Court upholds earlier verdict, denies legal spouse status to actress Anita Advani, backs family of late Bollywood legend Rajesh Khanna
Mumbai: In a significant legal development tied to one of Bollywood’s most iconic figures, the Bombay High Court has dismissed actress Anita Advani’s plea seeking recognition as the wife of late superstar Rajesh Khanna, ruling that a live-in relationship cannot be equated with a legal marriage.
The High Court’s decision comes as a major setback for Anita Advani, who had challenged an earlier ruling by the Dindoshi Sessions Court, which had also denied her claim to marital status.
Court Upholds ‘No Legal Marriage’ Stand
Reinforcing the lower court’s findings, the High Court observed that cohabitation or a “wife-like relationship” does not automatically grant legal recognition as a spouse under existing law. The bench dismissed Advani’s petition, effectively ending her legal challenge in this matter.
Anita Advani had maintained that she shared a long-term relationship akin to marriage with Rajesh Khanna and alleged that she was evicted from his residence after his death.
“There was a wife-like relationship between me and Rajesh. It was like marriage,” she had claimed in court.
Family Opposes Claim, Court Agrees
The legal battle also saw active opposition from Rajesh Khanna’s family, including his daughter Twinkle Khanna, son-in-law Akshay Kumar, and wife Dimple Kapadia, who collectively argued that Advani had no legal standing as his spouse.
The court upheld these arguments, affirming that legal marriage requires formal recognition, which was absent in this case.
A Controversy That Refuses to Fade
Despite Rajesh Khanna’s passing years ago, the controversy surrounding his personal life continues to surface. Known as Bollywood’s first superstar, Khanna delivered a historic streak of 15 consecutive hit films and earned multiple accolades, including three Filmfare Best Actor awards.
He married Dimple Kapadia in 1973 and later briefly ventured into politics, further cementing his legacy beyond cinema.
Legal and Social Implications
The ruling has reignited discussions around the legal status of live-in relationships in India, especially concerning inheritance rights and spousal recognition. While courts have acknowledged live-in relationships in certain contexts, this judgment underscores that they do not automatically confer marital rights.
