Anju Mahendru about lover Rajesh Khanna: If I wore a skirt, he'd snap, why don't you wear a sari? [Throwback]

Every time we think of Rajesh Khanna, two names pop up – Dimple Kapadia and Tina Munim. While Khanna married Dimple in haste, he made more news for his relationship with Tina Munim. However, there was one more lady who is touted to be Rajesh Khanna's true love and that's Anju Mahendru.

How did they meet?

Apart from working as an actress, Anju was also a known fashion designer. While Anju was trying to make it big in the industry, Rajesh Khanna was the biggest name in the industry. Word of Rajesh being more than interested in Anju soon spread out and the duo went public with their relationship. Despite Rajesh's marriage to Dimple, Anju constantly remained by his side. Even after Khanna's death, Anju was seen grieving with the family. It was said that Rajesh and Anju remained in a live-in relationship from 1966 to 1972.

Anju wasn't ready to commit

Interestingly, while Anju Mahendru's mother and even Rajesh Khanna wanted to put a tag on this relationship by marrying her, Anju wasn't ready. In an interview, Anju had revealed that it was because of Rajesh Khanna's orthodox behaviour and changing mindset that she was scared of committing herself to him. She had said, "He is a very orthodox man, yet somehow, is always attracted to ultra-modern girls. Confusion was a part of our relationship. If I wore a skirt, he'd snap, why don't you wear a sari? If I wore a sari, he'd say, why are you trying to project a Bhartiya nari look?"

Things getting worse

"Rajesh was becoming increasingly difficult to get along with. His recent flops had upset him mentally and he was moody, temperamental, irritable. All the time he was so tense...almost a nervous wreck," Anju had said in an interview with Stardust. However, Rajesh Khanna had a different story to tell. He said, "Often after a hard day at the studios, I'd return home to find a note saying that she had gone to so-and-so's party...Or when I would drop in tired and lonely, at her house, I would find her entertaining friends...I'd want to spend evening alone with her..." It was around the same time that Anju Mahendru was rumoured to be dating West Indian cricketer Gary. This irked Khanna and he broke up with her.