Rajesh Khanna: The Most Dynamic & Astonishing Superstar of Indian Cinema

8th Remembrance Day (18 July, 2020)

The lovable and charismatic Rajesh Khanna explored a wide range of characters but his enduring identity is of a great romantic hero. He effectively conveyed the fragility of emotions with his expressions, body language and tonal variations. Rajesh Khanna was to Hindi films what the Beatles were to British pop music. He had very unique mannerisms: the tilt of head, winking of eyes at the most appropriate moment, a trademark gesture of hand, an appealing hairstyle and soft dialogue delivery. No wonder he was the original ‘King of Romance’. He was a soft, uncannily romantic hero at a time of Dharmendra-like masculinity. He was a male love object and that men wanted to be as ‘lucky and enviable’ as he was and that ‘women imagined landing him.’ His magnetism was so mesmerizing that the stories of girls having married his photographs by slashing their wrists and applying the blood as Sindoor, kept him under the spotlight. He knew how to squeeze those tear ducts, he must have died on screen in more films than any other star. Movie-buffs sang with him, romanced with him and cried with him.

The stardom in Bollywood evolved with the histrionics of Dilip Kumar, the charm of the debonair Dev Anand, the Chaplinesque magic of Raj Kapoor and the swashbuckling Shammi Kapoor had swept his fans with his own interpretation of Elvis Presley. But ‘Aradhana’ (1969) helmed by Shakti Samanta set new rules and dictated new terms of stardom. It vaulted Rajesh Khanna to dizzying heights and he remained undisputed king of Bollywood for the next two years with record 15 back-to-back jubilee hits, an unparalleled feat. With his stardom came very different epithets ‘Superstar’ and ‘Pasha of Passion’.

On December 29, 1942, Jatin Arora was born in Amritsar. The business tycoon Chunnilal Khanna of Bombay adopted and rechristened him as Jatin Khanna. Jatin attended St. Sebastians Goan High School with his friend Ravi Kapoor (Jeetendra). He did his first two years of B.A. from Nowrosjee Wadia College, Pune and later studied in K.C. College. He had become a part of the campus theatre culture and to slake his thirst of becoming a star had participated and eventually won All India Talent Contest organized by United Producers and Filmfare. The name ‘Jatin’ was deemed too business-like for Bollywood, he was given a screen name “Rajesh”.

Rajesh Khanna made his debut in Chetan Anand’s Aakhri Khat (1966), in which he played a sculptor who falls in love with a village girl. Then films like Raaz, Baharon Ke Sapne and Aurat (1967) did little to his career. But destiny had made some great plans for the slim guy of average height, whose charming face would light up the screen and win millions of hearts soon. Shakti Samanta having seen some ‘sparks’ of talent, cast a greenhorn Rajesh Khanna in Aradhana (1969). This romantic drama was the first Khanna film that set the box-office on fire. Filmgoers rushed to theatres to watch the newest charmer in town, a young man who flashed his dimples and had dreams in his eyes. Rajesh effortlessly juggled the dual role by mastering the wink and the sideway nod. In the most imaginative train sequence he crooned ‘Mere Sapnon Ki Raani’ to an amused Sharmila Tagore peeping out of the train window. Millions of young girls imagined he was singing to them. He became the craze of the nation, and critics across India started calling him the First Superstar of Indian Cinema.

The next few years were incredible. He had box office successes coming his way Do Raaste, Bandhan, Doli and Ittefaq (1969); Sachaa Jhutha, Kati Patang, Aan Milo Sajna and Safar (1970); Anand, Amar Prem, Haathi Mere Saathi, Andaz and Maryada (1971). A rare documentation of his success can be seen in ‘Guddi’, where Dharmendra nonchalantly retorts, “I am hearing a lot about Rajesh Khanna nowadays”. In musical ‘Amar Prem’, he delivered an oft-repeated dialogue ‘Pushpa, I hate tears’ in his inimitable style and the audience swooned.

