Anita Advani has claimed that Rajesh Khanna secretly got married to her when they lived together. Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia tied the knot in 1973, but their marriage hit a rough patch within a decade, leading to separation without divorce. While they chose to remain legally married despite living apart, Rajesh reportedly began living with former actor Anita Advani in 2004, a relationship that continued until his passing in 2012. Now, in a chat with Meri Saheli, Anita has claimed that she is the late actor’s second wife. Who is Anita Advani? Anita Advani: Movies, Bigg Boss Anita Advani is a former actress, known for films like Daasi (1981), Aao Pyaar Karen (1983) and Saazish (1988). Anita had a brief acting career, but she occasionally stepped into the limelight via interviews and by participating in Bigg Boss after Rajesh Khanna’s death. Anita is reportedly the niece of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. Is Anita Advani Rajesh Khanna’s Second Wife? Anita Advani has recently claimed that she secretly tied the knot with Rajesh Khanna. Anita said, “We got married privately, but in the film industry, no one talks about such things openly. Everyone says ‘we’re friends’ or ‘we’re in a relationship’ or something else. But it was already reported in the media that I was with him, so neither of us felt the need to go and publicly announce that we were married. We never felt that need.” She recalled how she married Rajesh Khanna in a private ceremony and said, “We had a small temple in our home. I had a mangal sutra made, gold with black beads. He made me wear it. Then he applied sindoor and said, ‘From today, you are my responsibility.’ That’s how our wedding happened one night, just like that.” Anita even claimed that she became a part of Rajesh Khanna’s life even before he met Dimple Kapadia. She said, “Yes, I came into his life before Dimple Kapadia. But we didn’t get married at the time because I was so young. Eventually, I went back to Jaipur.” Previously, Anita Advani claimed that she was in a live-in relationship with the superstar till the time of his passing. She called herself Rajesh Khanna’s “surrogate wife” and said that she looked after his bungalow, Aashirwad. She has said that she would even keep Karva Chauth fasts for Khanna. Anita Advani’s Legal Case Against Rajesh Khanna’s Family After Khanna’s death, she made headlines by filing legal claims seeking a share in his property and alleging that she had been forcibly evicted from his bungalow, Aashirwad. She also sought recognition as his partner under the Domestic Violence Act, which allows a live-in partner (without formal marriage) to seek legal rights, including residence and protection. As per reports, she named Dimple Kapadia, daughters Twinkle and Rinke Khanna, and son-in-law Akshay Kumar in her complaint. She also lodged a criminal case in a Bandra court under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, accusing them of forgery, trespassing, conspiracy, and wrongful execution of the will. Her involvement with Khanna’s estate and claims was controversial, as Rajesh Khanna’s family, including his ex-wife Dimple Kapadia and daughters Twinkle and Rinke Khanna, denied Anita’s claims. The court did not recognise her as his legal heir, and there is no known legal ruling establishing her as a common-law spouse under Indian law. Anita Advani Was Not Allowed To Attend Rajesh Khanna’s Funeral Rajesh Khanna’s family publicly distanced themselves from Advani, and she was not even allowed to attend his final rites. She told Meri Saheli, “They had bouncers stationed there to stop me from coming in… But I was stunned and asked, ‘Why all this?’ Some of my staff and close friends encouraged me to go, even suggested I carry a camera and record what they do. But I thought, how can I do such a thing on such a solemn day? So I didn’t go. I held my own chautha for him alone at a temple.” Rajesh Khanna’s ‘Second Marriage’ Is A Criminal Offence? Anita Advani is best known for her relationship with Rajesh Khanna. Not much is publicly known about her early life or career before her association with Rajesh Khanna. Most of her public identity has been shaped around the posthumous legal and media battles following the actor’s demise. While Dimple Kapadia and the rest of Rajesh Khanna’s family have yet to react to the former actress’s marriage claim, it has shocked the late actor’s fans. Since Rajesh and Dimple were only separated and not divorced, the second marriage couldn’t have been legal. Under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, bigamy (having two living spouses) is a criminal offence. As per the law, a Hindu man cannot marry again while his first wife is still alive and not legally divorced. If he does, the second marriage is void (invalid) under the law, and he can be prosecuted under Section 494 of the Indian Penal Code.