logo
Rekha Felt 'Betrayed' After Co-Star Kissed Her Without Consent During Early Film Shoot

Rekha Felt 'Betrayed' After Co-Star Kissed Her Without Consent During Early Film Shoot

News1818-05-2025
Last Updated:
In a disturbing revelation from her early Bollywood days, veteran actor Rekha was reportedly kissed without consent by co-star Biswajeet during the filming of Anjana Safar.
Before she became an icon of grace and resilience, Rekha's initial years in the Hindi film industry were marked by hardship and unsettling experiences. Starting her career as a teenager in the late 1960s, the young actress—born to South Indian cinema legend Gemini Ganesan—moved to Bombay to support her family during difficult times. Despite her lineage, she struggled to find a foothold in Hindi cinema and faced numerous challenges, including harassment on set.
One such incident is recounted in Rekha: The Untold Story by Yasser Usman. The book reveals a disturbing episode from the filming of Anjana Safar (later retitled Do Shikari), which began production in 1969. According to the account, a scene was orchestrated by actor Biswajeet, director Kuljeet Pal, and cinematographer Raja Nawathe, where Biswajeet kissed Rekha on the lips without informing her beforehand. The camera rolled, and the act—meant to be spontaneous—left Rekha visibly stunned and violated.
Biswajeet later admitted that Rekha was 'betrayed and furious," though he claimed the moment was essential to the film and not done for personal pleasure. 'It was not for my enjoyment, but important for the film," he said, as quoted in the book.
Director Kuljeet Pal, however, offered a contradictory version, insisting Rekha had given her consent for the kiss. 'She said she had no reservations… I only told her it would be better if she later said she didn't like it, since such scenes weren't common for Hindi heroines," he claimed.
The controversy aside, Do Shikari didn't release until 1979, a full decade after filming began. Meanwhile, Rekha made her official Hindi film debut with Sawan Bhadon in 1970 and soon climbed the ladder of stardom with hits like Ghar, Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Dharmatma, and Mr. Natwarlal, gradually rewriting her narrative on her own terms.
Today, Rekha stands not just as a Bollywood legend, but also as a symbol of endurance and evolution—her early struggles forming the steel that defines her poise.
First Published:
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Dilip Kumar And Raj Kapoor's Historic Pakistan Homes To Be Turned Into Museums
Dilip Kumar And Raj Kapoor's Historic Pakistan Homes To Be Turned Into Museums

News18

time10 minutes ago

  • News18

Dilip Kumar And Raj Kapoor's Historic Pakistan Homes To Be Turned Into Museums

Last Updated: The ancestral homes of Indian cinema legends Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar in Peshawar are being restored and converted into heritage museums. In the narrow, bustling lanes of Peshawar's Qissa Khwani Bazaar lie two ageing structures that once echoed with the footsteps of two boys who would grow up to become giants of Indian cinema. They were Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar. Now, decades later, the ancestral homes of these screen legends are being given a new lease of life. The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has officially begun work to restore and convert these iconic properties into heritage museums, suggests reports. According to officials, the restoration project began on Monday and is expected to be completed over the next two years at an estimated cost of Rs 70 million. The Directorate of Archaeology and Museums has been entrusted with bringing the homes back to their original form, carefully preserving the architecture that reflects early 20th-century colonial influences. 'The project's goal is to preserve our province's historical and cultural identity while also encouraging heritage tourism," said Dr Abdus Samad, Director of Archaeology. He added that the effort would also create job opportunities and support the local economy. The transformation is part of a broader initiative backed by the World Bank aimed at revitalising cultural landmarks across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 'With the support of the World Bank, these projects will revolutionise the tourism sector in the province. Our aim is to make Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's beautiful cultural landmarks a focal point for tourists worldwide," said Zahid Khan Shinwari, the provincial government's Advisor for Tourism. The houses were officially declared national heritage sites by former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on July 13, 2014. Since then, there has been a growing call from cinema lovers and historians alike to protect and honour these properties. Once completed, the museums will be dedicated to showcasing the lives, legacies, and cinematic journeys of Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar — two towering figures whose influence helped define the golden era of Hindi cinema. First Published: July 29, 2025, 07:40 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

'Hari Hara Veera Mallu' box office collections day 6: Pawan Kalyan's film sees sharp decline; mints Rs 77.57 crores
'Hari Hara Veera Mallu' box office collections day 6: Pawan Kalyan's film sees sharp decline; mints Rs 77.57 crores

