Dimple Kapadia Reflects on Her Naivety During Rajesh Khanna Marriage: ‘I Was Shattered’

News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/2nd August 2024

Bollywood icon Dimple Kapadia recently opened up about her youthful naivety during her marriage to the legendary actor Rajesh Khanna. At a past event hosted by the FICCI FLO Jaipur Chapter, Kapadia shared candidly about her early romantic notions and how her expectations clashed with reality.

Kapadia, who was a teenager when she fell for the charm of Rajesh Khanna, revealed that she was deeply influenced by the cinematic fantasies of the time. She humorously recounted how she had envisioned her life with Khanna mirroring the melodramatic scenes from films. One particular fantasy she harbored was that Khanna would serenade her with the iconic song “Mere Sapno Ki Rani Kab Aayegi Tu,” imagining a romantic escapade in the mountains with him singing the song against a picturesque backdrop.

In her conversation, Kapadia laughed as she recounted her disillusionment when reality did not meet her expectations. She described arriving in the mountains with Khanna only to find that neither the song nor the idyllic setting materialized. “So when we reached the mountains but there was no song and no gust of wind, I was in a bad state because my dream was shattered. I seriously believed it. I mean, how dumb can you get?” Kapadia shared. Her light-hearted reflection underscores how deeply the influence of films had shaped her expectations of romance.

Despite the early disappointments, Kapadia expressed a deep sense of fulfillment about her role as Rajesh Khanna’s wife. She described this role as the most significant of her life, highlighting her enduring respect and affection for Khanna. The couple remained together for nearly eight years before separating, though they never legally divorced. They had two daughters, Twinkle and Rinke Khanna, who have both made their marks in the entertainment industry.

Kapadia reminisced about the serendipitous beginning of their relationship, recalling that she met Khanna shortly after signing her debut film, Bobby. The two crossed paths on a flight to Ahmedabad, where they were seated next to each other. She amusingly shared that she asked Khanna to hold her hand amidst the anticipated crowd at the event, playfully inquiring if he would do so forever. “I was very filmy, and yeah, the rest is history. It happened,” she recounted with a nostalgic smile.

Rajesh Khanna, who passed away in 2012 at the age of 69, remains a beloved figure in Indian cinema. Kapadia’s reflections offer a glimpse into the personal side of their relationship, illustrating how the line between reel and real life can blur, especially when influenced by the world of films. Through her candid recounting, Kapadia not only reminisces about her early romantic ideals but also honors the legacy of a cherished chapter in her life.