"Amitabh Bachchan should have married Rekha": Umrao Jaan director's words resurface amid film's re- release

In the golden chapters of Bollywood's past, few stories are as hauntingly beautiful, and heartbreakingly unresolved as the tale of Rekha and Amitabh Bachchan. A saga woven with intense screen chemistry, whispered romances, and silent gazes that said more than dialogues ever could. While both stars have moved on in life, their once-rumoured love continues to captivate fans and filmmakers alike.

As Rekha's iconic film Umrao Jaan gears up for a grand re-release this month, a throwback to her deep bond with co-actor Amitabh Bachchan has once again surfaced. This time, not in tabloids, but in the words of none other than Umrao Jaan director Muzaffar Ali, shared in Yasser Usman's book Rekha: The Untold Story.

Ali, known for his poetic sensibilities, didn't shy away from reflecting on what he witnessed during the filming of the 1981 classic. He revealed that Amitabh would often visit Rekha on the Delhi sets of Umrao Jaan, something rarely known to many. But what stood out more was Rekha's choice of words whenever she referred to Amitabh using respectful terms like "inko" and "inhone", often reserved by wives for their husbands. According to Muzaffar Ali, Rekha truly believed she was married to him emotionally, if not legally.

He went further to say, with striking honesty, "She was in love with him. He should have given her an identity. Amitabh should have married Rekha." A rare, bold comment in an industry known for its diplomacy and silence around such matters.

Their on-screen magic seen in films like Silsila, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, and Mr. Natwarlal only added fuel to the fire. Especially Silsila, Yash Chopra's daring take on extramarital affairs, which mirrored the rumoured triangle between Amitabh, Jaya, and Rekha. Though the film didn't work at the box office then, it's now a cult classic.

As Umrao Jaan readies to enchant audiences again, it brings with it not just Rekha's soulful performance but echoes of a love story Bollywood never truly got closure on. A story that, like Rekha herself, remains eternal and enigmatic.