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Veteran actress Rekha, now celebrated as a timeless icon, had a turbulent entry into the film industry. Criticised for her looks in the beginning, she went on to transform herself into one of cinema’s most admired stars. But her early career was marred by a disturbing incident during the shoot of Anjana Safar (later released as Do Shikari).
The Controversial On-set Kiss
According to Yasser Usman’s book Rekha: The Untold Story, a romantic sequence was being filmed at Bombay’s Mehboob Studio. Without informing Rekha, director Raja Nawathe, producer Kuljeet Pal, and actor Biswajeet Chatterjee had planned a kissing scene.
When the cameras rolled, Biswajeet suddenly grabbed the actress, who was not even 15 at the time, and kissed her for nearly five minutes as the unit members whistled and cheered. The director didn’t call “cut,” and Rekha, caught completely off guard, was left in tears.
Recalling it later, she said, “I didn’t do it. I was taken by surprise. Nothing can wipe off what I felt. Not even the coverage it got in Life magazine.”
Differing Accounts
While Biswajeet later claimed he acted only on the director’s instructions and insisted it was 'important for the film', producer Kuljeet Pal offered a conflicting version. He alleged that Rekha was aware of the kiss and was advised to deny consent afterward to generate publicity, a claim that remains controversial.
Rekha’s Silence and Helplessness
As a newcomer, Rekha feared that protesting might cost her the film and her budding career. The incident, however, stayed with her as a symbol of betrayal and exploitation.
Rekha’s First Press Conference
Following the attention from the Life magazine cover, producer Kuljeet Pal arranged Rekha’s first press conference at Bombay’s Shalimar Hotel. When asked if she supported kissing on screen, the teenage actress replied, “Yes.”
But her unexpected follow-up, “When the heroine is wearing slacks,” left everyone baffled.
