Aruna Irani says Rekha got her scenes cut, removed her from film despite being friends: ‘I'll look like vamp if you…'
Aruna Irani recalled how Rekha once cut her scenes from a film because she had a better role than hers.
Bollywood actor Aruna Irani was popular in the 1970s and was often seen in supporting roles. However, in a recent interview with Lehren Retro, Aruna recalled how she was once signed as the second lead in the film Mangalsutra, but her 'good friend' Rekha got her removed from the film—and even had her scenes cut in another project—because she performed well. (Also Read: Aruna Irani returns to Mumbai in wheelchair, sings through pain after suffering injury in Bangkok. Watch)
When Rekha got Aruna Irani's scenes cut from a film
Aruna recalled working with Rekha in the movie Aurat Aurat Aurat and said, “Producers ki wajah se picture bante bante 6 saal lag gaye. Mera bhut accha role tha, central character tha. Anybody would pray for that kind of a role. Fir kaafi logon ki wajah se kaat dena pada. Rekha ji humari, voh dene hi nahi deti thi, ki nahi Aruna ka role bhut accha hai. (Because of the producers, the film took six years to be made. I had a very good role — it was the central character. Anybody would pray for a role like that. But due to several people, it had to be cut down. Rekha ji, for instance, she just wouldn’t allow it. She said, ‘No, Aruna’s role is too good’).”
Rekha once got Aruna Irani removed from a film
She then recalled how Rekha got her removed from another film because of her acting skills and said, "Rekha removed me from a film even though she was a good friend of mine. She still is. But when she took me out of a film called Mangalsutra, I asked the producer, 'Why did you remove me even after giving me the signing amount?' He said, 'Rekha ji never wanted you in the film.' When I asked Rekha why she did it, she said, 'Aruna, if you pulled off the role too well emotionally, I’ll start looking like a vamp in the film.' So she cut me off."
Apart from Rekha, the film Mangalsutra also featured Anant Nag and Prema Narayan in lead roles. The movie tackled themes of marital values, sacrifice, and societal expectations around the sacred bond of marriage.
About Aruna Irani
Aruna Irani is a celebrated Indian actor known for her work across Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, and Kannada cinema. With a career spanning over five decades, she has acted in more than 500 films, portraying a wide range of roles—from supporting characters to deeply emotional parts. She gained prominence in the 1970s and '80s with notable performances in films like Bobby, Sargam, Suhaag, and Beta. She became popular for both motherly and vamp roles. In addition to acting, she later ventured into television, becoming a successful producer and director.
