When Raj Kapoor Apologised to Wife Krishna For The 'Pain' He Caused Her: 'A Woman Has to Be Understanding'

At just 21, Raj Kapoor married Krishna, who was only 16, before fame knocked on his door. His iconic studio, RK Films — home to classics like Awara, Barsaat, and Shree 420 — came to life after their wedding. But whispers of Raj’s affairs followed him everywhere. His close relationship with Nargis, his top collaborator during RK Films’ early years, fuelled rumours of an affair, even as he stayed married. Later, his romance with co-star Vyjayanthimala added more to the gossip mill. Though Raj remained with Krishna, he admitted they weren’t very close and confessed he wasn’t exactly a ‘good family man.’

In the book Raj Kapoor – The One and Only Showman, penned by his daughter Ritu Nanda, Raj said, “Though sometimes we don’t get along very well-we have never been on beautiful terms ever for that matter — we have always been together. And the credit is hers and not mine. I can assure you that she is a very kind and tolerant woman. And she has been a great daughter-in-law to my parents, cared for and looked after them.”

Krishna admitted she was “jealous” of the attention Raj Kapoor got from fans and actresses. She said, “Although he always treated me like a queen, I was very jealous when his fans and girls chased him. All this was too much for me to handle then.” She also admitted that their marriage had problems and there were times they didn’t talk. She had added, “There was turmoil in our marriage but, at the end of the day, we both realised that we could neither live with each other nor without each other. Today, I realise that a celebrity’s life is like an open book. I regret the days when we didn’t talk with each other. I suppose that is what is called maturity.”

Raj apologised for hurting his wife but said his work led to emotional connections with others. He said, “When I sit back at the end of the day, I feel very sorry for all the pain that I have given you. How can I bring those days back for you? But show business is such that a woman has to be understanding because there are constant emotional involvements, because the work is such. A lesser woman would have deserted me long ago. It is Krishna who has made my home. Unhone mera ghar banaya, basaya, sajaya aur sanwara (she made my home, inhabited it, adorned it, and cared for it),” he said.