Veteran actress Aruna Irani has opened up about the most punishing phase of her career — a three-year stretch with no work after starring opposite Amitabh Bachchan in 'Bombay To Goa', followed by a comeback that began with a lavani performance in a Marathi film for just ₹2,500. The reflections came during her appearance on the reality show 'Tum Ho Naa – Ghar Ki Superstar', hosted by Rajeev Khandelwal.

From back-to-back jubilee hits to silence

Aruna recalled that both 'Bombay To Goa' and 'Caravan' were blockbusters that ran for extended jubilee runs at Super Cinema and Dreamland. ‘Jab maine ek Bombay to Goa film ki, Caravan film ki, dono pictures superhit thi,' she said, before adding that work dried up entirely soon after.

‘Aur phir achanak se 3 saal tak mere paas koi kaam nahin tha,' she said, describing how she refused to wait passively for offers. The actress said she made a conscious decision to step out and prove she was still active in the industry, rather than sit idle in studios hoping to be cast.

The Marathi film that turned things around

The opportunity arrived through filmmaker Dada Kondke's Marathi production 'Aandhla Marto Dola', in which she performed a lavani for ₹2,500. ‘Main kahan heroine aayi Amitabh ji ke saath aur aaj main lavani kar rahi hoon 2500 rupaye mein,' she recalled telling herself at the time, while resolving to show up anyway.

That single decision, she said, reopened doors. ‘There I met Raj Kohli ji, and from there, work started coming my way again,' Aruna said, crediting the Marathi assignment for reviving her Hindi film career.

Host's tribute on the show

Host Rajeev Khandelwal framed her arc as a lesson in perseverance, noting that even two consecutive superhits had not insulated her from a long dry spell. ‘Koi kaam kabhi chhota nahin hota,' he said, calling Aruna an enduring example across her 70-71 years in the industry.

Khandelwal added that her real legacy lay beyond filmography. ‘Zindagi mein sab ek hi baar khatam hona hai, bas haarna nahin hai,' he said, paying tribute to her refusal to give up across decades.

On meeting India's 'real superstars'

Reflecting on the show itself, Aruna said meeting the homemakers featured as 'Ghar Ki Superstars' was among the most humbling experiences of her career. ‘Sometimes, all a woman needs is to be seen, heard, acknowledged, and appreciated,' she said.

She added that watching these women finally occupy a stage of their own was, for her, the most emotional part of the experience. The episode is positioned as a tribute to women who hold families together without seeking recognition.