Pallavi Chatterjee Breaks Silence on Biswajeet-Rekha’s Controversial Kissing Scene: “It Was Not Right”
A decades-old controversy from Bollywood’s early years has resurfaced, with actor Pallavi Chatterjee — daughter of veteran actor Biswajeet — offering her perspective on the much-discussed kissing scene involving her father and a young Rekha during the making of Anjana Safar.
The Incident, Revisited
The episode was first detailed in Yasser Usman’s biography, Rekha: The Untold Story, which claims Rekha — around 15 at the time — was unaware a kissing scene had been planned and was left visibly shaken during the shoot.
Speaking to journalist Vickey Lalwani, Pallavi acknowledged how distressing this must have been. “She was very young then. If something like this happens without warning, what are you supposed to do? Those times were very different,” she said, adding that speaking up wasn’t easy in that era, especially against a bigger star.
A Family Connection
Pallavi revealed that the two families were personally close. “Rekha used to come to our house and we played together as children. Perhaps it was even more traumatic for her because of that connection,” she shared.
Was the Director Responsible?
Pallavi suggested that such moments were sometimes orchestrated by directors seeking authentic reactions on camera, without fully informing both actors. “I feel someone must have told him, ‘Do this, I need this kind of footage,'” she said, adding that her father had a reputation for treating women with respect throughout his career.
Taking a Clear Stand
Despite defending her father’s character, Pallavi didn’t shy away from calling out the incident itself. “It was definitely wrong. He should have either refused to do it or obtained Rekha’s consent first. She was not prepared for it, and it would have been shocking for a 15- or 16-year-old girl,” she said plainly.
She also noted that Rekha and Biswajeet went on to work together again in Kahte Hain Mujhko Raja.
What the Book Says
According to the biography, the scene was shot at Mumbai’s Mahboob Studio, with director Raja Nawathe reportedly aiming to capture Rekha’s unscripted reaction. The book describes the moment as prolonged and distressing, with the actress left in tears once filming stopped.
A difficult chapter from Hindi cinema’s past, now being revisited with a more honest, empathetic lens.
