How Rajesh Khanna Routed His Wedding Procession Past His Ex-Girlfriend's Home, and Why His Marriage Still Fell Apart

Rajesh Khanna famously led his wedding procession past the home of ex-girlfriend Anju Mahendru after she refused to quit acting to marry him, but his marriage to Dimple Kapadia, who was 15 years his junior, also eventually ended in separation.

Rajesh Khanna's personal life was as dramatic as any screenplay his films could offer. The man who defined superstardom for an entire generation of Hindi cinema had a love life full of sharp turns: a long relationship with model and actress Anju Mahendru that ended over a single condition she would not accept, a wedding with Dimple Kapadia that included a famously pointed detour past an ex's front door, and a marriage that ultimately unravelled just as the romance before it had.

A Career That Left Filmmakers Queuing Outside His Home
At the height of his career, filmmakers would line up outside Rajesh Khanna's house waiting for a chance to sign him. His filmography was a steady stream of hits, superhits and blockbusters. Some producers spent years simply hoping he would agree to be part of their project. He shared the screen with nearly every major actress of the era, including Sharmila Tagore, Hema Malini, Mumtaz, Padmini Kolhapure and Asha Parekh. Among all these pairings, his collaboration with Mumtaz produced the greatest number of hit films.

Anju Mahendru and the Condition That Broke Everything
Away from the box office, Rajesh Khanna's romantic life was constant conversation in the industry. For many years, he was closely linked with model and actress Anju Mahendru. The relationship ran deep enough that he wanted to marry her, and he told her so. But he put forward a condition: she would have to walk away from her acting career and build a home life with him.

Anju Mahendru refused. She chose her career over becoming his bride, and with that refusal the distance between them grew steadily until the relationship came to an end.

The Baraat That Took a Very Deliberate Detour
After splitting from Anju, Dimple Kapadia entered Rajesh Khanna's life. Dimple was 15 years younger than him, and news of their upcoming wedding spread quickly through the film world. The marriage itself, however, came with a moment that people still talk about: Rajesh Khanna chose the route of his wedding procession so that it passed directly in front of Anju Mahendru's home.

The talk at the time was that he wanted his former girlfriend to see with her own eyes that he had moved on and was stepping into a new beginning.

A Second Relationship That Also Ran Its Course
But the marriage with Dimple Kapadia did not hold together either. Over time, the two drifted apart and spent their later years living separately. After the separation, Dimple returned to the screen and went on to work with a number of actors, including Rishi Kapoor and Akshay Khanna.

What this means for you
For film fans: Rajesh Khanna's story is a reminder that even the most iconic stars navigated deeply personal struggles behind the scenes, and his accounts offer a rare window into the private world behind Hindi cinema's golden era.

Questions & Answers

1. What condition did Rajesh Khanna put before Anju Mahendru to marry him?
He asked Anju Mahendru to give up her acting career and settle into domestic life with him.

2. Why did Anju Mahendru refuse Rajesh Khanna's condition?
She chose to prioritize her acting career over accepting his condition and becoming his wife.

3. How much younger was Dimple Kapadia than Rajesh Khanna?
Dimple Kapadia was 15 years younger than Rajesh Khanna.

4. Why did Rajesh Khanna lead his wedding procession past Anju Mahendru's home?
It was widely said at the time that he wanted his former girlfriend to see that he had moved on and was beginning a new chapter in his life.

5. What happened to Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia's marriage?
The marriage did not last, and the two eventually lived separately.

6. Which actress had the most on-screen hits alongside Rajesh Khanna?
Mumtaz had the greatest number of hit films with Rajesh Khanna.

7. Who did Dimple Kapadia work with after separating from Rajesh Khanna?
After their separation, Dimple returned to acting and worked with several actors including Rishi Kapoor and Akshay Khanna.

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