‘Shocked' Anup Jalota didn't know Jasleen Matharu would call their relationship ‘romantic' on Bigg Boss 12, admits she benefitted from rumours: ‘Mujhe laga Bigg Boss waalon ne bola hoga…'

Indian Express

20-07-2025

Veteran singer Anup Jalota and Jasleen Matharu raised eyebrows after presenting themselves as a romantic couple on Bigg Boss 12. Their significant age gap drew heavy criticism, prompting Jalota to later clarify that their relationship was purely that of a music teacher and student. Jasleen also appeared alongside him in the film Woh Meri Student Hai, directed by her father. In a recent interview, Jalota addressed the Bigg Boss controversy and spoke candidly about his relationship with Jasleen.
During a conversation with The Lallantop, the singer shared, 'If you listen to her singing, she is very talented. She used to come to me for singing lessons, around 5-6 times only. She once told me that she received an offer to participate in Bigg Boss. I said that's great, you will earn fame. She used to dance in groups and sing at that time.'
Anup Jalota revealed that he initially turned down Jasleen Matharu's offer to participate in the show, but her father convinced him. 'But, there was a condition that you can only come as a weird pair in that season. I asked her to take Sukhwinder ji, but she told me that he had denied. Even I said no, I won't go. I don't have time, there were so many concerts. Her father came and convinced me. I said yes, but only on one condition that we will go as guru and shishya, so she agreed,' he said.
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On Bigg Boss 12, Jalota was shocked as Matharu mentioned that they were romantically involved since three years. He continued, 'I entered the stage and met Salman Khan. Then, Jasleen was welcomed as my partner. I told him that she is my student. She also sang a song, it was beautiful. When Salman asked if she was my shishya, she said that she had been in a relationship with me for three years. I thought, 'Yeh kya hogaya? Yeh toh nahi hua tha.' We never even knew each other that much.'
Anup Jalota assumed that the makers of Bigg Boss might have suggested her to do so. 'I was shocked, but I was thinking that this might be a part of the game, kisi ne toh use yeh padhaaya hoga bolne ke lie. When we were going inside, I asked her about it. Main samajh gaya tha isse kuch game banta hai, ya toh Bigg Boss waalon ne bola hoga, usse ek awfa uthti hai. I never confronted her. Main samajh gaya tha ki peeche koi khel hua hai, shayad uska use koi fayda hi hoga, and she benefitted,' he said.
When the veteran singer exited the Bigg Boss house, he held a press conference with Jasleen Matharu's father to clear the air. 'When I came out after one and a half months, bahar toh toofan macha hua tha. We didn't know anything inside. A friend told me what was going on. I asked him not to worry, sab khatam kardenge. Mujhe pata tha jo sach hai hi nahi, use khatam karna bada asaan hota hai. I called a press conference at home with Jasleen's father. We both sat and addressed the media,' he said.
'We told them that both of us have decided that we will do the kanyadaan at Jasleen's wedding. Ab sawaal konsa rehega poochne wala? Baat hi khatam hogayi. The doubts went away because no one saw us together in any party, watching films together, performing on stage, or on any vacations. Everything slowly faded away. Even today, after Bigg Boss, I never spoke to her. I only talk to her father sometimes,' Jalota concluded.