Bhajan singer Anup Jalota has stunned everyone by participating in the reality TV show, Bigg Boss 12. There was another big surprise in store when his protege, Jasleen Matharu (28), who has entered the show with Jalota, stunned all by confessing that she has been in a relationship with the singer for over three years. Jalota has also spoken about his relationship with Matharu in a pre-recorded video.
Jalota was the first to arrive and when asked who would be his partner, the singer, popularly called Bhajan Samraat, said that his partner was a student who sings well and they share a guru-shishya relationship.
Then a pre-recorded video of Matharu is played in which she opens up about her relationship with Jalota.
"I’m entering Bigg Boss with my partner," Matharu said at the very beginning.
“I’ve been in a relationship with him for the last three-and-a-half years. This is going to be a revelation for all. We love each other dearly. No one from my family or my friends knew about this relationship. It started off as a guru-shishya relationship. I don't know when this [love] developed,” added Matharu.
We then a see another pre-recorded video where Jalota also confessed his love for Matharu.
“Age difference should not be a consideration. What matters is the compatibility, the difference in maturity levels. I find Jasleen to be very mature. She is one who I can sit with and hold conversations about music,” Jalota says in the video.
“He completes me,” Matharu says, unflinchingly, “I can discuss anything with him. I know he will be there for me always. I’m ready to face all questions from my family, I’m ready to give all answers.” Jalota concluded the conversation by saying that time had come to open up about their relationship on Bigg Boss 12.
When the duo came together on stage, Salman Khan looked stunned. Fellow contestant and former broadcast journalist Dibang looked baffled at seeing Jalota with the woman. He didn’t hesitate in asking him who took the first step. Jalota said it was the girl.
The Jalota-Matharu relationship naturally hogged all the limelight, and the duo was trolled on social media.
"Every Indian reaction after seeing #AnupJalota relationship with #JasleenMatharu #BiggBoss12 #BB12, tweeted one Prince Pandey.
Jalota, 65, has been married thrice. He first married singer Sonali Sheth, who was a music student then. Sheth married against her parents’ wishes. The couple divorced shortly. Sheth then went on to marry singer-composer Roop Kumar Rathod.
Meanwhile, Jalota had an arranged marriage with Bina Bhatia but that too ended in a divorce. The singer then married Medha Gujral in 1994, who was earlier married to filmmaker Shekhar Kapur. This marriage had a tragic ending when Gujral passed away in 2014 in New York.
Matharu made an appearance as an actress in the film The Dirty Relation (2013). As a singer, apart from learning under Jalota, Matharu has been part of Mika Singh's troupe.