For Rajpal Yadav, his wife Radha is not just a life partner but the quiet force that has held everything together. From managing his personal life to shaping his everyday choices, he credits her as the backbone of his journey.
In a recent conversation with Subhankar Mishra, Rajpal opened up about his relationship with Radha, sharing about the bond they share, and the unwavering support she has provided over the years.
Recalling how their story began, Rajpal said, “We met in Calgary. Even today, I don’t understand how a man from Uttar Pradesh found a life partner there. But it turned out beautifully—I didn’t realise then that she would become my backbone.” With a mix of humour and humility, he added, “My aunt used to say, ‘Langoor ko hoor mil gayi’ (a plain man got a beautiful wife), and I used to feel the same.”
For Rajpal, his relationship with Radha is part of a larger belief in the strength of women. “I have always spoken about ‘naari shakti’ (the power of women). From a mother to a partner, women play different roles in shaping your life. I am who I am because of their blessings—I smile because of them,” he said.
He also shared an anecdote about his father-in-law’s first impression of him. “The first picture of me that my father-in-law saw was a still from Jungle, hair standing, gun in hand, and he was shocked. But when he saw me in person, he realised I’m just a normal man. That’s just the character.”
A partner who speaks her mind
Rajpal made it clear that Radha has always been honest, even when it comes to his work. “There have been times when I took her to a premiere, and on the way back we ended up arguing—she would ask, ‘Do you think you should have done this film?’ She doesn’t believe in flattery. If she doesn’t like something, she says it openly. It’s actually very difficult to keep people around you happy,” he said.
Story continues below this ad
Their relationship, he said, is built on mutual respect. “I respect her a lot. There’s an age gap of 10–12 years between us, but our communication has always been strong. In fact, when we met, her Hindi was better than mine. She knew five languages.”
Even today, Rajpal says his friends are surprised by his marriage. “A lot of my friends still ask me, ‘How did you manage this?’” he said with a laugh.
At home, Radha plays an equally important role in his day-to-day life. “She buys my clothes. I trust her choices—if she could choose me, she can choose anything well,” he joked. “She manages all my expenses. I’m not someone who keeps track of accounts too much.”
A love story that began abroad
In an earlier interview with Lallantop, Rajpal had recalled, “When Jungle released in 2000 and I started settling down, I met Radha. I had gone to Canada for the shoot of The Hero. We stayed in touch for three years, and in 2003 we got married with the consent of both families, because we both believed marriage is the union of two traditions.”
Story continues below this ad
Rajpal further shared how effortlessly Radha adapted to his world, far removed from the life she grew up in, “When my wife first came to the village, I never asked her to wear a saree. Just as I speak with my mother, she speaks with her the same way. She learned the village language. One day I returned home and saw her sitting with her head covered because that’s the custom there. She visits the village during Holi and Diwali and no one can tell that she knows five languages. I had no role in these adjustments.”
Radha’s perspective
Radha, too, has spoken about their journey, offering a glimpse into how their relationship evolved over time.
In an interview with Curly Tales, she said, “I am from Canada. So, he was shooting for the film The Hero there. We met through a common friend. We developed a friendship, and he also came to my home and met my parents. We didn’t know at that time that we would get married. We were then in a long-distance relationship for 10 months. In 2003, I came to India, and we got married.”
She also spoke about the challenges they faced early on, “My parents didn’t agree easily because we had an age gap of 13.5 years. We have been married for 23 years now.”
Story continues below this ad
Rajpal Yadav was earlier married at the age of 20, but his first wife passed away during childbirth. He has a daughter from his first marriage, and two daughters and a son from his second marriage to Radha.
