Cannot marry an already married man?

Recently, Bombay High Court rejected Anita Advani’s plea, ruling her relationship with Rajesh Khanna does not qualify for legal recognition as marriage

Three weeks ago, Justice Sharmila Deshmukh of the Bombay High Court, on Wednesday (April 1, 2026), dismissed the first appeal filed by actor Anita Advani, who sought recognition of her ‘relationship’ with late 70s/80s Bollywood superstar Rajesh Khanna as being in the nature of ‘marriage’.

Film scribes who actively followed this space right until Khanna’s demise on July 18, 2012, were often told by Advani that she reportedly had an eight-year ‘relationship’ with the then ailing actor that amounted to a ‘marriage’ because she cared for him and was reportedly present at his official residence, 

Ashirwad, in Bandra, Mumbai, through the years leading up to his passing. For those who cared to listen, Advani spoke of maintaining fasts for Khanna’s health and celebrating festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi.

The Bombay High Court, however, dismissed a plea filed by actress Anita Advani seeking legal recognition of her alleged marriage to late superstar Rajesh Khanna. Justice Sharmila Deshmukh rejected Advani’s first appeal, which challenged a 2017 ruling passed by a Dindoshi civil court in Mumbai. The High Court upheld the earlier verdict, making it clear that her claims do not qualify for legal recognition as a marriage. At this hearing, arguments were presented on behalf of Khanna’s wife, Dimple Kapadia, daughter Twinkle Khanna, and son-in-law Akshay Kumar. The family firmly denied Advani’s assertions, maintaining that she was neither married to the actor nor in a legally recognised live-in partnership.

Divorce was a bad word in the 70’s/80’s

In March 2017, Raakhee and filmmaker Gulzar were photographed celebrating Holi together at their daughter Meghna Gulzar’s residence in Mumbai Too bad for Advani, or anyone else who got into a romantic association with many estranged celebrities of the 70s/80s.

Dimple Kapadia and Rajesh Khanna married in March 1973, and they separated in 1982, when the actress walked out with their two daughters, Twinkle and Rinke, to make a comeback to the movies. However, Kapadia and Khanna did not divorce; they stayed ‘separated’ until his death.

Coming back to divorce among film celebrities being “not too” prevalent back then, it is enumerated through other examples as well. In May 1973, poet-lyricist-filmmaker and Jnanpith Award winner Gulzar married the Bengal tigress, Raakhee, who was at the height of her film career in the 70s. Just a couple of years after their marriage and the birth of their daughter, filmmaker Meghna Gulzar, this high-profile couple separated.

While the light-eyed Raakhee went back to her own home in Santacruz, Gulzar continued to reside at his iconic bungalow, Boskyana, on Pali Hill in Bandra, Mumbai. However, even after five decades of separation, the couple did not divorce. In fact, if you walked into Boskyana even today, you may be pleasantly surprised to be greeted by Raakhee, who is present to supervise the goings-on in her octogenarian husband’s daily life.

Rumours say that when Gulzar saab was indisposed a few months ago, Raakhee surprised visitors and doctors by being present to give and gather his health updates.

Will never marry another woman after Babita: Randhir Kapoor

Filmmaker-actor Randhir Kapoor married his co-star of many movies, Babita Kapoor, in 1971. Then, for nearly four decades, they lived separately. He lived in his family home at Deonar, and she lived in Khar with their two daughters, Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor.

When asked about his estrangement with Babita, Randhir Kapoor said, “Babita and I will not divorce. Neither of us is interested in marrying again or having children outside of our marriage. We love our daughters and our grandchildren. So, what is the point of a divorce?” For the last five years, Randhir Kapoor and Babita have started to live under the same roof in Bandra. The actor has been keeping indifferent health, and Babita, alongside a retinue of staff, has been monitoring his progress. Several people from Bandra’s Otters Club who visit Kapoor meet Babita, who is very much in charge of the Kapoor household. A couple of them have said, on condition of anonymity, “It’s nice to see Dabboo saab being cared for. Babitaji’s presence is reassuring.” Of course, this is also the wish of the Kapoor daughters, Karisma and Kareena, who visit their parents regularly with their children.