Rekha might have chosen now not to speak about her relationship with Amitabh Bachchan or equation with Jaya Bachchan any further, but there was a time when Rekha was on a tell-it-all spree. The diva had bared her soul to various magazines and newspapers and wanted the world to know of her 'secret' relationship with Amitabh Bachchan.

Rekha called Jaya Bachchan 'bechari'

It was in one such interview of Filmfare in 1984 that Rekha indirectly took a dig at Jaya and even insulted her decision to be with Amitabh. She had said, "No one cares what I have to say. I am the other woman na? Parents are also embarrassed. Which parents will not be when their son has an affair? And image ki baat hai na. No one looks inside. The other party has this cute bechari image which fits beautifully. The impression is good na? I am free. The other person can't do that. Can't leave him and go away."

Jaya Bachchan reacted to Amitabh-Rekha love affair
Jaya Bachchan, Rekha, Amitabh

Took a dig at Jaya for not leaving Amitabh

Rekha had further said, "Mind you. This is a very good quality. If you can kill your desire and stick to someone in spite of knowing that this person loves somebody else, stay under the same roof. It shows strength, I must give her credit. It's a plus point which I don't possess. I won't compromise. No relationship is real relationship if you compromise. Give and take theek hai. But you might as well finish off the relationship if you compromise."

Jaya's response

While Amitabh Bachchan always maintained a stoic silence on the topic, there was a time when Jaya Bachchan had spilled the beans and in the process, defended Amitabh for being the man. In a throwback interview with People magazine, Jaya Bachchan had said, "You are a human being, you do react. If you react to negativity, you also react to positivity. You are reassured every second by gestures, by looks, by happenings, and that keeps you going. A human being at a very vulnerable age and time get carried away either way, and if you are sad you are sad, and if you are happy, you are happy."