When yesteryear actor Shatrughan Sinha’s daughter, the lovely Sonakshi Sinha, made her debut next to Salman Khan in 2010s Dabangg, audiences and critics alike were quick to point out how much she resembled popular actress Reena Roy. One of the main reasons for drawing such a comparison was simple indeed – Reena used to be an ex-flame of Shatrughan Sinha during his heyday, and it was speculated that Sonakshi might as well be their love child.
In fact, in the early 1980s, it was a known fact that Shatrughan was involved with Reena, even though he was married to the gorgeous Miss Young India Poonam Sinha. So was it a case of Pati, Patni aur Woh? Read on to find out.
Shatrughan Sinha – From Patna To Pune And Beyond
Shatrughan Sinha was born on 9th December 1945 in Patna, the youngest of four brothers. He received all his education from Patna, and even during his years growing up as a schoolboy, he had a keen interest in acting. His passion for the performing arts and a natural flair for acting eventually led him to the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, which provided him a platform to interact with the likes of Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand. After the completion of his course, he moved to Mumbai where after a few years of initial struggle, a steady supply of work soon found its way to him.
Shatrughan Sinha made his film debut in the year 1969 in an uncredited role, and later worked in several small roles while he built up his name. It was Prem Pujari (1970) by Dev Anand that brought Sinha real recognition for the first time. But it was his role in Mere Apne (1971) that majorly brought him the limelight. The film made Sinha a force to be reckoned with, and today Sinha is remembered as the actor who has worked in the most number of high-grossing films in the 1970s.
Poonam Chandiramani – Meeting The Miss Young India
Shatrughan Sinha met Poonam Chandiramani for the first time on a train somewhere in the late 1960s, when he was leaving for his course at FTII, Pune. His friends had come to see him off at the Patna railway station, when they pointed out to him out a gorgeous girl who was travelling in the same compartment. Shatrughan later shared in an interview that as the train commenced its journey, Poonam started crying. So to cajole her, Shatrughan scribbled on a magazine Itni sundar ladki ko rona shobha nahi deta (Crying does not a suit a pretty girl like you). He thought that she would be impressed but she brusquely flung the magazine aside. Despite her annoyance, the first seeds for their acquaintanceship were sowed.
Poonam and Shatrughan later struck up a friendship, and made it a point to stay in touch. The fact that they hailed from the same state worked as a catalyst in their friendship, which went on to take the shape of an absolute romantic affiliation. Poonam Chandiramani (b. 1949) went on to be crowned Miss Young India in the year 1968, and by that time Shatrughan had also completed his acting course from FTII, Pune. He eventually shifted to Mumbai where Poonam resided, and now the two had all the time in the world to work on their relationship but Poonam’s mother would have nothing of it.
By the early 1970s, both had made a mark in Bollywood, and eventually came a time when they were signed for a movie together. But since there were more than just friends, Poonam’s mother would often make it a point to accompany her daughter on the sets of the film just to keep a watch on her (or rather, on Shatrughan). She had restricted phone calls and dates between the pair, and if it was absolutely imperative for them to go out, they would be chaperoned by a maid. While it surely was an exasperating thing for the two lovebirds, it was nothing compared to what was about to happen next.
Reena Roy – Falling In Love Again
In1975, Shatrughan Sinha starred in Kaalicharan, a film that can be considered the most successful film of his career. The film starred Shatrughan for the first time as an actual hero/protagonist, and he shared screen space with the then 18-year old Reena Roy. Reena had been around in the film world for quite some time, and this film would be the major highlight in her career. What began as friendship between the pair on the sets of their film, soon blossomed to romance, which slowly took the centre stage in the life of Shatrughan Sinha.
In spite of the hush-hush nature of their relationship, the two continued to grow fonder of each other and by 1978 the world began to notice thanks to the pair’s amorous off-screen rapport. Needless to say, this news soon reached the ears of Poonam, who was quite hurt, but wanted to give both Reena and Shatrughan Sinha a fair chance. She later shared in an interview that she was well aware that her beau had developed a keen infatuation towards an actress 11 years younger to him, but stepped aside to give her a ‘clear field’ anyway.
The Reena-Shatrughan fling went on for many years right under the nose of Poonam, who continued to bear it all for the sake of her love. Quite exactly like in the case with Poonam, Reena Roy’s mother did not approve of her daughter’s relationship with an actor who was known to be associated with the former Miss Young India Poonam. But she could little to restrain her, and eventually hoped that Shatrughan would at least marry Reena as a second wife but eventually Shatrughan made his final choice of life partner, and it was none other than his first love Poonam.
Hello Poonam. Goodbye Reena
In 1980, after years of speculation and debate on who would he choose, Shatrughan tied the knot with his long time flame, Poonam Chandiramani. While Poonam was finally Mrs. Sinha, her marriage with Shatrughan dealt little impact on his affiliation with Reena Roy. Shatrughan continued seeing Reena for many years after marriage, and it became a hot subject of gossip those days with Reena often referred as his ‘wife outdoors’. As indicative by this, it was surely becoming a case of gharwali and baharwali. But there is a limit to the injustice someone can take, and soon Reena realised that she cannot forever run behind a man, who wanted to sail two boats at once.
By 1983, Reena and Shatrughan were no longer seeing each other, but work continued as usual on the professional front. Coming face to face with someone whom you once loved dearly, however, became excruciating for Reena, and the tipping point finally came in 1984. Sinha’s good friend and film producer Pahlaj Nihalani, visited Reena to sign her for a film with Shatrughan. When Reena was given the offer, she vehemently declined it, and put a condition that she will work only, and if only, Shatrughan agrees to marry her. She said Pahlaj to pass her message to Shatrughan, which he did when he met him at a hotel. Shatrughan immediately called Reena, and tried to persuade her to not end their relationship, but she was not having anything of it. Pahlaj later shared, for Shatrughan Sinha’s biography Anything But Khamosh, that it was the first time he saw his friend cry. Later he calmly said him that “Let go, let her get married.” The words came as a mix of warm and cold for the distressed Shatrughan but even he had realised that continuing the relationship is not going to do any good to him, his wife Poonam, and Reena. He had gone too far with her, and now perhaps it was time to call it off relationship. That day invariably marked the end of the – now quite infamous – Reena-Shatrughan affair.
The Happily Ever After
Shatrughan Sinha never shied away from acknowledging his affair with Reena Roy, and even once shared that he is very thankful to Reena for being a constant support. While Reena’s dedication is appreciable, what is commendable is Poonam’s patience all throughout the fling her husband was having. In spite of what her husband did, she never left him, and strongly believed that one day or other, he would definitely come back to her, which eventually happened. Even Shatrughan has been in awe with his wife’s dedication and calls her the ‘backbone of his life’.
Reena Roy went on to marry the Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan, which is a different story. Mr. and Mrs. Sinha returned back to the normalcy of married life, and have been happily together since then.
Images Source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
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