From Diva To Daughter-In-Law: Rekha’s Short-Lived Marriage On Flag Staff Road

Rekha's resilience has allowed her to remain a celebrated figure in Indian cinema, known for her transformation, versatility, and captivating performances. Today, as she looks out from her Mumbai bungalow, memories of both triumphs and trials undoubtedly shape her extraordinary life

If not often, once in a while looking at the waves crashing against the shores of the Arabian Sea from the windows of her sprawling Bandra Bandstand bungalow in Mumbai, Bollowood diva Rekha must surely think about the bungalow on Flag Staff Road in Delhi. It was hers, in a way, Flag Staff. It's a short distance from the Civil Lines Metro station. Till recently, Delhi's former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also lived on this same Flag Staff Road. Around 34 years ago, Bollywood Diva Rekha arrived here as a newly-wed Bahu (daughter-in-law). At that time, she was at the peak of her film career.

Rekha caused a sensation when she married a young businessman Mukesh Aggarwal. Back then, 'Breaking news from News Channels have not entered our lives, yet Rekha's marriage to Mukesh Aggarwal became a national topic of discussion. A lot has changed in these three and a half decades, but there are still some families here who remember when Rekha arrived as the daughter-in-law of the Aggarwal family.

Rekha married Mukesh Aggarwal, who was making big strides in the business world. Their wedding took place on March 4, 1990. Mukesh was a director of a Hotline company. He was the apple of the eye of successful and influential business families in Delhi.

Rekha and Mukesh met at a party at a farmhouse in South Delhi, facilitated by the famous socialite Bina Ramani. It is said that Mukesh fell deeply in love with Rekha after a few meetings. He was completely smitten by her. One day, he gathered his courage and proposed marriage to Rekha, and she accepted. Mukesh's elder brother, Anil Aggarwal, played a crucial role in making the marriage happen quickly. Everyone in Civil Lines and Flag Staff Road knew him as Anil Mama. Anil Mama threw a grand party at his farmhouse to celebrate his younger brother's marriage to a superstar. The party was attended by about 3,000 guests. Sadly, Rekha and Mukesh's marriage was plagued with difficulties from the start.

Distance grew between them. Well-known Vastu expert Dr. JP Sharma 'Trikha' knew the Aggarwal family said, "I am sorry to say that it was a mis-match considering the fact that even though Mukesh was doing well in his business, he was nothing in terms of status Rekha. Moreover, I believe their marriage was also not consummated. That triggered the difference between the two."Dr. Aruna Mukim, a neighbor of the Mukesh Aggarwal family in Flagstaff Road and a former member of the Censor Board of India, claims that the rift between Rekha and Mukesh began during their honeymoon. Rekha wanted to go to Mumbai for a show, but Mukesh insisted that she stay in Delhi with him. Rekha refused and went to Mumbai. This led to Mukesh falling into depression, and he eventually took his own life. Their marriage lasted only seven months.

It is said that even after Mukesh's death, Rekha did not return to her in-laws. This caused deep pain and disappointment to Mukesh's family and friends. However, the Aggarwal family wanted to transfer a large part of Mukesh's property to Rekha. Due to Rekha's behaviour, they changed their minds. After Mukesh Aggarwal's untimely death, his family suffered a huge setback in their business. Then, Anil Mama also passed away, and afterward, the family left their home on Flag Staff Road. Now, only a handful of people in the area can recall the time when Rekha became the daughter-in-law of Flag Staff Road.

That failed marriage with Mukesh apart, Rekha can easily be clubbed in the category of one of the most accomplished actresses of Bollywood. She has acted in over 180 films in a career that has spanned over 40 years. Dr. JP Sharma 'Trikha', who is also a film buff, says that Rekha has touched new heights in Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978). In the film, Rekha play Zohrabai, the nautch girl who falls for the protagonist, Sikandar (Amitabh Bachchan) only to realise that he is in love with another woman. In one of the most important scenes from the movie, Zohrabai consumes poison and dies in the arms of her beloved, setting off a chain of events that leads to a bloody end of the film.

Rekha has often played strong female characters and, apart from mainstream cinema, appeared in parallel cinema. Rekha has won three Filmfare Awards, two for Best Actress and one for Best Supporting Actress, for her roles in Khubsoorat (1980), Khoon Bhari Maang (1988) and Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), respectively. Her portrayal of a classical courtesan in Umrao Jaan (1981) won her the National Film Award for Best Actress.

Rekha's Bollywood debut with Sawan Bhadon (1970) established her as a rising star, but despite the success of several of her early films, she was often panned in the press for her looks and weight. Motivated by criticism, she started working on her appearance and put effort into improving her acting technique and command of the Hindi language, resulting in a well-publicised transformation. Early recognition in 1978 for her performances in Ghar and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar marked the beginning of the most successful period of her career, and she was one of Hindi cinema's leading stars through most of the 1980s and early 1990s. Even though she does not accept film roles often, but when she acts she makes her presence felt.

Apart from acting, Rekha served as a Member of Parliament for the Rajya Sabha from 2012 to 2018. During those days, her private life and public image have been the subject of frequent media interest and discussion. Rekha generally remained absent when the Parliament sessions were on. It was a forgettable tenure for Rekha.

(The author is Delhi-based senior journalist and writer. He is author of Gandhi's Delhi which has brought to the forth many hidden facts about Mahatma Gandhi)