MUMBAI: According to media reports, Rekha’s husband, Delhi-based industrialist Mukesh Aggarwal, died by suicide in October 1990, just seven months after their hush-hush marriage in March 1990. He hanged himself with his wife’s dupatta (shawl) while she was away on a tour.
Now a film by director Maneesh F Singh claims to uncover the real truth behind Mukesh Aggarwal’s suicide. The film will be produced by Angry Tiger films, says a press note from the director’s office.
Rekha had married Mukesh Aggarwal after meeting him through mutual friends, reportedly after forming a connection over the phone. However, the marriage was short-lived as Rekha soon discovered that Mukesh suffered from chronic depression and psychological problems. Cracks appeared in their relationship within months, and they mutually decided to file for divorce. This is what has been reported in the media so far, but director Maneesh F Singh has a different tale to tell.
Those who knew Aggarwal, claimed that his depression, psychological problems and mental health issues worsened after he realised that in spite of marriage, Rekha still deep within loved Amitabh Bachchan and Aggarwal was just a “on the rebound” sort of affair. In her heart, Rekha only wanted to be with Bachchan – this realisation worsened his mental health issues, leading to his suicide.
Speaking to this reporter, Maneesh F Singh says, “This film is a work of fiction. One should not take it as gospel truth. It’s just what it is – a film. It is inspired by the life and career of Bollywood diva Rekha and her relationship with Amitabh Bachchan. But it’s not a true story or biopic. It’s a work of the director and script writer’s imagination, so there is no need for anyone to get worked up.”
Mukesh Aggarwal had left a suicide note stating that he did not blame anyone for his decision to end his life, specifically not Rekha. But the gossip mills were flooded with rumours during that time, which led Rekha into ‘period of silence’.
Despite the suicide note, Rekha faced the wrath of gossipers, intense media scrutiny and public backlash following Mukesh’s death. She was branded a “witch” and a “national vamp” by society and the media. Her mother-in-law reportedly said, “That witch ate my son”.
Rekha initially maintained complete silence and focused on her work. She later opened up about the traumatic experience in interviews, calling it a “crash course of what people are all about” and a phase where she went through shock, denial, anger, and eventually acceptance.
Rekha never remarried after Mukesh’s death and continues to live a single life. The details of this period of her life are also chronicled in Yasser Usman’s biography, Rekha: The Untold Story; and now, director Maneesh F Singh is attempting another version – though a work of fiction, as he puts it.
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