The Bombay High Court rejected a petition by actress Anita Advani challenging a lower court’s denial of her claim for legal recognition of her relationship with the late Bollywood icon Rajesh Khanna as a marriage. Justice Sharmila Deshmukh’s bench dismissed the appeal after considering arguments from Advani, Dimple Kapadia, Twinkle Khanna, and Akshay Kumar. The court is yet to issue a detailed judgment.
Advani, who had a close association with Khanna in his final years, appealed to the High Court following the dismissal of her suit in 2017 by a civil court on technical grounds. She sought a declaration that her bond with Khanna constituted a valid marriage.
Despite their separation, Kapadia remained Khanna’s lawful spouse as they never officially divorced. After Khanna’s passing in 2012, Advani publicly asserted that she and the actor were in a longstanding relationship, claiming they had a secret marriage where he applied sindoor on her. She also accused Khanna’s family of neglecting him in his last days and excluding her from his final rites.
Earlier legal actions saw Advani filing a domestic violence complaint against Kapadia, Twinkle Khanna, and Akshay Kumar, alleging she was forcefully evicted from Khanna’s residence. The Bombay High Court dismissed the case in 2015.
With the recent ruling, Advani’s bid for formal recognition of her alleged marital status with Khanna has been turned down, pending the court’s detailed rationale.
Anita Advani is a former actress known for her roles in movies like ‘Daasi’, ‘Aao Pyaar Karen’, and ‘Saazish’. Rajesh Khanna, an iconic Indian actor and Bollywood’s original superstar, held sway over Hindi cinema in the late 1960s and 1970s with a string of blockbuster films and a massive fan base. He passed away in Mumbai in July 2012 after a prolonged illness.