When Rajesh Khanna revealed Dimple Kapadia wouldn’t give him divorce: ‘Wo deti hi nahi hai’

In a 1990 interview, Rajesh Khanna spoke about his unique relationship with Dimple Kapadia. The late actor said she was not agreeing for their divorce, despite living separately for a long time. Rajesh said he was not sure why she was not letting go of their marriage. Also read: Twinkle Khanna shares cutest childhood pic with Rajesh Khanna on their ‘bittersweet’ shared birthdays

Dimple made her Bollywood debut with Bobby (1973) opposite late actor Rishi Kapoor. She married Rajesh Khanna, who was one of the biggest names in Hindi films at the time, the same year. They have two daughters – Twinkle Khanna, who was born in 1974, and Rinkie Khanna, who was born in 1977. Both Twinkle and Rinkie are former actors. Dimple and Rajesh separated in 1982, and divorced in 2012.

When asked if him and Dimple Kapadia could get back together, Rajesh said in a 1990 interview with ITMB Shows, “Doobara matlab? Pehle kahan alag the? Yeh hai ki alag-alag rehte hai kyunki abhi tak divorce nahi diya hai na usne, wo deti hee nahi hai. Yeh to woh jane kis liye nahi deti hai, pata nahi kis liye. Jab woh ayegi yahan Vancouver mein tab unse ye poochiyega. Woh apko sahi jawab degi. Main to itna hi keh sakta hoon ki nahi diya hai divorce, toh nahi diya. Unki marzi hai. Aur ab kya hai, baat toh dilon ki hai (Come back together as in? We are not divorced; yes we don’t live together, but she is not willing to divorce me for reasons best known to her. If you get to interview her, you must ask her why. It is ultimately her choice. This is a matter of the heart)…” The old video was shared recently on Instagram by BollywooDirect.

Jai Shiv Shanker (1990) was the only film in which Dimple and Rajesh featured together. Earlier in 2013, during an interview with Rediff, Dimple recalled that while shooting for Jai Shiv Shanker, Rajesh Khanna wasn’t well, but had to greet the media. When she gave him suggestions on how to appear in front of the press he sternly asked her if she will teach him that.

On 14 July, 2012, Rajesh Khanna was readmitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai, but was discharged on 16 July. He died on 18 July, 2012 at his bungalow, Aashirwad. His health had been deteriorating since July 2011 as he was diagnosed with cancer, as per reports.