From the Files: Rajkumar Santoshi's tiff with Meenakshi

It had to happen. They were destined to part ways. But they reached the dead end much sooner than expected.

Raj Kumar Santoshi and Meenakshi Sheshadri. Two people as different as chalk and cheese. Yet they have become synonymous with each other.

Raj Kumar Santoshi was attracted to Meenakshi the moment he set his eyes on her. She was the heroine of his film, and with the passage of time, she became the queen of his heart. But he knew that he had no right to express his feelings to her. Their relationship was definitely not on the same footing. He was just a struggling director, a nobody, while she was already an established star.

Raj bided his time till the release of ‘Ghayal’. The success of the film instilled confidence in him and so with a smile on his face, he went and proposed to Meenakshi. Only the smile was erased when the proposal was sweetly turned down. The rejected suitor, in a fit of depression, broke down and gave interviews proclaiming his love for her.

Success to him was not as important as winning over the woman he loved. He hoped and prayed for the day when she would say yes to him. It seemed as if he was not wrong in hoping for Meenakshi, perhaps unconsciously, seemed to encourage him. Long drives, long conversations on the telephone, suggestions, discussions had become part of their daily activities. Well wishers of Raj prophesized a doom but all their advice fell on deaf ears. He saw nothing wrong in hoping. After all he was a man in love.

Then began the shooting of ‘Damini.’ Every shot went into innumerable retakes before Raj would be finally satisfied. Though Meenakshi never complained, it irked her mother no end. She felt that Raj was purposely trying to humiliate her daughter. Nothing was said openly but the seeds of discontent and frustration were sown.

Then followed a series of events which worsened the situation. One day, Meenakshi approached Raj Santoshi with a request. Satoo Singh, producer of Aag Aur Suhag in which she had a very good role, was in financial difficulties. It is believed that she felt that if Satoo Singh announced a film with Raj, he would be able to get finance for his new film and that money they would be able to complete ‘ Aag aur Suhaag’. Then with the profits that came from this film they would complete the next project. Soon Satoo Singh announced a film with Raj and Meenakshi in the trade papers.

Raj was livid when he saw the advertisement. The same day an angry Raj landed up at Meenakshi’s place to straighten out the matter once and for all. ‘You do not know the difference between a proposal and a proposition’, he told Meenakshi’s mother. ‘I was asking your daughter to marry me not to sleep with me.’ Heated words were exchanged between the two.