Although there have been better actors in India and in Hindi cinema than Rajesh Khanna, somehow these roles seemed custom-made for him and one felt nobody could have done them better. His sensitive portrayal of a man struggling against an unrelenting destiny with enduring humour and courage, will always be counted as amongst the finest. In films like Safar and Anand, he went beyond his romantic image. Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in Aavishkar (1974) (Photos: HT Archives Harper Collins) Some garlanded his car, some married his photograph, and others sent letters written in blood. I remember there were these long queues of women from nine to ninety outside the studios where we worked. As a friend used to say, he made the old feel young and the young, frantic.Īlso read: Rajesh Khanna was the greatest actor ever: Dimple Kapadia He had a vulnerable, lost air about him that made women of all ages feel very protective. Rajesh Khanna is remembered primarily as a romantic actor.
It was arguably the most popular on-screen partnership of the era, and one of the most successful partnerships in Hindi cinema ever. Those were the days of star pair craze and Sharmila Tagore-Rajesh Khanna became the newest addition. Samanta was planning a big film with Shammi Kapoor but since he didn't have his dates, he thought of making a small film with me and his new find.Īradhana turned out to be a colossal hit, and for Rajesh Khanna there was no looking back. He had just been discovered by the United Producers Combine of which Shakti Samanta was a member. It was on the sets of Aradhana that I first met Rajesh Khanna. For someone who had been a close witness to his stardom, it was heartbreaking to see him so frail. He was very thin but his eyes twinkled and his smile hadn't lost any of that old Rajesh Khanna magic. With a shock I realized that this was Kaka. And then I heard him say 'Hi' and saw him smile.
With my focus on the audience, I put him down as a politician. As I hurried to join them, a khadi-clad man with longish hair stood up and extended me an elaborate greeting. I was late and the dignitaries were already assembled on the stage. The last time I met Rajesh Khanna was at an event in Kolkata.
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