Anita Advani recalls Rajesh Khanna’s reunion with Anju Mahendru: ‘They would laugh’ | Bollywood News

4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 24, 2026 10:18 PM When Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia separated, it was Anita Advani who became the actor’s closest companion. She lived with him at his iconic bungalow, Aashirwad, for over a decade until his death in 2012. Claiming she had known Rajesh even before his 1973 marriage to Dimple, Anita often described herself as his “surrogate wife”, saying she managed both his household and his personal life. But before Anita and Dimple—there was Anju Mahendru, Rajesh Khanna’s longtime girlfriend. During their relationship, Anju was a constant presence in his life and even managed his home. Although the couple parted ways bitterly after Rajesh married Dimple, they reconciled years later following his separation. In the actor’s final years, Anju frequently visited him and looked after him as his health deteriorated. Interestingly, Anita inss Anju’s return never caused friction between them.
Recalling how Rajesh and Anju rekindled their friendship, Anita said on the Meri Saheli podcast that it all began during a trip to Sharjah for a cricket tournament. “We had gone to Sharjah for the matches when Anju and Rajesh met and spoke. I’m not entirely sure, but I think that’s when their friendship was rekindled. During those matches, all the film personalities would sit together in the VIP boxes.”
She added that their warmth towards each other was unmakable. “I would often slip away to shop. Sometimes Anju would be there, sometimes she wouldn’t be. Whenever they met, they would smile and laugh. After all, they had shared a very deep relationship. Some bonds never completely disappear.”
When asked whether Anju Mahendru’s return made her feel insecure, Anita dismissed the idea. “Anju and I were always cordial. There was never any jealousy between us. We greeted each other with love and respect. Even today, we meet.”
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In an earlier interview with Meri Saheli, Anita Advani made another startling claim—that she and Rajesh Khanna had secretly married.
“We got married privately, but in the film industry nobody talks openly about such things. People say they’re friends or in a relationship. It was already known in the media that I was with him, so neither of us felt the need to publicly announce our marriage.”Story continues below this ad
According to Anita Advani, the ceremony took place inside Aashirwad. “We had a small temple at home. I had a mangalsutra made with gold and black beads. He made me wear it. Then he applied sindoor and said, ‘From today, you are my responsibility.’ That’s how we got married one night.”
Despite claiming to have shared her life with Rajesh Khanna for years, Anita said she was not allowed to attend his funeral after his death in 2012. “They had stationed bouncers outside to stop me from entering. Friends warned me that I wouldn’t be allowed inside. Some even suggested I carry a camera and record everything, but I couldn’t do that on such a solemn day. Instead, I stayed away and performed my own chautha for him alone at a temple.”
Long before Anita Advani entered his life, Rajesh Khanna’s romance with Anju Mahendru had been one of Bollywood’s most talked-about relationships. The two dated for several years before their relationship ended amid reports of Rajesh’s possessiveness and growing insecurities. Their breakup became the subject of industry lore after Rajesh reportedly chose to take his wedding procession to Dimple Kapadia past Anju’s residence—a gesture widely interpreted as a dramatic and public statement marking the end of their relationship.