MUMBAI: Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi, Smita Patil, and numerous other co-stars have been linked with Amitabh Bachchan. However, one name that is still connected to him is the timeless actress, Rekha. Amitabh married Jaya Bhaduri, and on June 3, 1973, the two commenced their "happily ever after." Abhishek and Shweta Bachchan are the two lucky offspring of Amitabh and Jaya.

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The renowned director Yash Chopra had the idea to make the movie Silsila during the period of rumors linking Amitabh and Rekha. Rekha, Jaya, and Amitabh's off-screen love triangle was portrayed on screen in the hit movie. Few people are aware, though, that Parveen Babi was eventually substituted in the 1981 movie, even though she was initially supposed to star with Rekha and Amitabh.

In an interview with the popular news portal, veteran actor Ranjeet revealed that Parveen Babi was the first choice for Silsila, but she was later replaced by Jaya Bachchan. Talking about his bond with the late actress, Ranjeet shared that the latter was upset after not being cast in the film and was asked to leave.

He further revealed that all this happened due to a gimmick controversy and said, “She (Parveen Babi) was my dear friend… she was all alone. She was a beautiful lady. Always smiling and we used to call her ‘fawada‘ because of her teeth… Once she was very upset and she was crying. I asked her ‘Kya hua Parveen?’ We were in Kashmir. I don’t mind quoting because it’s a fact. A film was made, Silsila, and Parveen Babi was the original heroine but she was asked to leave. And because of a gimmick controversy, they cast Rekha and Jaya Bhaduri in the film otherwise it was Parveen and Rekha.”

Amitabh Bachchan's career was about to end when Yash Chopra had the concept for the movie Silsila. Big B faced a hard task even though he decided to star in the movie right away. As it occurred, Parveen Babi was scheduled to play Amitabh's on-screen wife, but Yash wanted to cast Rekha as his lover. But Jaya had made him swear he would never work with Rekha because the rumours of Amitabh's link-up with her were hurting their marriage. Yet despite all, Amitabh consented to star in the movie.

Everyone was taken aback when Amitabh and Rekha's casting in Silsila soon made headlines. Jaya Bachchan, meanwhile, had given up her successful acting career to take care of her family and her two children, Abhishek and Shweta.

However, she had already threatened to make her comeback with Amitabh if they ever worked on a single movie together with Rekha. As Amitabh and Rekha collaborated on Silsila, Jaya began preparing for her comeback to Bollywood. The ideal movie for Jaya to make her comeback, make a powerful moral statement, and support Amitabh's declining career was Silsila.

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Credit- Bollywoodshaadis