Rekha's enduring mystique is often intertwined with her rumored relationship with Amitabh Bachchan, a topic that continues to fascinate Bollywood enthusiasts. While neither party has explicitly confirmed the affair, speculation has been rife for decades, fueled by their undeniable on-screen chemistry and occasional ambiguous remarks. Recently, Bina Ramani, a socialite and close friend of Rekha, offered a perspective on why their relationship purportedly ended, linking it to Amitabh Bachchan's foray into politics.

According to Ramani, Rekha was deeply in love with Amitabh Bachchan and believed they were connected in spirit. However, she also understood that Amitabh's commitment to his family and his public image prevented him from publicly acknowledging their relationship. Reportedly, Amitabh Bachchan's decision to enter politics further complicated matters.

In 1984, Amitabh Bachchan entered politics and contested from the Allahabad seat in the 8th Lok Sabha elections where he won by a huge margin.

Ramani revealed that Rekha visited her in New York during a difficult period when Amitabh's political career was taking off. This transition to a public role, according to Ramani, likely led Amitabh to communicate to Rekha that a public acknowledgment of their relationship was impossible.

The rumored affair between Rekha and Amitabh Bachchan reportedly began on the sets of Do Anjaane in 1976. Their on-screen pairing was electrifying, sparking whispers of an off-screen romance. It has been reported that the two met secretly at a friend’s bungalow. The media attention intensified after an incident during the filming of Ganga Ki Saugandh in 1978, where Amitabh Bachchan reportedly defended Rekha from a co-actor's misbehavior.

The speculation reached fever pitch when Rekha attended Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh's wedding in 1980, wearing sindoor and a mangalsutra, traditional symbols of marriage. This public display fueled rumors that she and Amitabh had secretly married.

Despite the intense media scrutiny, Amitabh Bachchan remained tight-lipped about the alleged affair. In a resurfaced 2004 interview with Simi Garewal, Rekha admitted to being deeply in love with Amitabh but denied that there was ever a personal relationship between them. She acknowledged his universal appeal, stating that it was impossible not to fall in love with him. In a 1984 interview with Filmfare, Rekha said, “Why should the public know of my love for him or his love for me? I love him and he loves me – that's it!”.

Their last film together was Yash Chopra's Silsila in 1981, a movie that mirrored their real-life love triangle, with Jaya Bachchan, Amitabh's wife, also cast in the film. After Silsila, Rekha and Amitabh never appeared on screen together again.

Rekha was nominated as a Member of Parliament for the Rajya Sabha from 2012 to 2018. Her personal life continues to be a subject of public interest. Despite the passage of time, the rumored romance between Rekha and Amitabh Bachchan remains one of Bollywood's most talked-about and enigmatic stories.