Rakhee Majumdar and Gulzar's marriage barely lasted a year. Was this Bengali diva the reason?

Time of India

14 hours ago

Rakhee Majumdar
, celebrated for her emotional depth and elegance on screen, entered matrimony early in life with Bengali filmmaker Ajay Biswas. However, the relationship could not withstand the test of time, and they went their separate ways in 1965. Despite the personal setback, destiny had more in store for Rakhee, steering her toward a different chapter both emotionally and professionally.
The Beginning of a Poetic Bond: Rakhee and Gulzar
Fate brought lyricist and writer Sampooran Singh Kalra—better known as
Gulzar
—into Rakhee's life. The two tied the knot in 1973, and their daughter
Meghna Gulzar
was born the same year. As part of their domestic agreement, it was said that Gulzar wished for Rakhee to scale back her acting pursuits after marriage. Trusting him and hopeful about appearing in his creative ventures, Rakhee declined numerous film opportunities, anticipating that Gulzar would cast her in his own productions.
Dreams Deferred: Disappointments in Work and Marriage
Rakhee's dreams of continuing her passion through Gulzar's cinematic ventures were met with disappointment, as the writer-director often opted for other leading ladies in his films. One such painful incident occurred during the shooting of
Aandhi
in Jammu and Kashmir. After filming, a troubling event unfolded when
Sanjeev Kumar
allegedly behaved inappropriately with co-star Suchitra Sen. Gulzar stepped in to resolve the matter and accompanied Sen back to her hotel. Although his actions were likely protective, Rakhee felt betrayed and confronted him that night.
An Emotional Fracture and a Return to the Screen
That confrontation reportedly escalated into physical violence. Sources claim that Gulzar struck Rakhee, leaving her emotionally scarred. The very next day, Yash Chopra approached her with a role in Kabhi Kabhie. Despite knowing that her return to acting went against her husband's wishes, Rakhee chose to reclaim her professional space. Her performance in
Kabhi Kabhie
marked a strong comeback and set the stage for her renewed identity as an actress. Eventually, Rakhee and Gulzar decided to live apart.
A Marriage That Never Ended on Paper
Although they ceased to share a home, their daughter Meghna was emotionally invested in seeing her parents remain connected. Out of concern for her, the couple never legally dissolved their marriage. Instead, they continued to uphold a respectful and cordial relationship, avoiding public conflict and remaining involved in each other's lives.
An Unconventional Yet Enduring Connection
In a past interview with Stardust, Rakhee reflected on the unusual nature of their bond following their separation. She remarked that they functioned more harmoniously as a separated couple than many married partners. Gulzar, even after they stopped living together, often called her for simple domestic favors, like requesting her signature jhinga curry when he had friends over for dinner.
Rakhee believed that many of Gulzar's cinematic scenes were reflections of real-life experiences they shared. She could often spot their memories woven into his films, saying that only she could truly recognize those parallels. Their creative synergy had once been a quiet yet profound rhythm of their marriage—he would read his stories aloud while she translated Bengali tales for him. On many nights, she would sit beside him as he wrote deep into the early hours, two of those stories later becoming the foundation of his films Parichay and Khushboo.
A Legacy of Creative Mutuality
Though the marriage did not survive in its traditional form, the emotional thread between Rakhee and Gulzar never fully snapped. She recounted how he once called to compliment her performance in Ram Lakhan, a film directed by Subhash Ghai and featuring a stellar cast that included Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, and Madhuri Dixit. These occasional moments of recognition and warmth spoke volumes about the depth and complexity of their enduring connection.
Through heartbreak, misunderstandings, and artistic collaboration, Rakhee Majumdar and Gulzar forged a relationship that defied conventional definitions—marked not just by pain and regret, but also by creativity, empathy, and lasting mutual respect.