Gunjan Chaudhary
Rajesh Khanna, fondly remembered as the first superstar of Hindi cinema, enjoyed a level of fame that remains unmatched even decades later. His stardom was so intense that stories about his devoted female fans became legendary, from cars covered in lipstick marks to women wearing white sarees when he married Dimple Kapadia. But long before that iconic wedding, Rajesh Khanna was allegedly involved in a secret marriage with actress Anju Mahendru, a revelation that once shook the film industry.
Rajesh Khanna
Rajesh Khanna and Anju Mahendru’s Relationship
Let us tell you that Rajesh Khanna and Anju Mahendru were known to be in a serious relationship during the peak of his career. At the time, it was widely reported that the two were living together, something considered extremely bold and controversial in that era. What stunned many was when a leading film magazine published a report claiming the couple had secretly married.
Rajesh Khanna
Veteran journalist and author Shobhaa De recently revisited the explosive story in a conversation with film journalist Vicky Lalwani. Recalling her time as the editor of Stardust magazine, Shobhaa revealed that the Rajesh Khanna story was one of the most sensational scoops of her career. “The first and most sensational issue was about Rajesh Khanna, whether he had secretly gotten married,” she said.
Rajesh Khanna
According to Shobhaa De, the information came from Nari Hira, the founder of Stardust, who had a close connection with Anju Mahendru’s family. “He knew Anju Mahendru’s mother very well. They were friends. So he gave us the information, and we thought it would make a fantastic cover story,” she explained. Reflecting on Rajesh Khanna’s unmatched popularity, Shobhaa De said the frenzy around him was unlike anything Bollywood had witnessed before, or since.
Rajesh Khanna
“We had made him a huge celebrity. I had never seen such madness for anyone before. Even all the Khans put together cannot match the kind of frenzy and obsession Rajesh Khanna generated at his peak,” she added. When asked whether the report was factual, Shobhaa De made a startling claim. “Yes, it was absolutely true. I believe it was 100 percent true because they could never deny it,” she said. She further hinted that the publication of the story may have accelerated Rajesh Khanna’s decision to marry Dimple Kapadia.