Veteran actress Rakhee Majumdar’s marriage to lyricist Sampooran Singh Kalra, popularly known as Gulzar, became an emotional topic for her fans when their bond ended on a traumatic note. However, after parting ways unofficially, they grew closer to each other.Rakhee Majumdar’s failed marriage with Ajay Biswas Rakhee had married Bengali filmmaker Ajay Biswas at a young age, but they separated in 1965. Later, fate brought her together with Gulzar. The acclaimed lyricist and writer married Rakhee in 1973, and the couple welcomed their daughter Meghna Gulzar the same year. Reportedly, Gulzar asked Rakhee to step away from her acting career after marriage.Rakhee Majumdar’s Marriage with Gulzar Trusting that her passion could still find space in Gulzar’s own productions, Rakhee agreed. She turned down multiple film offers, hoping her husband might cast her in his films. However, those expectations were dashed when Gulzar repeatedly chose other actresses for his projects. Rakhee’s tolerance reached its limit during the J&K shoot of Gulzar’s Aandhi. A post-shoot gathering led to a tense moment when lead actor Sanjeev Kumar allegedly misbehaved with actress Suchitra Sen. Gulzar intervened to de-escalate the situation and later escorted Suchitra to her hotel. Though his intentions may have been noble, Rakhee felt hurt and questioned him about his actions.Rakhee Majumdar’s Return to BollywoodThe confrontation turned violent. According to reports, Gulzar hit Rakhee for questioning him. The incident left her traumatised. The very next day, filmmaker Yash Chopra offered her a role in Kabhi Kabhie. Rakhee returned to films, despite her husband’s disapproval. Kabhi Kabhie marked a powerful comeback for her, and the duo decided to live apart.
Their daughter Meghna was unwilling to see her parents officially part ways, so they never legally divorced. The duo later maintained a respectful bond with each other.Rakhee Majumdar’s Bond with Gulzar after SeparationIn an old interview with Stardust, Rakhee spoke about the dynamics of their post-separation relationship. “We deserve an award for the best split couple. We are more well-adjusted than most married couples. Gulzar and I are there for each other. He treats me as if I were still his wife. He calls me from his house and tells me, ‘I’ve called four friends for dinner. There’s no food at home. So please, quickly send some jhinga curry.’ I send it across.”Rakhee also reflected on how Gulzar often wove their personal moments into his films. She observed that many scenes and characters seemed to echo their shared experiences, subtly capturing the intimacy of their relationship. According to her, only the two of them can truly identify the real-life memories that inspired those cinematic moments.Recalling their time as a married couple, she shared that their evenings often involved creative exchanges—Gulzar would read his stories aloud while she translated Bengali stories for him. She would remain by his side as he continued writing late into the night. Two of those stories were eventually adapted into his films, Parichay and Khushboo.She also mentioned a call she once received from Gulzar, during which he praised her role in ‘Ram Lakhan’. The movie was directed by the veteran Subhash Ghai and features Anil Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Madhuri Dixit and many others on pivotal lead roles.
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