In a candid interview with journalist Vicky Lalwani, veteran singer-actress Salma Agha opened up about her time in Indian cinema’s golden era. From her complex working relationships with industry titans Rajesh Khanna and Raaj Kumar, to the reasons behind her divorce, and more, the actress shared a lot.
Salma Agha On Experience Working With Raaj Kumar
Salma shared that people say he was very difficult to work with, but she had a great experience with him. She emphasized that he was courteous, well-mannered, and spoke well. She says she was very much impressed by his personality.
Salma On Her Experience Working With Rajesh Khanna
The actress said he was very difficult to work with, adding that she had a small tiff with him on set. She shared an incident where he tried to direct her in a way she didn’t like, and they got into an argument.
“The shoot was actually put on hold for two to three days because of our tiff,” Salma recalled. However, she called him “moody” but ultimately professional, as he casually broke the ice a few days later by talking to her normally. The initial friction dissolved, and the two became incredibly close friends.
Why Salma Parted Ways With Rehmat
Reflecting on her separation from squash player Rehmat Khan, Salma talked gracefully. She called her ex-husband a “very nice man” and said they chose to part ways because a lifelong partnership wasn’t written in their destiny.
Missing Out on Raj Kapoor’s Henna
Salma shared that her family was not happy with her working in films. She highlighted that in her family, especially her father, didn’t like it. The actress also revealed that her father told producers and filmmakers not to cast her in their projects to keep her out of the field and wanted to marry her off while she was still young.
Addressing Daughter Zara Khan’s Online Harassment
Opening up about her daughter, Zarah Khan, the veteran actress said she advises her to wait for the right time to launch, but she wants to do it anyway.
Salma labeled a past controversy—where Zara received continuous online threats from a profile posing as a man—as an absolutely “horrible phase.”
Salma highlighted how much cybercrime has increased and become more dangerous. She reflected on how she and others still face deepfake videos and photos. Salma also shared that a girl was behind the fake video under a boy’s name. She said the girl did it on someone else’s orders and shared that someone did it out of jealousy.
