Juhi Chawla secretly married billionaire Jay Mehta who runs a Rs 17,555 crore empire; stood him after first wife’s tragic death | Bollywood News
Actor Juhi Chawla has been married to businessman Jay Mehta for 30 years now. The couple started dating after meeting at a dinner party, and their friendship gradually turned into romance. At that time, Juhi was riding high on the success of blockbuster films like Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Darr, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, and Ishq. Despite her soaring career, she decided to quietly marry Jay. As Juhi Chawla turns 58 today, here’s recalling their fairytale romance which balanced good times with the bad.
Jay Mehta has always been media-shy. Even after marrying a Bollywood A-ler, he remained away from the spotlight, though his immense wealth and business empire have often been a topic of curiosity among fans.
Juhi and Jay’s love story
Juhi in an interview recalled how she made Jay wait for a year before agreeing to marry him. She said, “Before marriage, Jay used to write letters to me every day. After marriage, all of that stopped (laughs). Those days, we used to send letters and cards to each other which has now turned into emails and WhatsApp messages. Jay and I met at a dinner and then he started hovering around me. Once, on my birthday, he sent me a truck full of red roses. And, I took a year to say ‘yes’ to him.”
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The couple got married in 1995 but kept their relationship a secret. It was only in 2001, when Juhi was pregnant with their first child, daughter Jahnavi Mehta, that their marriage came to light. Talking about why she kept her marriage under wraps, Juhi told Rajeev Masand, “I was just about established and just starting to do well. That’s the time he was serenading me, and I was afraid of losing my career just when I kind of got there. So, I wanted to carry on, and this seemed to be the midway — that we keep it quiet and it’s okay, you carry on working.”
Jay Mehta’s tragic past
Before marrying Juhi, Jay was married to Sujata Birla, ser of industrial Yash Birla, who tragically lost her life in the Indian Airlines Flight 605 crash in 1990. Juhi supported Jay after the devastating loss of his first wife, and her presence helped him heal from the tragedy. Over time, their friendship blossomed into love.
Jay Mehta’s billion-dollar empire
Jay Mehta is the chairman of the multinational conglomerate The Mehta Group, which is based in Mumbai and headquartered in Gandhinagar, with subsidiaries in the USA and Africa. He inherited the business from his parents, Mahendra and Sunayana Mehta, and is the grandson of industrial Nanji Kalidas Mehta, who founded the group in the early 20th century.
The Mehta Group’s businesses span sectors such as sugar, cement, packaging, floriculture, engineering, and electrical cables. As per reports, the multinational conglomerate was valued at over $2.1 billion (approximately Rs 17,555 crore) as of 2024.Story continues below this ad
Jay also co-owns the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) along with Shah Rukh Khan. Back in 2007, they bought the team for around Rs 623 crore ($75 million). 2025, its valuation had surged to Rs 9,139 crore ($1.1 billion).
Jay and Juhi’s luxurious assets
Apart from owning a fleet of luxury cars, Jay and Juhi also own multiple opulent properties. Their Mumbai residence is a stunning two-storey duplex designed Sri Lankan architect Channa Daswatte, featuring a sweeping 2,200-square-foot terrace overlooking the Arabian Sea. The couple also owns an ancestral house in Porbandar, Gujarat.
