Once upon a time, veteran actress Rakhee and legendary lyricist Gulzar were Bollywood’s ‘IT’ couple. When the actress married the poet, she was at the top of her Bollywood career and agreed to leave the industry after the marriage. She had no idea that Yash Chopra had designed the entire film with her in mind, and that not only he but also Sahir Ludhianvi, had written songs with the veteran actress in mind. But did you know that she chose the film over her marriage to Gulzar, which resulted in Amitabh Bachchan never again working with the lyricist?
After giving birth to her daughter Meghna Gulzar, she became restless and Chopra offered her Kabhi Kabhie. This was an offer she could not refuse as the director was very particular regarding directing her in the film or not making it at all.
In an interview with Masala, Rakhee told Subhash K Jha, “When I married Gulzar, Yash became our neighbour. He then offered me Kabhi Kabhie after my marriage. I think Kabhi Kabhie was conceived keeping me in mind. Lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi, I think, wrote the songs keeping me in mind. Gulzar and I used to visit Yash’s home regularly. This was when I was pregnant with my daughter Meghna and Yash’s son Adi was a child. One day in the presence of Amitabh Bachchan, they played a song and Pam said, ‘This song is for Raakhee’. That’s how Kabhi Kabhie was offered to me. Yash Chopra said, ‘I’d drop the film. But I won’t make it with any other heroine.’ Since acting was the only thing I enjoyed, I agreed to do the film even after marriage.”
Later when Gulzar got to know about his wife’s plans to enter Bollywood again, he reminded her of a promise that she made to him. The veteran actress then signed Yash Chopra’s ‘Kabhi Kabhie’ and the two parted ways. On paper legally, the couple never got divorced but started living separately thereafter. And to our surprise, most of her hits happened after her wedding with the veteran lyricist.
Also, Amitabh Bachchan who worked with Rakhee in several films, also never worked with Gulzar in any of his directorial films.
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