Waheeda Rehman’s sister-in-law, gave 7 superhits, fell in love with superstar’s brother, was murdered by Dev Anand’s…, her name was…

Today, we’re discussing about an actress who appeared in only seven films yet continues to be remembered fondly by her fans, even 25 years after her death. She is none other than Priya Rajvansh, who is cherished for her performances in films such as Heer Raanjha (1970) and Hanste Zakhm (1973).

Born in Shimla to Sunder Singh, her father served as a Conservator in the Forest Department. During one of his UN assignments, she accompanied her father and went on to enroll at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. Priya was sister of Waheeda Rehman’s husband, Kamaljeet.

According to reports, when Priya was 22, one of her photographs clicked in London were shared to filmmaker Thakur Ranveer Singh, who further passed it on to Dev Anand’s brother Chetan Anand, and he approached her for film Haqeeqat. Released in 1964, the film was a superhit and is still considered one of the best war movies.

During the filming, Priya fell in love with Dev Anand’s brother and vice versa. Then, she starred majorly in Chetan Anand’s films and gave many hits including Heer Raanjha, Hanste Zakhm, Hindustan Ki Kasam, Kudrat and Saheb Bahadur. She also worked with superstars like Rajesh Khanna, Dev Anand, Hema Malini and her last on-screen appearance was in Haathon Ki Lakeeren, released in 1985.

When Priya was at the peak of her career, she grabbed limelight not just for her work, but also speculations about her personal life. When Priya was in a live-in relationship with Chetan Anand, things took a drastic turn after he passed away in 1997. Following his death, she inherited a share of his property alongside his sons from his first marriage.

In 2000, a shocking news emerged of Priya Rajvansh’s death at her Mumbai residence. Chetan Anand’s sons Ketan and Vivek Anand, along with their employees Mala Choudhary and Ashok Chinnaswamy were booked under Priya’s murder case. Their motive was behind her share in their father’s property.

In 2002, the four were imprisoned for Priya Rajvansh’s murder, but were granted bail in November 2002. Her untimely death still remains a mystery that hasn’t been unresolved due to lack of evidence.

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