“It ended in one day. They got married at a temple in Lucknow. The next day, he left from there, saying, ‘I cannot stay here.’ Anupam had first come to Shimla for a few days and then went to Delhi,” Raju said.

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Raju said Madhumalti was the one who suggested that they get married after the couple had been together for a few years.

“They had been in a relationship for two or three years. She reached there and said, ‘Let’s get married.’ He said, ‘Okay, let’s do it tomorrow,’ and they got married. They must have stayed there for a day or two, and then he left,” he recalled.

At the time, Anupam had not yet entered the Hindi film industry. He was in Lucknow, while Raju was in Shimla. Anupam later moved to Mumbai to pursue acting and made his screen debut with Mahesh Bhatt’s Saaransh in 1984.

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Raju Kher says family did not realise Anupam had got married

Raju was also asked how the family reacted when Anupam left the marriage so soon after the wedding. He explained that they did not initially realise the seriousness of the situation because no family member had been present at the wedding.

“Nobody from the family was there, so we did not even realise that he had got married,” Raju said.

Raju also said he never tried to find out exactly what had gone wrong between Anupam and Madhumalti.

“Anupam was quite seedha for that time, while Madhu ji was a somewhat strong woman. Only they know what happened between them. I did not want to probe into it either. I thought, this is his life and he has to live it. If he ever needs me, as his brother, I will always be there,” he said.

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After her separation from Anupam, Madhumalti later married writer-director Ranjit Kapoor. Raju also referred to her later relationship during the conversation, saying that Madhumalti and Ranjit were together and had children.

Madhumalti continued to work as an actor and has appeared in several Hindi films and television projects over the years.

Anupam Kher married Kirron Kher in 1985

Anupam’s personal life took a different turn a few years later when he married actor Kirron Kher in 1985.

Anupam and Kirron had known each other since their days at the Department of Indian Theatre in Chandigarh. They remained friends for years before their relationship eventually turned romantic. Anupam has previously recalled that he never imagined he would marry Kirron, who was one year senior to him at the theatre department.

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The two eventually tied the knot on August 26, 1985. Kirron had previously been married to businessman Gautam Berry and has a son, actor Sikandar Kher, from that marriage.

Raju spoke warmly about his equation with Kirron, saying he has always regarded her as a mother figure.

“My equation with Kirron bhabhi is very good. We were taught from childhood that a sister-in-law is like a mother, so I have always regarded her as a mother. She mostly lives in Chandigarh, and whenever she comes, we meet,” he said.