One of the finest actresses of Bollywood, Jaya Bachchan made a life-changing decision when, almost at the peak of her career, she stepped away from her acting career right after marrying Amitabh Bachchan in 1973 to raise their two children, Shweta and Abhishek. It would be nearly 17 years before she returned to the screen with Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa in 1998. While she went on to do more work after that, the years she spent away from the camera, devoted entirely to her family, are something Amitabh Bachchan has never forgotten.
Veteran journalist Pooja Samant, in an earlier conversation, shared just how thankful the megastar remains for his wife’s sacrifice. According to her, Amitabh once expressed deep gratitude not only toward his parents for shaping his journey to success but equally toward Jaya who set aside her own career while he was consumed by work, choosing instead to raise their children with strong values and dedication.
Pooja Samant also recalled a sweet detail he shared — that during the busiest phase of his career, Jaya Bachchan would slip small handwritten notes into his lunch box, gently reminding him about important family matters, whether it was coming home early because their son wasn’t feeling well or attending an event at his school.
Reflecting further, Pooja Samant noted that Amitabh Bachchan holds immense respect and gratitude for Jaya, adding that she is an incredibly talented actress in her own right. Had she continued acting without pause, she likely would have achieved even greater career milestones. Even so, she deliberately chose to prioritise her family, making sacrifices that allowed Amitabh to fully dedicate himself to his own career.
Amitabh and Jaya’s love story began on the sets of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s 1971 film Guddi and they went on to marry on June 3, 1973, a bond that remains strong to this day. Together, they are parents to entrepreneur-author Shweta Bachchan and actor Abhishek Bachchan, and proud grandparents to Agastya Nanda, Navya Nanda and Aaradhya Bachchan.
What a beautiful couple!
