Supreme Court rejects actor's plea to recognise live-in relationship with Rajesh Khanna as marriage

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Published 29 October 2026

Case: Anita Advani v. Dimple Kapadia and Ors.
Court: Supreme Court of India
Bench: Justice M M Sundresh and Justice Prasanna B Varale
Statutes: Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
Source: Verdictum

Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF)

The Supreme Court rejected Anita Advani's plea challenging a Bombay High Court order that dismissed her petition seeking recognition of her alleged live-in relationship with late Rajesh Khanna as a marriage. The bench, comprising Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Prasanna B. Varale, termed it "luxury litigation" and found no grounds to entertain the plea, which sought a declaration of dignity.

Ratio Decidendi · Legal Principle Established

The Supreme Court will not entertain a plea seeking recognition of a live-in relationship as marriage, especially when lower courts have already dismissed similar claims, particularly when such litigation is deemed "luxury litigation" without substantial grounds.

Practice & Procedural Impact for Advocates

Advocates should advise clients on the high bar for challenging consistent dismissals by lower courts in cases seeking recognition of relationships. Litigants should be aware that the Supreme Court may categorize certain prolonged disputes as "luxury litigation" if they lack strong legal merit or public interest.

Key Legal Takeaways

1The Supreme Court dismissed a plea seeking recognition of a live-in relationship as marriage.
2The Court characterized the litigation as "luxury litigation."
3The plea challenged a Bombay High Court order upholding a Dindoshi sessions court's dismissal of a civil suit.

The Legal Issue Former actor Anita Advani filed a plea before the Supreme Court challenging an order of the Bombay High Court. The High Court had dismissed her appeal against a 2017 Dindoshi sessions court order in Mumbai, which rejected her civil suit. Advani's civil suit sought recognition of her alleged live-in relationship with the late actor Rajesh Khanna as a marriage. She claimed to have been in a live-in relationship with Khanna for several years until her eviction from his bungalow in 2012 by his estranged wife Dimple Kapadia, daughter Twinkle Khanna, and son-in-law Akshay Kumar. In 2013, Advani had also filed a complaint under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, seeking maintenance and a flat.

Court's Reasoning A bench of Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice Prasanna B. Varale heard the plea. The counsel for Advani argued that the petitioner was seeking dignity and that her civil suit for a declaration was premised on a sense of dignity. However, the Supreme Court found no grounds to entertain the plea. The bench observed, "This is luxury litigation," indicating that the matter did not warrant intervention at the highest court, especially after consistent dismissals by lower courts.

What Follows The Supreme Court rejected Anita Advani's plea, thereby upholding the decisions of the Bombay High Court and the Dindoshi sessions court. This means that Advani's attempts to legally recognise her relationship with Rajesh Khanna as a marriage have been definitively dismissed by the apex court. The civil suit seeking such a declaration stands rejected.