Mumbai, Oct 19 (IANS) Veteran actor Aruna Irani expressed heartfelt gratitude to her fans for standing by her during a difficult phase following the death of filmmaker Kuku Kohli.
The actress, who received an outpour of love and support from admirers, recently shared a video message in which she thanked them for helping her find the strength to resume work.
In the video, Aruna Irani was seen greeting her fans and acknowledging the affection they have shown her during this challenging time.
She said, “After the death of Kukuji, the love you all gave me, the support you gave me, I am very, very grateful for that.”
The veteran actor admitted that she did not expect such overwhelming support during a difficult period in her life. Expressing her gratitude, she said, “I can’t believe that in such a difficult time of mine, you all will be with me, will be standing with me.
“The same love and the same energy of support that I am standing in front of you today and I am able to start working again. I hope that you all will be with me till the last breath of my life. The same love you gave me. Thank you. Thank you so much.”
For the uninitiated, Kuku Kohli, known for directing films such as Phool Aur Kaante, died on August 25, 2026, at the age of 77. His death left the film fraternity mourning the loss of the filmmaker, who had made a significant contribution to Hindi cinema.
Talking about Aruna and Kuku Kohli, the couple shared a long-term relationship, and the actress has been navigating life following the loss of her husband.
A video from the funeral ceremony of Kuku Kohli showed a bereaved Aruna, dressed in white, arriving at the venue. She appeared emotional as she made her way towards the crematorium, with people around her helping her get out of the car.
Reportedly, the couple’s love story began on a film set and, interestingly, not on particularly romantic terms. Aruna had earlier revealed that she and Kuku initially shared a “love-hate relationship”. She recalled that he would make the actors wait until Dharmendra arrived on the sets, something that would frustrate her because she was juggling multiple films at the time. Kuku would later console her whenever she was upset, and the equation gradually changed.
Their relationship, however, was complicated from the beginning. Aruna had revealed that Kuku was already married and had children when they met, and she initially did not know that he had a wife and daughters. She said this was one of the reasons she kept their relationship private for years.
Aruna and Kuku married in 1990, when she was 40. Their marriage remained largely under wraps, and Aruna did not publicly discuss it while Kuku’s first wife, Rita Kohli, was alive.
She later explained that she felt it was inappropriate to speak about the relationship publicly out of respect for his first family.
–IANS
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