Time of India

time14 minutes ago

  • Time of India

'Hari Hara Veera Mallu' box office collections day 6: Pawan Kalyan's film sees sharp decline; mints Rs 77.57 crores

(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) Pawan Kalyan's much-awaited epic 'Hari Hara Veera Mallu' started its theatrical journey on a strong note. Unfortunately the highly awaited film has seen a sharp dip in collections as the days progressed. According to the Sacnilk website, the film opened with a respectable Rs 12.75 crore on its early release day (Wednesday), with all of it coming from the Telugu version. This figure saw a substantial rise on Day 1 (Thursday), touching Rs 34.75 crore across multiple languages. However, the following days revealed a steady decline in audience footfall. It was majorly due to the mediocre reviews for the film. Weekend surge proves temporary While Day 2 (Friday) brought in Rs 8 crore. . The weekend did show some signs of revival. Reportedly, Saturday and Sunday brought in Rs 9.15 crore and Rs 10.6 crore respectively. The Telugu version continued to dominate the revenue share. The Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and Malayalam versions contributed minimal figures. However, this brief weekend boost failed to keep the momentum going as Monday collections plunged again to Rs 2.32 crore. While the film had the benefit of an ensemble cast including Nidhhi Agerwal, Bobby Deol, Nargis Fakhri, Nora Fatehi, Jisshu Sengupta, Sunil Varma, and Sathyaraj, it seems the initial buzz wasn't enough to sustain audience attention. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it better to shower in the morning or at night? Here's what a microbiologist says CNA Read More Undo With a current total of Rs 77.57 crore across all languages in six days, the film's performance now depends on how it weathers its second week. Whether the collections can stabilize or continue their downward trend remains to be seen in the days ahead. Meanwhile, one major backstab for the Pawan Kalyan starrer is the criticisms for the VFX scenes in the movie, along with majority of the reviews slamming it's inconsistent story telling and weak performances. Overall, it's doubtful whether the big-budget movie will achieve a break-even in coming days.

Saiyaara Box Office Collection Day 11: Despite dip, Ahaan Panday's debut film set to cross  ₹260 cr milestone
Saiyaara Box Office Collection Day 11: Despite dip, Ahaan Panday's debut film set to cross  ₹260 cr milestone

Mint

time31 minutes ago

  • Mint

Saiyaara Box Office Collection Day 11: Despite dip, Ahaan Panday's debut film set to cross ₹260 cr milestone

Saiyaara Box Office Collection Day 11:Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda's debut film, Saiyaara, has entered its second week with unstoppable momentum. The romantic drama continues its successful run, surpassing ₹ 350 crore at the global box office. As per trade tracker estimates, the Mohit Suri-directed film earned approximately ₹ 9.50 crore (India Net) on its second Monday. With this, the film's domestic total stands at an impressive ₹ 256.75 crore. On Monday, Saiyaara registered an overall 15.28% occupancy for Hindi screenings. The highest turnout was observed in Chennai (32.50%), followed by Jaipur (27.50%), Bengaluru (22%), and NCR and Hyderabad (18.50%). Morning Shows: 11.22% Afternoon Shows: 19.34% Evening Shows: 18.24% Night Shows: 20.81% Globally, Saiyaara has amassed ₹ 373.7 crore by the end of Sunday. This includes ₹ 247.25 crore from India (net) and ₹ 77 crore from the overseas market. According to Sacnilk, the film collected ₹ 30 crore on Sunday and ₹ 26.5 crore on Saturday alone. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh noted that Saiyaara's extraordinary box office trajectory defies expectations. ' ₹ 300 CR? ₹ 400 CR? OR EVEN MORE? – 'SAIYAARA' IS ON A RECORD-BREAKING RUN… Saiyaara is changing the rules of the box office game… At this point, it's impossible to predict the final figure,' he said. 'The ₹ 200 crore mark will be crossed with ease before the second weekend wraps up, and with ₹ 300 crore in sight, the big question now is: Can Saiyaara hit ₹ 400 crore?' he added. Saiyaara is a romantic drama centered around Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday), an aspiring musician, and Vaani Batra (Aneet Padda), an introverted writer. Their love story dives deep into emotions of heartbreak, healing, and hope. Backed by Yash Raj Films (YRF), the movie also marks Mohit Suri's much-awaited return to the romance genre.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store