When Rekha was unable to say 'I hate you' to Amitabh

Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha have done many films together that fans still talk about. But one film, even though it didn’t do well at the box office, remains one of the most talked about – Yash Chopra’s 1981 romantic drama 'Silsila'.
What made 'Silsila' so special wasn’t just the story or the music, but the casting. It brought Amitabh, his real-life wife actress Jaya Bachchan, and Rekha together on screen in what many call one of the boldest casting decisions in Bollywood. But did you know Rekha once found it really hard to perform a key scene with Big B in this film?

A crowd, emotions, and the words she couldn't say

In an interview on Rendezvous with Simi Garewa, Rekha revealed how she struggled to shoot a scene where she had to say the words ‘I hate you’ to Mr. Bachchan. It wasn’t just the line that made her uncomfortable—it was everything else around it.
“It was such an intense scene and there were 15,000 people on the location at five in the morning. I had major lines to speak, crying et al. I asked Yashji (Chopra, Director) for time, but he said no,” Rekha shared.
That’s when Amitabh stepped in with a surprising story to help calm her nerves.
Big B brings out James Dean
To ease the tension, Big B shared a story about Hollywood legend James Dean while filming the classic 'Giant'.
The 'Muqaddar Ka Sikandar’ further said, “Then Amitji related an incident. He said, James Dean in a film called Giant faced a similar dilemma. He just turned around and did Number 1 (urinated) in front of the crowd. That made him feel on top of the world. James Dean thought to himself, ‘Isse bura kya ho sakta hai?’ and gave a perfect shot.”
Her reaction? Classic Rekha
“I said to Amitji, ‘Excuse me, that really makes me feel better.’ He said, ‘I don’t mean it literally, but you know what I mean, come on. This is acting’.”
With that little boost, she managed to do the scene. “Start, camera, action sunte hi sab chup ho gaye. End mein when I hugged Amitji, toh sab bole, ‘Ooooh’. I had a hard time trying to control my expression.”

The film that changed everything
'Silsila' may not have been a hit at the box office, but it left behind a legacy that still gets talked about. It was the last time Amitabh and Rekha worked together. After that, they never shared the screen again.