–8.5 lakh plus interest owed, creditors even threatened to auction their home. “When I finally got work … my mother and I would keep worrying … where we’d get the money from,” she said. But through persistent film earnings—just Rs 10,000–12,000 per project—she repaid every rupee.

A daughter’s pride: Father’s final words

At her father’s deathbed, the words that healed her wounds: “Today, I’m very proud. Arun is my son, not my daughter. I’m content now that you’ll take care of everyone.” His acceptance grounded her in a lifetime of sacrifice and strength.

Love, choice and child‑free life

Aruna’s personal life was no less tumultuous. She fell in love with filmmaker Kuku Kohli when he was still married. “When you’re lonely … you just take on what you’re getting then.” They eventually married, but at age 40, she chose not to have a child, fearing “My child shouldn’t go through the same [family trauma]. Kids are very impressionable.”

From side roles to leading lady

Despite her turbulent journey, Aruna Irani’s performances—especially opposite Amitabh Bachchan in Bombay to Goa—earned her iconic status in Indian cinema. She helped birth her siblings, drove a family through bankruptcy, and forged a path in an industry that offered hope when life gave hardship.

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