Bombay High Court Rejects Anita Advani’s Plea for Marital Recognition with Rajesh Khanna
The Bombay High Court has dismissed a plea filed by actress Anita Advani seeking legal recognition of her alleged marriage to late Bollywood superstar Rajesh Khanna.
Justice Sharmila Deshmukh rejected Advani’s first appeal, upholding a 2017 ruling by a Dindoshi civil court in Mumbai that had earlier dismissed her claims. While the detailed order is still awaited, the High Court made it clear that Advani’s relationship with Khanna does not qualify for legal recognition as a marriage.
Long-Standing Dispute
Advani had claimed that she shared a live-in relationship with Rajesh Khanna for over a decade until his death in 2012. However, the court found no legal basis to accept her assertion as a “marriage-like” relationship under the law.
The case has remained contentious since Khanna’s passing, leading to a prolonged legal battle between Advani and the actor’s family. During the hearing, arguments were presented on behalf of Khanna’s wife Dimple Kapadia, daughter Twinkle Khanna, and son-in-law Akshay Kumar. The family consistently denied Advani’s claims, maintaining that she was neither legally married to Khanna nor in a relationship that qualified for legal recognition.
Previous Legal Proceedings
This is not the first time the matter has come before the courts. In 2012, Advani alleged that she was forcibly removed from Khanna’s iconic Aashirwad bungalow after his death and filed a case under the Domestic Violence Act, 2005. However, in 2015, the High Court quashed those proceedings, observing that the relationship did not meet the criteria of a marriage-like arrangement.
Reinforcing Legal Position
With the latest ruling, the High Court has once again reinforced that Advani’s claims lack legal standing, effectively closing another chapter in the long-running dispute surrounding Rajesh Khanna’s personal life and legacy.
Rajesh Khanna’s Legacy
Widely regarded as Hindi cinema’s first superstar, Rajesh Khanna enjoyed a legendary career spanning decades, appearing in over 100 films. He married Dimple Kapadia in 1973, and the couple had two daughters, including Twinkle Khanna. In recognition of his immense contribution to Indian cinema, he was posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2013.
The court’s decision brings renewed clarity to a case that has remained in the public eye for years, reaffirming the legal boundaries of live-in relationships and marital recognition in India.
