Rekha to Rhea Chakraborty: Viral post draws parallels on how media trial turned them to 'National Vamps' 30 years apart

Rekha was blamed for the suicide of her husband, Mukesh, and was called a witch by her in-laws and even disregarded by her Bollywood colleagues.

After witnessing the media trial that Rhea Chakraborty is being subjected to over the last two months in the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, people on social media have been sharing a viral post from 30 years ago when veteran actor Rekha was also put on trial by the media after the death of her husband Mukesh Aggarwal in 1990.

Shibani Dandekar and singer Chinmayi Sripada shared an Instagram post on Sunday - an excerpt from Rekha’s biography Rekha: The Untold Story by Yasser Usman. Over the past few days, Rekha's story has surfaced on social media after Rhea was arrested earlier this week by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). The parallels between the story of two women are starkly similar. No one knew why their partners chose to end their lives, but everyone's guess has been to pin the blame on the women in their lives.

Rekha's biography also details how she was blamed for the suicide of her husband, Mukesh. She was called a witch by her in-laws and even disregarded by her Bollywood colleagues. Chinmayi posted on her Twitter and wrote, "Subhash Ghai and Anupam Kher’s quotes, circa 1990 on Rekha if reported verbatim, is how some men are made. It is unbelievable how Rekha survived and thrived."

Read what she posted here:

"October 2, 1990, Mukesh, Rekha’s husband, decided to take away his life. He had hanged himself to the ceiling fan of his room, using his wife’s dupatta. Same Mukesh, who reportedly seemed happy on the fateful day, according to his brother Anil. Rekha came to know about Mukesh’s chronic depression after getting married.

WHAT FOLLOWED:1. A national witchhunt followed. People all over the country starting hating and shaming her as a cold-hearted man-eater.2. Mukesh’s mother’s wail made headlines when she cried, 'Woh daayan mere bete ko kha gayi. Bhagwan use kabhi maaf nahi karega.' That witch devoured my son. God will never forgive her.)3. Anil Gupta said, "My brother loved Rekha truly. For him love was a do or die attempt. He could not tolerate what Rekha was doing to him. Now what does she want, does she want our money?"4. Subhash Ghai said "Rekha has put such a blot on the face of the film industry that it’ll be difficult to wash it away easily. I think after this any respectable family will think twice before accepting any actress as their bahoo. It’’s going to be tough even professionally for her. No conscientious director will work with her ever again. How will the audience accept her as Bharat ki nari or insaf ki devi?"5. Anupam Kher said "She’s become the national vamp. Professionally and personally, I think it’s curtains for her. I mean I don’t know how will I react to her if I come face to face with her."6. The press lapped up the sensational story of Mukesh’s suicide and featured reports with outrageous headlines like 'The Black Widow' (Showtime, November 1990) and 'The Macabre Truth behind Mukesh’s Suicide' (Cine Blitz, November 1990). Delhi high society and Bombay’s film industry vociferously condemned Rekha for ‘murdering’ Mukesh Agarwal.1990-2020 : 30 years Similar cases, similar reactions. Still asking why is smashing the patriarchy and feminism relevant?"

For the uninformed, late actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s father filed an FIR against Rhea in July, accusing her of abetment to suicide. The case is currently being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Enforcement Directorate, and the Narcotics Control Bureau.