Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan recently opened up about his wedding with actress-politician Jaya Bachchan during an episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati 18, recalling how the couple decided to get married almost spontaneously.

During the conversation, contestant Aheli Roy from Kolkata asked Amitabh how he managed to convince his mother-in-law and win over Jaya’s family before their wedding.

Amitabh revealed that he and Jaya did not go through an elaborate process of seeking approval from their families. Instead, they simply decided one day that they should get married.

He recalled that he told Jaya, “Humne unko kuch nahi kaha. Humne bas Jaya ji ko ek din bola ki shaadi kar leni chahiye. Toh unhone kaha, haan kar leni chahiye aur bas tay ho gaya.”

He said they did not initially speak to either family about the decision. Jaya later went and informed her parents, although Amitabh joked that he still does not know exactly what she told them.

“Humne kisi se bhi baat nahi ki. Shaadi tay hone ke baad Jaya ji gayi, apne mata-pita ko bataya hoga. Humein yeh bhi maloom nahi unhone kya bola hoga, lekin woh log maan gaye aur aa gaye. Phir thodi baatein hui aur agle din shaadi kar li,” he said.

Amitabh also contrasted their simple wedding with the elaborate planning that often goes into weddings today. He joked about the numerous preparations involving dates, clothes, venues and celebrations.

“Sach bolun toh aisa hi hona chahiye, hai na?” he said, adding that they simply accepted that Jaya was his wife and did not feel the need for elaborate arrangements.

Amitabh and Jaya got married on June 3, 1973. Their relationship developed after they worked together in films, including Zanjeer, Abhimaan, Chupke Chupke, Mili and Sholay.

Their decision to marry came after the success of Zanjeer, when the couple had planned a trip to London with friends. Amitabh has previously recalled that his father, poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, told him that if he wanted to travel with Jaya, they should get married first.

Jaya later revealed that they had initially planned to marry in October but moved the wedding forward. The couple eventually tied the knot just days before their planned London trip.

Amitabh and Jaya went on to build a family together and are parents to daughter Shweta Bachchan Nanda and son Abhishek Bachchan.