Rajesh Khanna and Anju Mahendru were in a volatile relationship for nearly seven years after meeting while working in theatre, long before Khanna rose to prominence in Hindi cinema. Widely expected to marry, the couple instead parted ways when Khanna chose to wed actor Dimple Kapadia in 1973.
Both were struggling actors when they began dating. Mahendru had already appeared in films such as Dev Anand’s Jewel Thief, while Khanna was awaiting his breakthrough. They supported each other during this phase and shared a close bond, referring to each other by affectionate nicknames.
Their personal differences reportedly spilled over onto the sets of Bandhan, where Khanna later admitted to behaving unprofessionally. Speaking to Bhawana Somaya, he said, “The two of us had a fight over something as a result of which both of us behaved extremely unprofessionally while shooting together… I know it all sounds foolish, but one cannot disassociate an incident from one’s life, just because it was foolish or childish.”
After Khanna bought his bungalow, Aashirvaad, Mahendru became a regular presence there, and many believed she would eventually marry him. However, his mother was reportedly not fond of her. As Khanna’s stardom grew, their relationship became increasingly strained.
During one of their breakups, Mahendru got engaged to West Indies cricketer Garry Sobers. She later told The Times of India, “To tell you the truth, at that time I was in a relationship with Kaka… I called up Gary from Kaka’s home and broke off the engagement.” She also said Khanna grew suspicious and controlling during this phase. “All he wanted me to do was wait, wait, wait for him,” she told Stardust.
Mahendru accused Khanna of pressuring her to give up her career, particularly when she was doing well as a model. In a 1973 Stardust interview, she claimed he did not want her films to release. Khanna, in the same conversation, questioned her professional standing, saying, “What career did she sacrifice for me? Those two-bit roles like [in] Jewel Thief? Where would have those stray roles taken her?”
The relationship finally ended as Dimple Kapadia entered Khanna’s life. Mahendru recalled Kapadia initially addressing them as Rajesh “uncle” and Anju “aunty”, later telling Stardust, “Dimple is a clever little girl… very calculatedly catty and aimed at me.”
When Khanna married Kapadia in 1973, he reportedly instructed his wedding baraat to pass by Mahendru’s house, a move seen as deliberate. Years later, after Khanna and Kapadia separated, Mahendru and Khanna reconnected amicably. Reflecting on their reunion, she said, “When we spoke to each other for the first time after almost 17 years… I didn’t call him Kaka either. It would have been too filmi.”
The two never rekindled their relationship. Mahendru never married, but remained close to Khanna and his family until his death in 2012.
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