Veteran singer Anup Jalota recently opened up about the controversial “romantic” relationship with Jasleen Matharu on Bigg Boss 12, stating he believes it was a tactic suggested by the show’s makers that ultimately benefited Jasleen.
Joining the Bigg Boss House
Anup Jalota shared that Jasleen Matharu, a talented singer, used to take music lessons from him. She approached him with an offer to join Bigg Boss 12, which he initially declined due to his busy schedule.
However, Jasleen’s father later convinced him to participate. Jalota agreed on one strict condition: they would enter the show purely as a “guru and shishya” (teacher and student) duo, and Jasleen agreed to this understanding.
The On-Air Revelation
Upon entering the Bigg Boss stage, Jalota introduced Jasleen as his student to host Salman Khan. To his surprise, when Salman asked about their relationship, Jasleen declared they had been in a romantic relationship for three years.
Jalota recounted his shock, thinking, “What just happened? This was never agreed upon.” He admitted he barely knew her that well. Despite his surprise, he suspected it was a game strategy, possibly suggested by the Bigg Boss team, to create a buzz.
He didn’t confront her immediately, assuming there was a hidden game plan behind it, and that it would likely benefit her on the show. “I understood that something had been played behind the scenes, maybe it would benefit her, and she did benefit,” he stated.
Clearing the Air After the Show
After his one-and-a-half-month stint in the Bigg Boss house, Jalota stepped out to find a media frenzy. Unaware of the outside “storm” while inside, he was quickly informed by a friend about the widespread speculation surrounding their relationship.
Confident in the truth, he decided to tackle the rumors head-on. He promptly held a press conference at his home, sitting alongside Jasleen Matharu’s father, to address the media directly.
During the conference, they clarified that their relationship was solely that of a music teacher and student. To further dismiss any romantic notions, Jalota publicly stated that he and Jasleen’s father would perform the ‘kanyadaan’ (a ritual performed by the bride’s parents during a Hindu wedding) at Jasleen’s future wedding.
The Fading Controversy
Jalota explained that this decisive action helped put an end to the doubts. He noted that since then, no one has seen them together socially, watching movies, performing on stage, or on vacations, reinforcing that there was no romantic involvement.
The controversy slowly faded away. Jalota concluded by saying that even after Bigg Boss, he has never directly spoken to Jasleen, maintaining contact only with her father occasionally.
