Not many are aware of Rekha and Raj Babbar's torrid affair right after the latter lost his wife Smita Patil due to complications related to childbirth in 1986. As tragedy struck Babbar, who had left his first wife Nadira for his beloved Smita, the bereaved actor found solace in his work and a shoulder to cry on in co-star and beautiful actress Rekha.
Rekha herself was going through a series of troubled relationships and the crisis in both their lives brought them closer. They allegedly had a stormy affair but was short-lived as Babbar wanted to return to his first wife. Rekha couldn't accept the decision and after an alleged argument she ran out barefoot into the crowded streets of Mumbai. That was the final meeting between Rekha and Babbar.
Eyewitnesses saw Rekha running barefoot:
Although the actress denied the incident ever happened, according to reports, there were eyewitnesses on the road who came forward narrating how shocked they were to spot a barefoot Rekha running across the street.
Raj Babbar opened up about his affair with Rekha:
In an old, candid interview, the actor had admitted his relationship with Rekha. "Yes, our relationship helped me in away. We drifted together because of certain circumstances. At that time, Rekha had broken off from a long-standing relationship. She wanted to get away from it.
I was in a similar situation. At the same time, we were also working together and we clung to each other for emotional support. We tried to understand each other's problems." However, he was honest to admit that he wasn't as involved with Rekha as he was with Smita. "I was not as involved with Rekha as I was with Smita. The intensity wasn't there. At the same time I cannot say that we were friends," he had said.
Babbar was also quoted as saying, "The feelings for her are always there, though the arrogance is not, it is all in the past now. I had a person with whom I shared my emotional moments. I was there to share her emotional moments. One does not forget such a relationship very easily. Though we aren't together today, we still have fond memories of those special moments."
About Rekha refusing to comment on the relationship, the actor had explained, "Though we may not have shared the intensity, there was something between us. She may feel shy to admit it but I feel strongly that it gave me a new life."
