Mumbai: Shatrughan Sinha’s relationship with co-star Reena Roy was one of the most talked-about Bollywood affairs in the late 1970s.
Having shared screen space in several hit films such as ‘Kalicharan’, ‘Milap’, ‘Sangram’, ‘Sat Sri Akal’ and ‘Chor Ho To Aisa’, Shatrughan and Reena had fallen for each other.
However, when talk of his affair with Reena gained momentum, Shatrughan left everyone surprised by announcing that he would be marrying his ‘Sabak’ co-star Poonam Chandiramani.
Years later, in an interview with Rajiv Shukla, ‘Shotgun’ was asked, “Reena Roy se aapka romance chal raha tha, par shaadi aapne Poonam se kar li (You were romancing Reena Roy, but you married Poonam. Why?)”
The actor responded, “Hota hai kabhi jeevan mein. Insaan kabhi aise mod pe aake khada ho jata hai jaha faisala karna bahut mushkil hota hai. Par jab faisala kar lia jata hai toh shayad woh sabke haq mein nahi hota hai (Sometimes in life, one reaches a juncture where making a decision becomes very difficult. But once the decision is made, it may not always be in everyone’s favour).”
In another interview, the actor admitted that he had contemplated remaining a bachelor even after deciding to marry Poonam.
“My strongest emotion at that time was fear. I was very scared. I was happy being a bachelor, but I had reached a point where I was compelled to make the decision. Till the last moment, I wanted to back out. The wedding was in Bombay, and I was in London. I caught the last flight which just about brought me in time for the wedding. Poonam was in a state – she thought I was backing out. Poonam has been good to me. If there are any flaws in this marriage, then the drawbacks are mine, not hers,” he told Stardust magazine.
Meanwhile, Shatrughan continued to stay in touch with his ex-flame Reena, post marriage.
Admitting this challenging phase in his biography ‘Anything but Khamosh’, the actor said, “It was a difficult period for me also because withdrawing from an emotional entanglement elsewhere was taking its time. Promi (Poonam) used to cry a lot, but she knew I was trying my best. Sorting out our lives took its own time because it was a question of a commitment to the other party also. When I was with her (Reena) outside, I was faced with the question, ‘You’ve set up your home. So was I a toy to be used and cast away?’ It was not a comfortable position to be in.”
In 1983, three years after Shatrughan’s marriage, Reena married former Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan. However, the couple separated in 1992, and Reena chose to remain single thereafter.
Shatrughan and Poonam have twin sons, Luv and Khush, and a daughter Sonakshi Sinha.
