Shatrughan Sinha on 'cold war' with Rekha: Wife Poonam Sinha patched us for her own selfish reason

Shatrughan Sinha and Rekha. Pic/Google

Shatrughan Sinha and Rekha were among the most popular star pairs in the golden era of Bollywood. However, after doing multiple films together, the actors had a major fallout. They weren't on talking terms for more than 20 years. On Rekha's birthday (October 10), Shatrughan opened up about the difference of opinion with Rekha and how they patched up.

Shatrughan said in an interview with Zoom, "Rekha and I did a number of films together. We started our careers almost simultaneously… The Rekha back then was very different from the picture-perfect Rekha we see these days. We had a difference of opinion over some silly issue. After that, we didn't speak to each other for more than 20 years."

Shatrughan Sinha and Rekha

The veteran actor-politician further revealed that his wife Poonam Sinha played a role in ending their 'cold war'. "It was none other than my better half Shrimati Poonam Sinha. You see, Rekha and she were close friends. And so my so-called cold war with Rekha was causing difficulties in my wife's friendship with Rekha. She patched us up for her own selfish reason and I happily agreed to let bygones be bygones. I did make digs about her. I shouldn't have. To her credit, Rekha never retaliated. She is a very large-hearted generous woman… How old is the one-and-only Rekha? Has she really crossed 60? Hard to believe, she is so well-maintained. Rekha is a timeless beauty, and matchless. So many have copied her style but Rekha remains Rekha. Unique, no one quite like her," he added.

Shatrughan Sinha and Rekha acted together in films like Naseeb, Yaar Meri Zindagi and others. In his memoir, the veteran actor went on to mention that Rekha or Zeenat Aman was one of the reasons that contributed to his rift with Amitabh Bachchan. "During Kaala Patthar, a heroine who was known to be very friendly with him, would visit him. She would come during Dostana also but not once would he bring her out and introduce her to any of us. In showbiz, everybody knew who was visiting whom. The media would immediately know if Reena was in my make-up room. Such things can never be hidden in our world," he stated in Anything But Khamosh: The Shatrughan Sinha Biography.