The legendary actress Rekha and the iconic Amitabh Bachchan – their on-again, off-again relationship has been the stuff of Bollywood lore for decades. Both have been undisputed superstars in their own right, with a huge following and a impressive body of work. Recently, actor Ranjeet, known for his villainous roles, opened up about his experience of working with Rekha on a film project that never took off. According to Ranjeet, he had signed Rekha for one of his films, but eventually had to ask her to return the signing amount due to her unprofessional behavior.
Ranjeet had been typecast in similar roles for a long time, which left him feeling frustrated and disillusioned with the industry. This prompted him to take matters into his own hands and start producing his own films. In a candid interview with Vikky Lalwani, Ranjeet recalled, “I didn’t sign any films for almost a decade, I was so disheartened. When I started producing my own films, I made it a point to pay my actors their dues, despite our personal friendships. They would often hesitate to take the money, but I would insist. I told Rekha, ‘You’re my friend and all, but if I’m signing you for a film, I want you to quote me a price, and I’ll pay you that amount.'”
Rekha kept Ranjeet’s team waiting, refusing to meet
Ranjeet claimed that Rekha had quoted an exorbitant amount for the film, which was later revealed to be 5 lakh rupees more than what she was being paid for another project. He alleged that this was just the beginning of a series of unprofessional demands from the actress. “I knew she would make producers wait outside her house and not meet them. When I was narrating the story to her, I had my entire team waiting outside, but she refused to let them in. I told her about it, but she just said, ‘Let them wait.’ Only her assistant, Farzana, would relay messages to her, she wouldn’t meet anyone herself.”
Ranjeet asked Rekha to return the signing amount
The problems began when Rekha refused to shoot in the evenings, citing her commitment to another film. Ranjeet remembered, “She told me we would shoot during the day, but I lost my cool and said, ‘I’m making this film for myself, not for you. I realized she would soon start treating me like she did other producers.’ So, before things escalated, I politely asked her to return my signing amount. I said, ‘Rekha, please return my money, I don’t think I can make this film with you.'”
Rekha’s relationship with Amitabh Bachchan was strained at the time
Ranjeet revealed that Rekha’s strained relationship with Amitabh Bachchan at the time was also a factor in her behavior. Although the two eventually became friends, their equation was complicated back then. “She wanted to stay in Mumbai, but I wanted to shoot on location, outside the city. She had to go home in the evenings, but my song was scheduled for the evening shoot. Rekha suggested we shoot during the day, but I couldn’t accommodate that. She also had issues with the choreographer, saying she wasn’t comfortable with him. We even replaced the choreographer to placate her, but she had a lot of tantrums.” Ranjeet’s experience with Rekha serves as a reminder that even the most talented and revered stars can have their share of quirks and unprofessional moments.