'Shayad Anju Hoti Toh Kaka Aaj Bhi Zinda Hote' Mumtaz's SHOCKING Revelations On Rajesh Khanna's Life

Veteran actress, Mumtaz has reignited public curiosity around Bollywood’s superstar, Rajesh Khanna, especially about his much-talked-about love life. The actress, who was also rumoured to be romantically linked with the superstar, addressed the buzz and made some shocking revelations surrounding his marriage with Dimple Kapadia instead of his long-time girlfriend, Anju Mahendru.

Mumtaz remarks that Rajesh Khanna might still have been alive if he had stayed with Anju Mahendru

In a rare and candid interview with Vickey Lalwani, Mumtaz revealed that being close to Rajesh Khanna, she was a firsthand witness to his deeply affectionate love life with his long-term girlfriend, Anju Mahendru, with whom he was in a relationship for seven years. Speaking about how Anju cared for Kaka like a delicate flower, Mumtaz shared:

“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 would drink… I knew that they loved each other very much. 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. Aaj bhi mein yahi kahungi ki shayad Anju hoti toh kaka aaj bhi zinda hote. Wo usko phoolon ki tarah samhalti thi. 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.”

Mumtaz on Rajesh Khanna’s marriage to Dimple Kapadia

Rajesh and Anju were in a relationship for seven years before he suddenly married 15-year-old Dimple Kapadia in 1973, just before her debut film, Bobby, even hit theatres. Mumtaz recalled Anju’s stunned reaction when she learned about the wedding. Despite the shock, Anju never publicly mourned the breakup. Mumtaz  recalled:

“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.”

Mumtaz on her relationship buzz with Rajesh Khanna

Mumtaz used to be a much-loved on-screen pair with Rajesh Khanna. Despite having worked opposite so many superstars, her chemistry with Kaka was such that fans speculated they were romantically involved in their personal lives. Dismissing the rumours, Mumtaz remarked:

“I wish I was involved with him, but I wasn’t. I missed the boat, I’d say. 1000 baar mein yeh bol chuki hu ki mera kuch nahi tha. But if people keep insisting that there was something between us, all I can do is say, ‘I wish…'”

Rajesh and Dimple had two daughters, Twinkle and Rinke, but their marriage didn’t last. They separated in 1984, though they never divorced. Interestingly, after his split with Dimple, Rajesh and Anju reconnected in the late ’80s. Despite being estranged for 17 years, she once again became a part of his life and cared for him in his final years.

What do you think about Mumtaz’s revelations regarding Rajesh Khanna and Anju Mahendru’s relationship?

Next Read: Mumtaz Recalls Raj Kapoor Didn't Want Her To Work After Marrying Shammi, 'Kapoor Family Ki Bahu...'

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