Hyderabad: The love story of Rekha and Amitabh Bachchan is one of Bollywood’s most whispered-about tales. Though never officially confirmed, the strong chemistry between the two actors both on and off screen kept the rumour mills buzzing through the 70s and 80s.
A Romance Wrapped in Rumours
Rekha and Amitabh starred in several blockbusters together, setting screens on fire with their effortless chemistry. But soon, their reel-life bond sparked rumours of a real-life relationship. Despite being married to Jaya Bachchan, Amitabh’s name was often linked with Rekha, leading to media frenzy.
Tears at the Trial Show of Muqaddar Ka Sikandar
One of the most talked-about moments was during the trial screening of the 1978 hit Muqaddar Ka Sikandar. In a heart-touching interview with Stardust magazine, Rekha revealed something unforgettable.
Rekha said, “Once, I was looking at the whole (Bachchan) 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 (Amitabh) 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.”
She shared that after the trial show, Amitabh Bachchan decided not to work with her anymore. Rekha added, “A week later, everybody in the industry was telling me that he had made it clear to his producers that he was not going to work with me.”
The ‘Laawaris’ Set Incident
According to Yasser Usman’s book Rekha: The Untold Story, things took a bitter turn during the shoot of Laawaris. Rekha reportedly confronted Amitabh on the sets over his closeness with Iranian actress Nellie. Director Prakash Mehra recalled the heated exchange, saying Rekha left the set in tears. Some gossip magazines even suggested there was a physical altercation — although that was never confirmed.
Rekha Quits ‘Silsila’
Shaken by the confrontation, Rekha quit Yash Chopra’s Silsila and returned her signing amount. Chopra tried replacing her with Parveen Babi and Smita Patil, but nothing worked. Eventually, he brought Rekha back after much convincing, completing the iconic triangle with Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan.
Their last film together was Silsila (1981). Though the reel romance ended, the story of Rekha, Amitabh, and Jaya continues to remain Bollywood’s most emotional and mysterious triangle.
