Rajesh Khanna, the superstar who died in 2012, had a highly controversial love life. One name that always comes up is actress Mumtaz.
Over the years, many believed the two were a couple. But recently, Mumtaz cleared the air and said they never dated – though she did admit she wished they had.
Mumtaz said she missed the boat because Rajesh was actually in love with her friend, Anju Mahendru. The actress also did not shy away from talking about his sudden decision to marry the 16-year-old Dimple Kapadia.
In a conversation with Vickey Lalwani, Mumtaz denied relationship rumours with Rajesh Khanna.
She said, “I wish I was involved with him, but I wasn't. I missed the boat, I'd say. I've denied this a 1000 times, but if people keep insisting that there was something between us, all I can do is say, ‘I wish…'”
Talking about Anju Mahendru and Rajesh Khanna's romance, Mumtaz added, “Anju was a very good host. When I got married, my husband and I would go to their house, and they'd be very generous as hosts. They'd drink, Kaka (Rajesh Khanna) would drink… I knew that they loved each other very much.”
The actress also mentioned that if Rajesh Khanna hadn't married Dimple Kapadia and had stayed with Anju Mahendru instead, he might still have been alive today.
“In fact, I was surprised when I learnt that he'd left her and gotten married (to Dimple Kapadia). I didn't expect it at all. Even today, I'd say that Kaka might have still been alive had he stayed with Anju. She looked after him like he was a flower. Even when he was ill, she always used to be in the bungalow. She always used to look after him, his food, his ‘dawai-daaru'. She was a wonderful person. But you can't escape destiny,” said Mumtaz.
Mumtaz also shared what Anju Mahendru felt about Rajesh Khanna's sudden wedding.
“I asked her, and she said, ‘I don't know. I was at a party, and the next thing I know is that he had decided to get married'. She's a proud woman, she's very happy. It didn't bother her that her boyfriend of so many years had left her. She didn't want to mope over him. She must've been hurt, of course, but it wasn't like she was howling in grief,” she recalled.
Rajesh Khanna got married to Dimple Kapadia in 1973. The duo share two daughters – Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna. The duo separated in 1984.
Before marrying Dimple Kapadia, Rajesh Khanna was in a relationship with Anju Mahendru for seven years. The two didn't speak for 17 years after their breakup.