The alleged love triangle between Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, and Rekha remains one of Bollywood’s most talked-about controversies. In a recent conversation on the Meri Saheli podcast, veteran author and film historian Hanif Zaveri shared intriguing insights into how Rekha entered Amitabh’s life, Jaya’s unwavering stand, and the eventual fallout.
Rekha and Amitabh: The Beginning
According to Hanif Zaveri, Rekha and Amitabh Bachchan’s bond strengthened during the shooting of Do Anjaane. “They got very close, and I don’t know how they fell in love, but it is 100% certain that they were in love,” he claimed. However, Amitabh’s life took a significant turn when he met with an accident while shooting for Coolie in 1982. Jaya Bachchan stayed by his side at the hospital, taking care of him and coordinating with doctors. “When Amitabh regained consciousness and realized Jaya’s devotion, he started leaning more towards his wife, and things began to change,” Zaveri said.
As the tension between Amitabh and Rekha escalated, Jaya Bachchan allegedly took a decisive step. According to Zaveri, she invited Rekha for lunch at their home while Amitabh was away. “She fed her well, chatted a lot, and when it was time to part ways, Jaya looked at Rekha and said, ‘Amitabh is mine. He was mine and will always be mine,’” he revealed. This statement reportedly left a lasting impact on Rekha, leading her to step back.
The Shift in Relationships
Before this widely speculated love triangle, Jaya and Rekha shared a warm friendship. When Jaya moved to Mumbai from the Pune Film Institute, actor Asrani helped her find a rental flat in a building where Rekha also stayed during her visits from Madras. Their friendship was so strong that Jaya convinced Rekha to sign Duniya Ka Mela, which originally had Amitabh in the lead before he was replaced by Sanjay Khan.
Jaya’s Stance on Silsila
The 1981 film Silsila is often believed to be inspired by the real-life dynamics between Amitabh, Jaya, and Rekha. However, Zaveri refuted this claim, stating, “Yash Chopra attempted to portray that love dynamic on screen, but in reality, Jaya Bachchan never wanted to work in Silsila. She deeply disliked Rekha.”
He also shared an incident from their time in the Rajya Sabha, where Jaya allegedly ensured that Amitabh did not sit too close to Rekha. Initially, Jaya had made up her mind to reject Silsila, but she was eventually convinced by Sanjeev Kumar, whom she considered her ‘Rakhi brother.’ “I am also in the film. Why are you refusing?” he reportedly asked her. Jaya finally agreed but imposed one condition—she would be present on set every day, even if she had no scenes to shoot.
Though Silsila wasn’t a massive box office success upon its release, it has since become a Bollywood classic, forever linked to the enduring saga of Amitabh, Jaya, and Rekha.
