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Veteran actor Jaya Bachchan has always been unapologetically forthright, and her latest appearance on Mojo Story was yet another reminder of that. In a freewheeling chat, she reflected on how ideas around companionship have shifted over the years and offered rare insight into her five-decade-long marriage with Amitabh Bachchan — even quipping that he might call it “the biggest mistake of his life.”

On how she views marriage today

Jaya’s comments weren’t laced with regret; instead, they revealed a woman comfortable with how her relationship has evolved over 52 years. She spoke about her changing perspective on the institution itself and why she doesn’t want her granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda to feel pressured into marrying early.

According to Jaya, paperwork has little to do with the depth of a bond.

“Delhi ka ladoo hai, khao toh mushkil, na khao toh mushkil… Just enjoy life. You don’t have to make it official (signals with a pen and paper)… we didn’t even sign the register in old times. Later on, we found out that we had to sign it, and we signed the register after what I don’t know how many years of our marriage. That means we were living illegally,” she said, laughing.

Amitabh’s take — and Jaya’s humour

When asked whether Amitabh agrees with her stance on marriage, she responded with her trademark wit:

“I have not asked him. He might say that ‘biggest mistake of my life’, but I don’t want to hear that.”

Despite her evolved outlook, Jaya admitted that her own story began with an instant connection.

“Do you have to dig into old wounds? I have been married for the last 52 years to the same man. Isse jada pyaar main nahin kar sakti hoon… It was love at first sight.”

A partnership that began on set

Jaya and Amitabh first crossed paths while working on Guddi. He reportedly fell in love with her during the filming of Ek Nazar (1972), and the two married in 1973. The couple went on to welcome their children, Abhishek Bachchan and Shweta Bachchan.