Veteran singer Anup Jalota has opened up about one of the most controversial moments of his career — his widely discussed appearance on Bigg Boss 12 alongside singer Jasleen Matharu. The duo’s unexpected entry into the reality show as a so-called romantic couple caused a media storm in 2018, largely due to their significant age difference and the surprise nature of their on-screen relationship. However, Jalota now claims that their romantic narrative was a scripted move and not rooted in reality.
In a recent candid interview with The Lallantop, Jalota revealed that he and Jasleen shared a strictly teacher-student relationship before the show. “She had come to me for singing lessons only a few times — five or six at most,” he said. Jalota praised Jasleen’s talent and acknowledged that she was actively singing and dancing in music groups at the time. He even encouraged her to take up the Bigg Boss offer when she informed him about it.
According to Jalota, he had initially declined to participate in the show, citing prior musical commitments. However, Jasleen’s father convinced him to reconsider under the premise that they would enter as a guru-shishya (teacher-student) pair. He agreed, thinking it would be a unique representation. But things took an unexpected turn on the show’s launch day.
“On the stage, I introduced her as my student to Salman Khan. She sang beautifully. But when Salman asked her if she was my student, she suddenly said we had been in a relationship for three years,” Jalota recounted. “I was stunned. That wasn’t our agreement at all. We didn’t even know each other that well.”
Jalota suspects that this sudden twist may have been scripted by the show’s makers. “Someone might have told her to say that, possibly even the Bigg Boss team,” he speculated. Despite feeling blindsided, he chose not to confront her inside the house. “I realized it was a game, and maybe she stood to benefit — and she did,” he added, suggesting that the romantic narrative helped Jasleen gain attention.
After being evicted from the show, Jalota immediately addressed the controversy. “There was chaos outside the house. A friend explained the media buzz. I told him we’ll sort it out. The truth was on my side,” he said. He held a press conference at his home with Jasleen’s father, where they clarified their real relationship and even joked about doing her kanyadaan in the future.
Jalota also emphasized that he has had no contact with Jasleen since the show. “No public appearances, no vacations, no stage performances together. We just drifted apart. I only talk to her father now and then,” he said.
In hindsight, Jalota sees the whole episode as a media-fueled misunderstanding, crafted more for drama than reality. While the storyline added a twist to Bigg Boss 12, for Jalota, it was a narrative spun without his consent — and one that he has firmly left behind.
