Court Quashes Anita Advani Plea on Rajesh Khanna

The Bombay High Court has dismissed the plea of actress Anita Advani seeking legal status to her marriage with late superstar Rajesh Khanna.

The court upheld the earlier verdict of the Dindoshi sessions court. The case has been mired in controversy ever since Rajesh Khanna passed away in 2012, amid a long-drawn legal battle between his family and Anita Advani.

A bench of Justice Sharmila Deshmukh, after hearing the arguments of both the sides, said in clear terms that the appeal is dismissed. However, the detailed order in this matter is yet to be issued. The court also heard the arguments on behalf of Akshay Kumar, Twinkle Khanna and Dimple Kapadia.

Anita Advani said that she was in a relationship with Rajesh Khanna for a long time and it was like a marriage. She had also alleged that she was evicted from her famous bungalow after the actor's death.

Rajesh Khanna was one of the biggest superstars of the Indian film industry. He won the All India Talent Contest in 1965. Between 1969 and 1971, he delivered 15 consecutive solo hit films, a record in Hindi cinema. He won three Filmfare Award for Best Actor trophies and received multiple nominations over his career. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1992 to 1996, representing the Indian National Congress.

He married actress Dimple Kapadia in 1973; they had two daughters, including actress Twinkle Khanna. Over his career, Khanna acted in more than 160 films, including 100+ lead roles. He was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 and India’s Padma Bhushan posthumously in 2013.

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar is his son-in-law, and is married to author Twinkle Khanna.