Shatrughan Sinha was with girlfriend Reena Roy in London 2 days before wedding with Poonam, continued their relationship: ‘I didn’t want to cheat’
Shatrughan Sinha was yet to start his journey as an actor when he first met his wife-to-be Poonam during a two-day train ride from Patna to Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1965. She was still in school and he was on his way to FTII. It was this chance encounter that started a 14-year-long courtship that went through many turbulent phases, and a love triangle that made headlines across tabloids. During this phase, Shatrughan became a star and had many relationships but the most famous of them all was the one with actor Reena Roy, who was his most popular on-screen partner. Such was their union that the two continued their relationship even after Shatrughan tied the knot with Poonam. Days before his wedding to Poonam, Shatrughan was in London with Reena, and it was she who drove him to the airport so he could get married to the woman he had once fallen in love with.
Shatrughan Sinha first met Poonam on a train in 1965. She was still in school at the time and Shatrughan later said that he was instantly taken by her beauty. In his biography ‘Anything But Khamosh’ written by Bharathi S Pradhan, Sinha said he was “later called a cradle-snatcher by my friends.” While he was fully aware that she was quite young, he couldn’t help but have “romantic notions of touching her, giving her a hug, pulling her towards me.” At one point, he “brushed against her foot and that was enough to give me a thrill and goosebumps.”
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The train ride lasted for two days and Shatrughan had managed to impress Poonam’s aunt, who was her guardian. She shared her address, and when a few years later, Poonam won a pageant called ‘Miss Young India’ in 1968, Shatrughan remembered their chance encounter. In those days too, a beauty pageant winner was often presented movie offers and in a rather strange co-incidence, Poonam got a chance to be a movie star much before Shatrughan did. He was smitten and so was she, but not enough for them to have a relationship. When they worked together in 1971’s Dharti Ki God Mein, they finally got some time together and sparks flew.
Shatrughan Sinha with wife Poonam Sinha. (Photo: Express Archives)
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Shatrughan broke up with Poonam, said she was ‘too good’ for him
Shatrughan’s career was on an upswing and before he could wrap his head around his previous hit, he was rewarded with another one. Like most movie stars, he started getting a lot of female attention and he couldn’t get himself to say no. Poonam’s aunt was aware of the same and Shatrughan admitted to it many years later. “To an extent, there was some truth to the stories,” he said. Despite all the other relationships, he stayed with Poonam for the next few years but called it quits in 1973, as he felt that she was “too good” for him. In the meanwhile, Poonam gave up a bright career in the entertainment business.
“I told her simply that she was too good for me, she deserved better, to please leave me alone. In every area, she was just perfect. Everything she did was to please me. She moulded her whole life to suit me. I couldn’t believe this sort of dedication,” he shared in the same book. They stayed apart for three years.
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Reena Roy drove Shatrughan Sinha to the airport for his wedding
While he broke up with Poonam, Shatrughan was in a much publicised relationship with his Kalicharan co-star Reena Roy, and this hurt Poonam even more. Shatrughan and Reena were like the Amitbah Bachchan-Rekha, Dharmendra-Hema Malini of this era, at least in terms of their popularity. The stories of their relationship were all over the tabloids and this probably increased the audience’s anticipation around their films.
Reena Roy and Shatrughan Sinha. (Photo: Express Archives)
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As Reena and Shatrughan grew closer, Poonam was also back in his life. From both of his partners, Shatrughan was getting the ultimatum to tie the knot. “My problem was not whom to marry but whom not to marry,” he said as he admitted that he was in many “steady relationships” at the same time. After a huge intervention from his mother, Shatrughan decided to marry Poonam and announced his decision to Reena as well. But even after this, they did not end their relationship.
Two days before he was supposed to marry Poonam, Shatrughan was in London with Reena for a stage show. As composer duo Kalyanji-Anandji announced to the crowd that he was set to marry the love of his life, Reena stood beside him, looking down. In fact, she was the one who drove him to the airport. Later, he told Stardust, “Till the last moment, I wanted to back out. The wedding was in Bombay, and I was in London. I caught the last flight which just about brought me in time for the wedding. Poonam was in a state, she thought I was backing out.”
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Poonam Sinha fainted during the pheras
Poonam was so stressed that she actually fainted during the pheras, and all this while, she was well aware that Shatrughan had not cut ties with Reena yet. “I had to make a choice when I married Promi (Poonam) while I was still very involved with my co-star (Reena),” he said. Even after getting married, Shatrughan was involved with Reena. “It wasn’t as if I wanted to cheat on either but it takes time for a man to withdraw from an emotional situation,” he said explaining why he did not break up with Reena.
Shatrughan Sinha with wife Poonam Sinha. (Photo: Express Archives)
Whilst all of this was going on, Poonam went through a lot of emotional stress, and so did Reena. Reena wondered if she were “a toy to be used and cast away” and Shatrughan was on a “perpetual guilt trip” for having an extra-marital affair. “When you are at home, you feel guilty about neglecting the other woman. When you are with her, you feel guilty about your wife,” he said.
Reena Roy went her way after Shatrughan refused to acknowledge her
Reena kept waiting for Shatrughan to acknowledge their relationship. At one point, she got his older brother involved and put her foot down. She expected him to marry her, while Poonam was pregnant, as he had strung her along for many years. To prove her point, she started refusing films with him.
Reena Roy and Shatrughan Sinha. (Photo: Express Archives)
When she ultimately realised that this is how things were going to be, she moved to Pakistan and married cricketer Mohsin Khan. The marriage ultimately ended in divorce and Reena moved back here. Shatrughan and Poonam are still married and are parents to twin boys Luv and Kush, and daughter Sonakshi.