Like many other success stories, Rajesh’s too had to end, especially with the rise of Amitabh Bachchan. The tall actor with smouldering eyes and a rich baritone seemed to be the perfect fit for the zeitgeist of the early 1970s. Rajesh did deliver films like Daag (1973), Prem Nagar and Aap Ki Kasam (1974), but he could do nothing to stop the inexorable march of his decline. With a stronger focus on action films, Rajesh Khanna's romantic mannerisms started appearing jaded and out of sync. He made a successful comeback in the poignant ‘Avtaar’ as an old mechanic, but it was a flash in the pan. Meanwhile, he also gave some very meaningful movies like Thodi si Bewafaai, Agar Tum Na Hote, Akhir Kyon and highly successful Souten.

The fall from the dizzying heights of stardom to the depths of despair was as quick as the ascent. His decline was brutal as the bedazzler of fans had bedazzled him. Rajesh just couldn’t accept his eclipse by someone he had scoffed at. What happened to him was something rather Norma Desmond-like. Rajesh and Desmond appeared to be lonely inhabitants of their own fame and misfortune. He turned a recluse.

During his splendid career he acted in 180 films with 74 Golden Jubilee hits (21 were platinum) and 22 Silver Jubilee hits. He regularly did both offbeat alternate Cinema and commercial potboilers. His last appearance was in Riyasat (2014).

Though Khanna worked with top heroines of the day like Waheeda Rehman, Asha Parekh, Nanda, Mala Sinha, Tanuja, Hema Malini, Zeenat Aman, Rekha etc. but his most popular pairings were with Sharmila Tagore and Mumtaz. Rajesh and Mumtaz had 10 movies together out of which eight were Platinum Jubilee hits. In the 80s his pairing with Tina Munim also saw some successful movies.

His films were embellished by compositions of S.D. Burman, R.D. Burman, Laxmikant Pyarelal and others. Kishore Kumar with his dreamy voice became his ‘soul’ to give romantic, meaningful and peppy songs like Roop Tera Mastana (Aradhana), Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana (Andaz); Ye Sham Mastani (Kati Patang); Zindagi Ke Safar Mein (Aap Ki Kasam); O Mere Dil Ke Chain (Ajnabi); Mere Dil Mein Aaj Kya Hai (Daag) and many more.

Rajesh fell in love with the fashion designer and actress Anju Mahendru. However, he broke off with her all of a sudden and reportedly to spite her, took his baraat past her bungalow when he married 'Bobby Girl' Dimple Kapadia in 1973. Rajesh and Dimple had two daughters. Their elder daughter Twinkle Khanna, an interior decorator is married to Akshay Kumar while their younger daughter Rinke Khanna, a former Hindi film actress, is married to an investment banker Samir Saran. The couple had their share of marital issues leading to their separation in 1984. In the eighties he was romantically involved with Tina Munim.

He did try his hand in TV and played the main roles in television serials like Batwara, Aapne Parai, Ittefaq and Raghukul Reet Sada Chali Aayi. He endorsed a talent hunt programme ‘Star Se Superstar Tak’ and donated a Gold Trophy of Rupees one crore. Towards the end of his life Rajesh appeared in a somewhat low-brow advertisement for Havells fans that played upon his days of refulgence. It drew more criticism than praise.

BBC reporter Jack Pizzey made a documentary on him ‘Bombay Superstar’ (1973). He described Rajesh as an actor with the “charisma of Rudolph Valentino and the arrogance of Napoleon”. He surrounded himself with sycophants and hangers on. Through the eighties and beyond he became bloated and obese and looked almost comical as he attempted to make a final dash at fame. Actor Mehmood parodied him in Bombay to Goa where the driver and conductor of the bus were called 'Rajesh' and 'Khanna'. The trend of wearing Guru Shirts and belt on shirts was started by him.

In the 1990s with his film career all but over, Rajesh entered politics and served a stint as Member of Parliament. He won three filmfare awards for the best actor in Sachcha Jhootha (1971), Anand (1972) and Avishkaar (1975) and also Life Time Achievement award in 2005. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan posthumously.

He was suffering from cancer and was reduced to a Skelton with sunken cheeks. Like his character ‘Anand’, Rajesh Khanna too died of cancer on July 18, 2012. His funeral was attended by nearly nine lakh people and his fans had come from places like Surat, Ahmedabad, California, Singapore and other foreign countries.

Babumoshai…….the original super-star of Bollywood, we miss you!!