Veteran actress Aruna Irani, a well-known face in the 1970s, starred in several films in supporting roles. Recently, she revealed how her `good friend` Rekha got her scenes cut and even removed her from a film. Aruna claimed Rekha took such steps because she felt Aruna was performing too well, which might have made Rekha look bad by comparison.

Rekha cut Aruna`s scenes from film

In an interview with Lehren Retro, Aruna recalled working with Rekha in the film Aurat Aurat Aurat, and how the actress allegedly got her scenes cut. “Producers ki wajah se picture bante bante 6 saal lag gaye. Mera bahut 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 bahut accha hai.” (Because of the producers, the film took six years to complete. I had a very good role — it was the central character. Anybody would pray for such a role. But due to several people, the role had to be cut. Rekha ji, for instance, wouldn`t allow it to remain as it was, saying, ‘No, Aruna’s role is too good.’)

When Rekha removed Aruna from a film

Aruna further revealed that Rekha got her removed from another film, Mangalsutra, for performing too well. "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 pull off the role too well emotionally, I’ll start looking like a vamp in the film.` So she cut me off."