Aruna Irani who is largely known for her roles as a vamp apart from her dance numbers in Hindi cinema, also did a series of memorable roles on television. She still continues to make a mark. But the actress posed as a competition to many leading ladies as her performances were considered quite impactful. In an earlier interview, Irani had recalled how Rekha got her removed from a film and she even confronted her for it. She had also admitted that Rekha even got her scenes cut from a film that they did together. She had said in an old interview with Lehren Retro as she was asked about working with Rekha in ‘Aurat Aurat Aurat’, “Producers ki wajah se picture bante bante 6 saal lag gaye. Mera bhut accha role tha, central character tha. Anybody would pray for that kind of a role. Fir kaafi logon ki wajah se kaat dena pada. Rekha ji humari, voh dene hi nahi deti thi, ki nahi Aruna ka role bhut accha hai. (Because of the producers, the film took six years to be made. I had a very good role — it was the central character. Anybody would pray for a role like that. But due to several people, it had to be cut down. Rekha ji, for instance, she just wouldn’t allow it. She said, ‘No, Aruna’s role is too good).’” Aruna explained that while she shared a friendly equation with Rekha, professional insecurities allegedly came into play. According to her, the actress had reservations about how strongly Aruna’s character came across on screen, which eventually led to her portions being reduced.She also recounted a more painful incident related to the film ‘Mangalsutra’, in which she was initially signed on as the second lead. “Rekha removed me from a film even though she was a good friend of mine. She still is. But when she took me out of a film called Mangalsutra, I asked the producer, ‘Why did you remove me even after giving me the signing amount?’ He said, ‘Rekha ji never wanted you in the film.’”When Aruna confronted Rekha directly, she recalled receiving a blunt explanation. “When I asked Rekha why she did it, she said, ‘Aruna, if you pulled off the role too well emotionally, I’ll start looking like a vamp in the film.’ So she cut me off.”
