The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by former actress Anita Advani, who sought official legal recognition of her relationship with the late actor Rajesh Khanna as a marriage. A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale termed the litigation as luxury litigation, stating that there was no valid legal ground to entertain the plea.
During the proceedings, the counsel representing Anita Advani argued in court that the civil suit was aimed at securing social dignity and legal identity for her past association. However, the bench declined to accept the arguments or grant the declarations sought by the petitioner.
Claims of Live-In Relationship and Eviction From Aashirwad
Anita Advani had consistently maintained that she was in a live-in relationship with Rajesh Khanna for several years. According to her claims, she was evicted from the late actor's iconic Mumbai bungalow named Aashirwad in 2012. Her legal actions involved several members of the actor's family, including his estranged wife Dimple Kapadia, daughter Twinkle Khanna, and son-in-law Akshay Kumar.
The matter reached the apex court challenging the April 01 order passed by the Bombay High Court. Her lawyer reiterated that the core objective of pursuing the civil declaration was tied to her sense of self-respect and personal dignity. Despite the submissions, the top court refused to interfere with the lower judicial findings.
Previous Dismissals by Lower Courts and High Court
Following the passing of Rajesh Khanna in July 2012, Anita Advani initiated multiple legal proceedings seeking relief and formal declarations. A civil suit filed by her was dismissed by the Dindoshi Sessions Court in Mumbai back in 2017. Her subsequent challenge against that verdict was also turned down by the Bombay High Court.
Earlier Demands for Maintenance and Accommodation
In 2013, Anita Advani had also approached a magistrate under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, lodging complaints against Dimple Kapadia and her family members. She had demanded monthly maintenance payments along with a three-bedroom flat located in the upscale Bandra neighborhood of Mumbai.
The Bombay High Court had ruled in 2015 by setting aside her complaint and upholding the petitions filed by Dimple Kapadia and her relatives. The high court observed at the time that the nature of association between Anita Advani and Rajesh Khanna did not qualify as a marriage-like relationship, thereby disqualifying her from seeking remedies under domestic violence laws. The judiciary also noted that family members who never cohabited with the complainant could not be dragged into such legal battles. Notably, Anita Advani has previously appeared in a few Hindi films, including Sazish and Dasi.
