While Raj Babbar was married to Nadira, he was later in a relationship with Smita Patil who he also married. Meanwhile, there were also rumours of him having an affair with Rekha. In a recent interview, Raj Babbar’s son Arya babbar addressed this long-standing speculation playfully. Arya suggested that if his father had ever admired Rekha, it would have been a perfectly natural reaction given her beauty and screen presence.During a conversation with Vickey Lalwani, Arya was questioned about reports from the past that hinted at Raj Babbar being attracted to Rekha. The interviewer referred to rumours claiming the two actors had once been seen “running” together on a road and jokingly added that people never knew whether it was a morning, afternoon or evening run. Rather than giving a direct answer, Arya chose humour to handle the topic and turned the conversation into a lighter moment.“Aapka sawaal jo hai woh bata raha hai ki ek jog hui thi between Rekha ji and papa. Humein prove kya karta hai? Ki dono fit the (Your question suggests that there was some kind of run or jog between Rekha ji and my father. What does that prove? That both of them were fit).”When pressed further, Arya openly praised Rekha and acknowledged why admiration for her would not be surprising. “Itni khoobsurat lady, kaun attract nahi hua (Who wouldn’t be attracted to such a beautiful lady)? So if he felt attracted, it’s human. What’s wrong in that?”The actor also reflected on celebrity gossip culture, suggesting that people often create stories around small incidents and assumptions. Ending his thoughts on a cheerful note, he said, “Jeevan mast hai. Aage chalo. Stress lo nahi, stress do (Life is wonderful. Keep moving forward. Don’t take stress, give stress).”Raj Babbar and Rekha formed one of the memorable on-screen pairings of the 1980s, appearing together in films such as ‘Agar Tum Na Hote’, ‘Sansar’ and ‘Insaaf Ki Awaaz’. Their chemistry in these projects frequently drew attention from audiences and industry circles, eventually leading to speculation about a relationship beyond the screen.Meanwhile, many years ago, Babbar had opened up on his relationship with Rekha in an interview. He had said, “Yes, our relationship helped me in a way. We drifted together because of certain circumstances. At that time, Rekha had broken off from a long-standing relationship. She wanted to get away from it. I was in a similar situation. At the same time, we were also working together and we clung to each other for emotional support. We tried to understand each other’s problems. The feelings for her are always there, though the arrogance is not, it is all in the past now. I had a person with whom I shared my emotional moments. I was there to share her emotional moments. One does not forget such a relationship very easily. Though we aren’t together today, we still have fond memories of those special moments.”
