Ek Amar Prem Katha

AB & Rekha's romance of the legends, a secret rendezvous, forbidden love affair, and a love triangle.

Dear Readers,

Let's talk about one of the juiciest, most scandalous love stories in Bollywood history - the love story of Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha. Their romance is the stuff of legends, complete with secret rendezvous, a forbidden love affair, and a love triangle that would make even the most seasoned Bollywood screenwriter blush.

It all started when Rekha, the stunning starlet, met Amitabh Bachchan through his then-girlfriend (and now wife) Jaya Bhaduri. Can you imagine being introduced to your soulmate through your significant other? Talk about a Bollywood twist!

On 3 June 1973, when Jaya’s & AB’s wedding was solemnized, Rekha was not invited, which left her feeling sour. In an interview, Rekha said, “There was a time when I looked at Jaya as a sister... I used to think she was genuine because she often spoke very seriously and gave me lots of loving advice. But now I realize that Jaya is a "general advisor" to every Tom, Dick, and Harry. And trust me, Rekha did not stop there.

Then Do Anjaane happened. Rekha, too, was awestruck by Amitabh's persona. In her famous interview on Rendezvous with Simi Garewal in 2004, Rekha said, 'Standing in front of Mr. Amitabh Bachchan is not easy.' In fact, Rekha was so nervous around Amitabh that she would forget her lines while filming. We can’t blame her, though - have you seen Amitabh’s eyes? It’s like they’re piercing into your soul.

Rekha kept growing fond of AB and his charisma and once said, She once famously said, "The fact that he was a married man doesn't make any kind of a difference. A rose is a rose. A human being is interesting, period." We couldn't agree more, Rekha! Their chemistry was so palpable that it might just have caused electrical sparks on set.

But of course, with great love comes great gossip. Rumors of their romance started swirling around Bollywood and it wasn’t long before everyone knew about their forbidden love affair. They were so in love that they even got matching tattoos of each other's names. Who needs a ring when you have a tattoo, right?

In a 1978 Stardust interview titled 'Rekha: Girl without a Conscience?', Rekha claimed to have seen tears pouring down Jaya Bachchan's face during love scenes with Amitabh Bachchan in the movie Muqaddar Ka Sikandar. As a result, Jaya allegedly put a ban on Amitabh working with Rekha and gave him an ultimatum. Damn.

In a quirky twist, Rekha revealed in an interview that Amitabh gifted her two rings that she always wore. When he refused to work with her, she returned the rings and they parted ways. In her own words, "Naturally I was upset and we broke off after that." Keep an eye out for her missing rings in the last half of her movie, Khoobsurat. She sent them back to Amitabh during their split.

Calling herself the 'other woman' for the first time, Rekha said, “People say the wife is always one-up because she has the man. I say the "other woman" is ten-up because the man wants her in spite of having a wife. It is not a question of what Jaya has that I don't have. What does Jaya have that I have?” 

Film-makers also were taking full mazza of all this & likely tried to exploit Rekha and Amitabh's alleged affair by including scenes that alluded to it. Take, for instance, a scene from Mr Natwarlal in which Rekha says to Amitabh, 'Mai teri daasi hoon.'; and he says, 'Mujhe koi daasi waasi nahi chahiye.’

It was Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh's big day, but all eyes were on Rekha when she made a grand entrance. Clad in a stunning white sari, she had a bright red bindi on her forehead and loads of sindoor in her hair. Cameras went click-click, tongues went wag-wag, and the question on everyone's lips was: "Has Rekha married?". Later that night, Rekha managed to chat with Amitabh Bachchan, causing Jaya to shed a few tears. Bollywood drama at its finest!

Rekha spilled the beans in Stardust and made everyone's jaws drop. She claimed that Jaya invited her over, but wait, it gets weirder! Jaya was cool with Amit having a little fling, but when she found out he was catching feelings, things got messy. Rekha was invited over for dinner, but they didn't talk about Amit - that's just too awkward! Before leaving, Jaya made sure to drop the bombshell that she'll never leave her man, no matter what! Looks like Amit's got some serious love drama going on!

In 1980, YC and AB were both struggling with their careers. So YC came up with the brilliant idea of Silsila! But the whole thing was a rollercoaster ride. Jaya was playing AB's wife and Rekha was his girlfriend - talk about awkward! Yash Chopra was scared the whole time because anything could have happened. But well, the film tanked at the box office and everyone was left feeling tragic.

Years after Siisila, Rekha said, 'How can anybody compare Jayaji and me when it comes to glamor? It is like Mehmood trying to be Dilip Kumar. How can you even think of it?'

Finally, it's the 80s, Amitabh Bachchan is a superstar, and Rekha is the seductress stealing hearts. When Amitabh gets injured, Jaya bars Rekha from visiting him. Rekha resorts to a white saree prayer from afar. The love triangle of the era with an uncertain end.

Their relationship was kept under wraps for the most part, but it was an open secret in Bollywood circles. Legend has it that Jaya Bachchan once caught them red-handed at a hotel in Mumbai. Jaya walked in on them in the middle of a romantic interlude and promptly left the room without saying a word. Talk about awkwardness. 

Despite the drama, Amitabh and Rekha's love affair continued for several years. They are also rumored to have a daughter together, staying somewhere in London. It could be cap tho. Another rumor is that Amitabh's mother wanted him to divorce Jaya and marry Rekha.

In conclusion, the love story of Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha is one of the ages. And while their relationship may have ended, their story continues to captivate audiences even today. So, here's to Amitabh and Rekha - the Romeo and Juliet of Bollywood (minus the tragic ending, of course). Ek Amar Prem Katha.