Anju Mahendru

Anju Mahendru Biography

Anju Mahendru is a Hindi actress known for supporting roles. She is best known as Superstar Rajesh Khanna’s ex-girlfriend, before he got married to actress Dimple Kapadia. Rajesh Khanna was the reigning star and First superstar of Indian cinema and at his career peak when the two were in relationship. They lived together for long 7 years. Mahendru was briefly engaged to cricket player Gary Sobers too, though it didn’t culminate to marriage. She is now active in Bollywood as a character artist and has played supporting roles in – I hate love stories, The Dirty Picture, Hum Ko Deewana Kar Gaye, Mohabbat ho gayi hai tumse, Kyon, Page 3 and Saathiya.

She has been active in television since 1990’s. She has appeared in many Doordarshan serials like "Swabhimaan" where she played the role of Ranjana Devi. Currently she plays Renuka in the popular television series, Do Dil Bandhe Ek Dori Se. She has also appeared in the popular soap, Geet where she portrayed the role of Maan's Grandmother.

She was born on January 11, 1946. She started her modelling career at the age of 13. She was discovered by noted poet and lyricist Kaifi Azmi who recommended her name to noted film maker Basu Bhattacharya who was planning to make a new film. Thus she made her film debut through Basu Bhattacharya’s 1966 movie, Uski Kahani. It was Bhattacharya’s debut movie too. Later she played supporting roles in Jewel Thief, Bandhan, Dastak etc and never got opportunity to play a lead role.

Anju Mahendra was the first love of India’s first superstar. When girls all over India were madly in love with him post Aradhana magic, he was madly in love with Anju. He called her Nikki and Anju called him Kakka. Khanna gifted her a house as well. They both were committed and were in a live-in relationship till things fell out suddenly. It is believed that the break-up happened due to some misunderstanding and whole film fraternity blamed Khanna. Surprisingly very soon he married 16 year old Dimple Kapadia, whose ‘Bobby’ was yet to get released. During his marriage procession, he deliberately diverted to pass through the lane in front of Anju’s home.

It’s also believed that Rajesh Khanna took revenge of this aspiring model by ruining her career. He promised double amount of money to film producers in which Anju had a role. He paid for all the material seized and her movie ‘Dakku’ was never released. Her ad on well-known brand of talcum powder also disappeared without any traces. But Khanna’s career too fell so steep soon after the breakup, with the emergence of Big B as the new superstar with the mid 1970’s. But during Rajesh Khanna’s last days, they became friends again. Anju Mahendru was present as Kaka took his final breath. She accompanied him to hospital and was holding his hand when he took his last breath.     

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Updated: April 28, 2014