When Rekha revealed how Amitabh Bachchan calmed her during a bold scene in Silsila: It was an intense scene, I hugged him but…”

Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha’s on-screen pairing has always stirred admiration, awe—and plenty of speculation. Among their many celebrated collaborations, Silsila (1981) remains the most iconic and talked-about, not just for its story but also for its real-life parallels. What added to the mystique was the casting—Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha, and Jaya Bachchan—amid rumors of a real-life love triangle. But not many know that shooting Silsila wasn’t always smooth, especially for Rekha, who once opened up about a particularly intense scene that left her overwhelmed.

In a 1994 interview with Dinesh Raheja, Rekha recalled the emotionally draining “I hate you” scene in front of a live audience of 15,000 people. It was shot at 5 AM, with heavy lines to deliver, and Rekha found herself on the verge of tears, unsure if she could carry it through. “It was such an intense scene and there were 15,000 people on the location at five in the morning. I had major lines to speak, crying et al. I asked Yashji (Chopra, Director) for time, but he said no,” Rekha revealed.

Feeling cornered and anxious, Rekha turned to Amitabh Bachchan for support. What happened next showed not just Big B’s sensitivity as a co-actor but also his wisdom. “Then Amitji related an incident,” she said. “He said, James Dean in a film called Giantfaced a similar dilemma. He just turned around and did Number 1 (urinated) in front of the crowd. That made him feel on top of the world. James Dean thought to himself, ‘Isse bura kya ho sakta hai?’ and gave a perfect shot.”

That humorous yet profound anecdote did the trick. Rekha laughed, calmed down, and went ahead with the shot. She fondly remembered telling Amitabh, “Excuse me, that really makes me feel better.” Big B replied, “I don’t mean it literally, but you know what I mean, come on. This is acting.”