NEW DELHI: Popular Indian actress of yesteryears Rekha was known for being reclusive throughout her career, but the lady’s recently published biography has let some old skeletons stumbling out of the closet.
Titled Rekha – The Untold Story, the book highlights some controversial, scandalous and unknown stories about the actress. Written by Yasser Usman, the book also sheds light on the much public affair Rekha had with Amitabh Bachchan – the troubled relationship and shocking developments in its follow-up.
In a certain portion in the book, it is revealed that how Rekha shocked everyone at the Rishi Kapoor-Neetu Singh wedding by wearing sindoor on her forehead. The guests and the media couldn’t stop wondering if Rekha had got secretly married. At the same party, Rekha went up to Big B and started chatting with him which apparently left Jaya Bachchan fuming.
Reportedly, the off-screen meet-ups had caused a crack in the Amitabh-Jaya relationship too. Reports suggest that Jaya had even barred Big B from acting with Rekha.
In an interview with Stardust magazine in 1978, Rekha had made some shocking and explosive revelations about her love affair with Mr Bachchan. She targeted Jaya who she felt was responsible for Big B’s decision, of never working with her again.
“At an award function some time ago, I’d recited a few lines. Everyone imagined they were meant for him. But actually, it was for her,” said Rekha. She recited the lines in the interview, “I looked at you, you turned your face away. Why? You feel you are badly off, but can’t you see my position is worse? There is deep hurt in your gaze, but can’t you see that the wounds in my heart are deeper than your look?”
She also mentioned how she got to know of Jaya’s angst. Rekha had revealed, “Once I was looking at the whole family through the projection room when they came to see the trial show of ‘Muqaddar Ka Sikandar’. Jaya was sitting in the front row and he and his parents were in the row behind her. They couldn’t see her as clearly as I could.
And during our love scenes, I could see tears pouring down her face. A week later, everybody in the industry was telling me that he has made it clear to his producers that he was not going to work with me.
Everybody else informed me about it but he didn’t say a word on the subject. When I tried to question him about it, he said, ‘I am not going to say a word. Don’t ask me about it’.”