Top News

Veteran actor Rekha is now celebrated as an evergreen icon of Indian cinema, admired for her beauty, grace, and unmatched screen presence. But her early years in Bollywood were anything but easy. Entering the industry as a teenager, she faced criticism for her looks, battled gossip about her personal life, and endured experiences that left lasting scars.

One such incident was the controversial on-screen kiss with Biswajeet Chatterjee during the filming of Anjana Safar — a moment that, according to Rekha, left her feeling “betrayed and furious.”

The Incident That Shocked Rekha

As detailed in Yasser Usman’s biography Rekha: The Untold Story, the incident took place at Bombay’s Mehboob Studio. Rekha, not even 15 at the time, had no idea about what was about to unfold.

Directed by Raja Nawathe, Anjana Safar featured a romantic sequence between Rekha and Biswajeet. Unknown to her, the director, producer Kuljeet Pal, and Biswajeet had devised a plan. “Every last detail of the strategy had been decided before the shoot, and the camera was set to record each moment," reads an excerpt from the book.

As the camera rolled, Biswajeet suddenly grabbed Rekha and kissed her.

“This kiss had never been mentioned to her. The camera kept rolling; neither was the director ordering ‘cut’ nor was Biswajeet letting go of her. For all of five minutes, Biswajeet kept kissing Rekha. Unit members were whistling and cheering. Those voices were said to have echoed in Rekha’s conscience till much later. Her eyes were tightly shut but they were full of tears," the book further reveals.

Recalling the incident later, Rekha said, “I didn’t do it. I was taken by surprise. Nothing could’ve compensated, nothing can wipe off what I felt. Not even the coverage it got in Life magazine."

Biswajeet’s Defense vs. The Producer’s Claim

When questioned years later, Biswajeet defended himself by saying it wasn’t his idea but that of director Raja Nawathe. “It was not for my enjoyment, but important for the film," he said, acknowledging that Rekha felt “betrayed and furious."

However, producer Kuljeet Pal shared a different version in a later interview. According to him, Rekha was aware of the kiss and had agreed to it. He even claimed she was advised to later deny her consent, since “Hindi film heroines" rarely accepted such scenes.

For Rekha, though, it was a moment of exploitation and helplessness. Being a newcomer, she feared that protesting might cost her the role — and potentially her career.

Rekha on Kissing Scenes

After the incident made waves, especially with the kiss being featured in Life magazine, producer Kuljeet Pal organized Rekha’s first-ever press conference at Shalimar Hotel in Bombay.

A reporter asked her, “So you are in favour of kissing?" To which Rekha replied, “Yes." When probed further with, “In which situations?" her answer left the room stunned: “When the heroine is wearing slacks."

No one could decipher whether it was naivety or a tongue-in-cheek remark, but Rekha simply kept smiling.

When another journalist asked why she entered Hindi films, Rekha answered with childlike honesty: “Because they don’t pay much in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films…”

A Storm That Changed Rekha’s Journey

The controversy eventually subsided, and Rekha thought the worst was behind her. But soon, her name would be linked to Amitabh Bachchan, giving birth to another chapter in her life that dominated headlines for years.