Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha: Our favourite on screen Bollywood couple

 

Can ever get enough of these two super duper stars. Both incredible actors, looked so glamorous in the 1970s and 1980s, such charisma, fashion, style, elegance, eloquence, diction, voices, performances, and both were fun to watch as dancers. They were ... they are good at the dramatics and the comedy, tragedy and they raged so eloquently on the big screen. 

Their birthdays are a day apart... and fate has kept them apart. 

The fans want to see them together again on the big screen... alas... 

Stardust 1995: Sonali Bendre, Raveena Tandon, Bobby Deol and Mamta Kulkari

 

The young guns taking over Bollywood in the mid 90s! In 1995, the ages of these actors were: Sonali Bendre: 20 years old (Born: January 1, 1975) Raveena Tandon: 22 years old (Born: October 26, 1972) Bobby Deol: 25 years old (Born: January 27, 1969) Mamta Kulkarni: 22 (Born: April 20, 1972)

Young, hopeful, full of dreams and ambition... in 2026... look where they are. Mamta Kulkarni has found religion to whitewash her image and disgraced life (google away - the drugs scandal will haunt her forever). 

Sonali Bendre was no great shakes as an actress but easily the most stunning supermodel of her time. 

Bobby 2.0 is more interesting than his first stint in Bollywood.

Raveena Tandon was a firecracker then, now and forever. Can't believe her young daughter is an actress already. Raveena looks better now than ever before. 

Sridevi in the paper

 

Aishwarya Rai in Vanity Fair

Major throwback - praying to find more photos and read the full feature - but can't find this profile of Aishwarya Rai in Vanity Fair - or find the full article on Bollywood.

Salman Khan with Aishwarya Rai

 

The fiasco that was this very public breakup of the two most good-looking Bollywood stars of all-time, the passion and fire set the relationship ablaze. Early 2000s, Aishwarya Rai rarely acknowledged her beau - and the angry young man of Bollywood didn't take it well. Neither did his fans. 

There are so few REAL photos of these two together than now the rabid fans have flooded social media with ai slop of fakes of the two together. Do note, all the above images are real - but be wary of the innumerable ai hallucinations online. 

Early on Cine Blitz was the first to publish an amalgam photo of the two together; ie both stars were at two separate events, but photoshopped to version of the two images together was published in print - to make it seem that they attended the red carpet together. Major red flag of false reportage by  manipulating a picture. 

Say no to fakes. mark ai slop so it can cease... it's the only way.  

Aishwarya Rai's saucy shoot from the 90s

 

Considered one of Aishwarya Rai's most controversial and daring shoots, from her early days as a model. This take on a popular Versace look is... well... 

Look, in the early days, you couldn't take a bad picture of Aishwarya Rai if you tried. So everyone experimented with styles with her - to see if she could pull it off. BTW this outfit was from teh personal wardrobe of Rai... 

Aishwarya Rai with Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the sets of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

Aishwarya Rai with Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the sets of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

Peak Ash beauty... 

Aamir Khan with Juhi Chawla on set

 

Rare photo of Aamir Khan teasing Juhi Chawla... on the sets of Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke? 

Aishwarya Rai in a classic Kerala sari: White and gold

Exquisite Aishwarya Rai in (the flawed but successful) film Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai

In the 2000 drama Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai, Aishwarya Rai delivered one of her most poignant performances in her early career. Playing Preeti Vyas - a brave woman who faces ostracization and trauma after being assaulted for testifying against a criminal- she anchored the film’s heavy narrative with grace, dignity, and quiet strength. Critics praised Rai for delivering a restrained, emotionally layered portrayal that transcended conventional melodrama. Her delicate dynamic with co-star Anil Kapoor provided the film its emotional core, earning praise for treating a heavy theme with sensitivity. Her acclaimed portrayal earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, and Ash was 26 years old at the time, looking exquisite in her Neeta Lulla and Manish Malhotra designed costumes.  

Rai had an extraordinarily busy year in 2000 with 6 total releases across Hindi and Tamil cinema:

Film	Language	Box Office Outcome
Mela	Hindi	Flop (Special appearance)
Kandukondain Kandukondain	Tamil	Critical & Commercial Hit
Josh	Hindi	Hit
Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai	Hindi	Hit / Semi-Hit
Dhai Akshar Prem Ke	Hindi	Flop
Mohabbatein	Hindi	Major Blockbuster

Despite mixed reviews for the movie's comedic subplots, Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai emerged as a box office success. 

The 90s was a confused era as the media couldn't decide who was the top actress of the decade as Karisma Kapoor and Manisha Koirala tussled for the top spot. By the turn of the millennium, there was no question, it was the reign of Rai. 

Rekha: The tragic courtesan of the Indian screen in Umrao Jaan and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar

Rekha in Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) 

Rekha in and as Umrao Jaan (1981)

 

Rekha as Zohra Bai was fab, Rekha as Umrao as perfection.