Hanif Zaveri reveals Jaya Bachchan had invited Rekha for lunch and declared, ‘Amitabh Bachchan will always be mine’

According to Zaveri, Amitabh and Rekha developed a strong connection while working on Do Anjaane.

The long-speculated love triangle between Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, and Rekha continues to intrigue Bollywood fans. In a recent conversation on the Meri Saheli podcast, veteran film historian Hanif Zaveri revealed new insights into their complex relationship. He claimed that Jaya Bachchan once invited Rekha for lunch and firmly asserted her place in Amitabh’s life.

According to Zaveri, Amitabh and Rekha developed a strong connection while working on Do Anjaane. “They got very close, and I don’t know how they fell in love,” he claimed. However, the dynamic shifted when Amitabh suffered a near-fatal accident on the sets of Coolie in 1982. Jaya remained by his side throughout, handling medical decisions and ensuring his recovery. “When Amitabh regained consciousness and realised Jaya’s devotion, he started leaning more towards his wife, and things began to change,” Zaveri explained.

As rumours intensified, Jaya Bachchan allegedly took matters into her own hands. Zaveri revealed that Jaya invited Rekha to their home for lunch while Amitabh was away. “She treated Rekha warmly, spoke at length, and then, before parting, declared, ‘Amitabh is mine. He was mine and will always be mine,’” he claimed. This statement reportedly left a lasting impact on Rekha, leading to her withdrawal.

Before the controversy, Jaya and Rekha shared a cordial bond. When Jaya first moved to Mumbai, actor Asrani helped her find a flat in the same building where Rekha stayed. Their friendship was so strong that Jaya even convinced Rekha to sign Duniya Ka Mela, which initially starred Amitabh, later replaced by Sanjay Khan.

Despite popular belief, Zaveri dismissed claims that Silsila was an exact reflection of the trio’s real-life drama. “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 stated.

He also recalled an incident in the Rajya Sabha, where Jaya allegedly ensured that Amitabh never sat too close to Rekha. Initially, she refused Silsila, but her ‘Rakhi brother’ Sanjeev Kumar convinced her, after which she agreed—on the condition that she would be present on set every day, even when not shooting.

While Silsila wasn’t a major box office success upon release, it has since become an iconic film, forever tied to the real-life dynamics of Amitabh, Jaya, and Rekha.

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After Silsila, Amitabh and Rekha never worked together again. When asked in an interview with Barkha Dutt why they hadn’t collaborated in years, Amitabh simply said no suitable script had come their way.

Meanwhile, Amitabh has continued to work with Jaya in multiple films, including Ki & Ka. Jaya was last seen in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, while Amitabh remains an active force in Bollywood.