Mumtaz on her extramarital affair: ‘It was nothing serious, just a temporary phase’

Veteran actor Mumtaz, one of the most successful leading ladies of Bollywood who appeared in many films alongside Dara Singh, Rajesh Khanna, Shammi Kapoor, Feroz Khan and others, took a sabbatical from the industry after she tied the knot with Ugandan businessman Mayur Madhvani. She also fought cancer and has been an advocate for survivors.
Now, the 74-year-old actor has opened up in a recent tell-all interview about heartbreak, marriage, infidelity and the price of stardom that actors pay in their lives.
The actor, in an interview with Pinkvilla, was asked to address the rumours about her husband Mayur being involved in extramarital affairs. She said, “It’s quite common for men to have affairs through the backdoor. My husband didn’t have any… except one.”

She also shared how her husband himself confessed about the extramarital affair to her. “I respect him because he himself told me about it. He confided that he’d developed a liking for a girl in the US. He was born and brought up in America. But he insed, ‘Mumtaz, you’re my wife. I love you and will always love you. I will never leave you.’ The problem arose because I was a little ziddi (stubborn), thodi nakchadi (difficult) thi. But today, it’s a forgotten story. Maaf toh zindagi mein ek baar Khuda bhi karta hai (Even God forgives). I live like a queen. My husband has never kept me wanting for anything,” she said.
Mumtaz also opened up about a relationship she pursued outside of her marriage to Mayur. She said, “After the episode, I began feeling lonely. Main thodi rubabwali (headstrong) thi. I felt hurt. So, I flew down to India. When you’re amidst thorns and someone comes along with a rose, you do get carried away. But it was nothing serious. Just a temporary phase, which ended soon. I’m lucky that my husband still loves me so much. Even if I fall a bit sick, hangama khada ho jaata hai.”