Raj Kundra on Marrying Shilpa Shetty: ‘It’s a Sweet Pain’ and Why Appreciation Matters

Raj Kundra has offered a candid glimpse into what he expected married life with actor and entrepreneur Shilpa Shetty to be like — and how different reality turned out to be. In a recent podcast conversation with Mukesh Jain, Kundra admitted that he once imagined the celebrity lifestyle would be far more relaxed than it actually is.

Instead, he discovered that being married to someone with a demanding public career comes with its own challenges. Describing Shilpa’s hectic schedule and commitment to her work, Kundra said the glamorous image of the entertainment industry can hide a demanding daily routine.

Raj Kundra Says Marriage to Shilpa Shetty Came With an Unexpected Reality

Kundra recalled that before marrying Shilpa, he assumed the entertainment industry would be relatively easygoing.

“When I married Shilpa, even I thought it was a very glamorous industry. It’ll be relaxing,” he said during his conversation with Mukesh Jain.

He humorously described one unexpected part of their relationship, saying that he sometimes has to coordinate with Shilpa’s professional team simply to plan time together.

“I have to call her PA and get an appointment to take my wife on a date,” Kundra remarked.

His comments highlight the practical difficulties that can come with maintaining a relationship when one partner has a packed professional calendar and a highly public career.

‘It Looks Glamorous, But It’s That Difficult’

Kundra also spoke about the amount of work involved in maintaining a celebrity career.

He pointed to early mornings, makeup, hair styling, rehearsing lines and constantly interacting with people as examples of the work that audiences may not always see behind the finished public image.

“It’s such a busy life; there’s so much work,” he said, adding that although the profession appears glamorous from the outside, the reality can be considerably more demanding.

Kundra nevertheless acknowledged that Shilpa enjoys what she does. Referring to the pressures and rewards of her career, he described it as “a sweet pain.”

Why Appreciation Can Matter in a Long-Term Relationship

Kundra’s comments also raise a broader question about how partners recognise each other’s efforts. According to psychologist Rutuja Walawalkar of Mpower, Aditya Birla Education Trust, appreciation is an important but often overlooked part of a healthy relationship.

Walawalkar explained that people may enter relationships expecting love to remain the central emotional need. Over time, however, feeling recognised for one’s efforts can become equally important.

As couples become occupied with careers, family responsibilities and everyday commitments, appreciation can sometimes become assumed rather than expressed.

Unspoken Efforts Can Eventually Feel Invisible

According to Walawalkar, partners can gradually start believing that the other person already knows they are grateful. While that assumption may seem harmless, consistently unspoken appreciation can make someone’s contributions feel overlooked.

She described this as a form of invisible emotional labour, where one person continues contributing without necessarily receiving acknowledgment for those efforts.

In that context, expressing appreciation — including in front of others — can carry additional emotional significance.

Public Appreciation Is Not Always About Showing Off

Walawalkar said that acknowledging a partner publicly does not necessarily mean seeking validation from an audience.

Instead, she described public appreciation as potentially communicating respect and pride in the relationship.

For couples in the public eye, such gestures can also counter the assumption that everything about their lives is effortless simply because it appears glamorous from the outside.

Kundra’s remarks about Shilpa specifically recognise the amount of work involved in maintaining her career, rather than focusing only on the celebrity image associated with her.

Small Gestures Can Strengthen Emotional Connection

Walawalkar also pointed to what she described as a positive cycle created by appreciation.

When one partner feels recognised, they may feel more encouraged to continue investing emotionally in the relationship. That recognition can, in turn, encourage similar behaviour from the other partner.

Over time, these seemingly small actions can contribute to a stronger emotional connection.

A relationship, therefore, does not necessarily depend only on elaborate romantic gestures. Everyday expressions of gratitude can also play an important role in helping partners feel valued.

The Takeaway From Raj Kundra’s Comments

Raj Kundra’s description of his marriage to Shilpa Shetty offers a glimpse into a side of celebrity relationships that is rarely visible from the outside. Behind premieres, public appearances and glamorous photographs, maintaining a relationship can involve coordinating demanding schedules and recognising the work that goes into each partner’s professional life.

As Walawalkar notes, simple actions such as saying thank you, complimenting a partner and acknowledging their efforts can have meaningful psychological effects.

For Kundra and Shilpa, the glamorous image may be part of their public lives, but his comments suggest that their relationship also involves something much more ordinary: making time for each other and recognising the effort behind the life they share.