Amitabh Bachchan-Rekha: 50 Years, Iconic Films And A Rumoured Love Story Bollywood Never Forgot

DO ANJAANE: This 'Silsila' will never end! Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha celebrate 50 years of their first film 'Do Anjaane'. People expected clashes on the set, but the exact opposite happened. Read the full story here.

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First time on screen 50 years ago

Makers released 'Do Anjaane' in 1976. This film brought Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha together on screen for the first time. The movie did not become a blockbuster, but it holds a special place in Bollywood history. It started the story of a pair that people still discuss fifty years later.

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Amitabh and Rekha were poles apart

Amitabh Bachchan was Bollywood's 'Angry Young Man' then, thanks to 'Zanjeer', 'Deewar', and 'Sholay'. He had a strong reputation for strict discipline. Rekha was stuck in mostly B-grade films at that time, and she lacked a good reputation for reaching sets on time. Everyone on the set expected a clash after seeing their contrasting personalities.

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Rekha became completely mesmerised

The fears did not come true. Rekha later shared that standing in front of Amitabh Bachchan was not easy. She would forget her dialogues repeatedly out of nervousness. He would then give her a gentle warning in his deep voice to remember the lines. Amitabh's dedication and professionalism moved her so much that she admitted she had never seen a man like him before.

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Amitabh gets credit for Rekha's respect

'Do Anjaane' did not achieve massive success at the box office. But Rekha earned respect as an actress through this film. She gave the entire credit for this to Amitabh Bachchan. Rekha stated that Amitabh was exactly the kind of person she always admired.

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His married status did not matter

Amitabh Bachchan was a married man, but Rekha stated that it did not matter to her. She mentioned that she did not want to break anyone's home, but she wanted the honour of his company. Rekha's bold comments grabbed headlines right from that time. Amitabh did not say anything about this back then.

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Rekha always referred to him

Amitabh Bachchan developed a bitter relationship with film magazines after the Emergency, and he faced an unwritten ban. He responded by banning journalists from his sets. Magazines called him 'Superstar', 'Lambuji', or just 'Him' during that time. Rekha also brought up 'Him' repeatedly in her interviews, so the story never stayed hidden.

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Rekha as the other woman in Stardust

Rekha introduced herself as the 'other woman' for the first time in a 1978 Stardust interview titled "Girl Without A Conscience". This interview created a massive uproar. Some people dismissed it as a film promotion stunt, but the general public followed every twist of the story with great interest.

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Sindoor at Rishi and Neetu's wedding

Rekha arrived in a white saree with deep red sindoor in her hair parting at Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh's wedding on January 22, 1980. Those pictures sparked a massive controversy. Jaya Bachchan later responded to this in a dignified manner. Amitabh Bachchan also said that choosing Jaya as his wife was a very good decision in his life.

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Amitabh always denied the relationship

Amitabh Bachchan never responded to Rekha's comments publicly, and he kept denying the rumoured relationship for years. He blamed the media for the rumours on Simi Garewal's show. He stated that Rekha was his co-actor and colleague, and they had no social connection.

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Curiosity remains even after 50 years

Rekha's life and career are much broader than this single chapter, and nobody can deny that. Yet, the old curiosity returned repeatedly, from Rekha's Rajya Sabha oath in 2012 to her cameo in 'Shamitabh' in 2015. People still show the same strong interest in Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha even fifty years after 'Do Anjaane'.