Rekha Tried To Get 'Too Close' To Akshay Kumar When He Was Engaged To Raveena Tandon
Akshay Kumar and Rekha's romantic link-up generated a huge buzz in the 90s, as it came amid his secret engagement to Raveena Tandon.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleAkshay Kumar and Rekha are two of Bollywood's biggest names. The actors were once a beloved on-screen pair, and fans loved their chemistry. They also sparked real-life romance rumours when Akshay was already engaged to Raveena Tandon. In the 90s, Akshay was a heartthrob (he still is), and Bollywood beauties were often linked to him. Among them was his much-older Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi co-star, Rekha.
Rekha allegedly tried to get too close to Akshay even after knowing that he was betrothed to Raveena. The latter even took sly jabs at Rekha for the same. Let's take a look back at the love triangle as 'Khiladi Kumar' turns 59 today, on September 9, 2026.
Rekha chased Akshay Kumar even after knowing he was engaged to Raveena Tandon, latter had an explosive reaction
Akshay Kumar, the Casanova of the 90s, was linked with Rekha after their sizzling on-screen chemistry in Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996) sparked chatter about an off-screen romance. Notably, around the same time, news of Akshay and Raveena's engagement made rounds. Everyone knew the two were dating with marriage in mind. However, Rekha didn't seem to mind, and reports said she was quite interested in him.
Raveena Tandon was also aware that Rekha had grown fond of her 13-year-younger co-star, Akshay. During an interview with Rediff, Raveena was asked about her views on the Akshay-Rekha affair buzz. Shutting the rumours down, Raveena stated that Akshay Kumar had "tolerated" Rekha for the sake of their film, and there were no romantic feelings on his side.
Raveena hinted that Rekha was invested in the ship with Akshay, but he was not. Raveena further mentioned that she didn't interfere in their affairs until things were under control. But once Rekha wanted to go out of her way to bring Akshay a home-cooked lunch, Raveena felt the need to step in as his then-girlfriend. Feeling that Rekha took it "a bit too far", Raveena said:
"I don't think Akshay ever had anything to do with Rekha. As a matter of fact, he would run away from her. Akshay tolerated Rekha because of the film. At one point, she wanted to get lunch dabbas for him from home. That's when I put my foot down. I felt it was taking things a bit too far."
Raveena Tandon was ready to get her claws into Rekha if she kept making advances at Akshay Kumar
Raveena Tandon didn't hold back from expressing her frustration at other women snatching her man away. In an interview with Cine Blitz, she once again addressed the Rekha-Akshay affair buzz and clarified that he was not interested in Rekha at all. Raveena added that if Rekha ever tried to cross the line with Akshay, she would be ready to get her claws into her.
However, Raveena didn't have to bring out her fiery side because she trusted Akshay Kumar and knew her then-boyfriend was capable of handling such situations. In her words:
"If this actress knows that we are together yet gets too close to Akshay, I will get my claws into her. But Akshay knows how to handle the situation I guess."
Even after all that possessiveness and public declarations of love, Raveena and Akshay couldn't become the endgame. The period after their elaborate engagement was marred by allegations that he was two-timing Raveena Tandon and Shilpa Shetty. Finally, both the ladies and Khiladi Kumar moved on, and each found their respective happily ever after.
What are your thoughts on Akshay Kumar and Rekha's link-up amid his secret engagement to Raveena Tandon? Let us know.
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