When Jaya Bachchan revealed she saw danger upon first meeting Amitabh Bachchan: ‘He was the only one who could…’ | Hindi Movie News

The early 1970s marked a transformative phase for Hindi cinema, introducing content that was ahead of its time. Amid this evolving landscape, a young rising star found himself mesmerized by a girl in a magazine advertisement. That girl was Jaya Bhaduri, and the star, as fate would have it, was Amitabh Bachchan.
Curious to know more about her, Amitabh soon discovered that they would be working together in the film Guddi. It was during this project that the two first crossed paths, setting the stage for a love story that would stand the test of time.
Their first meeting on the sets of Guddi
In a throwback interview, Amitabh Bachchan reminisced about their first meeting: “I enquired about her, and they gave me a lowdown on her. It came to pass that Hrishi da (Hrishikesh Mukherjee) had cast her for Guddi. It kind of got me excited about the prospect of working with her because she came with huge credentials. I went on the set (Guddi), and that’s when I met her for the first time.”
The Sholay actor also recalled being captivated by Jaya’s eyes. “When I saw her photograph, I liked her eyes. I saw that traditional-conservative blend that I thought I would be searching for in my future wife. When I met her, I realized that along with that came several other Guddis, the pun is unintended! (laughs) I said fine, this is it,” he shared.
Jaya Bachchan’s surprising first impression of Amitabh
Years later, in a joint interview with Simi Garewal, Jaya Bachchan offered her perspective on their first meeting. “When I first met him, I saw danger,” she said, momentarily surprising her husband. She then clarified, “I got frightened because he was the only one who, out of a lot of people that I’ve known, could dictate things to me and I allowed him to do that.”
Elaborating further, she said, “(But) it’s not like he would dictate things to me, it’s just that even if he said something to me mildly, I’d do them. I’d want to please him. That’s something that does not come to me easily and naturally, to want to please people.”
In a lighthearted moment, Amitabh teased her, saying, “25 years later, it’s just the other way around. How beautiful!”

Was it love at first sight?
Jaya Bachchan also confessed that she needed someone like Amitabh in her life and described their connection as love at first sight: “Yes, it was, I think so!”
However, Amitabh had a different take on the idea of love at first sight. “Love at first sight is a connotation that has been so badly abused, in spoken word and written word, that it’s lost its meaning. So, we don’t want to be put in that category. You know the beautiful thing about this is, we haven’t made a commitment yet. We’re still groping in the dark. It’s an alien area, it’s new to us. And what I think is, it just happened,” he said.

During the interview, Simi Garewal noted that they had always been an “unexpected pair,” given their contrasting temperaments and noticeable height difference. The couple acknowledged it with a smile, reflecting on their journey together.
Now, over 51 years into their marriage, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan continue to stand strong as one of Bollywood’s most iconic couples. Together, they have raised two children, Shweta Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, proving that some love stories are truly timeless.