Imagine this - a filmstar appears in a car but the driver is unable to move the car forward because there is a huge mob surrounding the car. The crowd comprises mostly female fans whose only ambition is to get a glimpse of their favourite star and maybe give him a kiss. Since the windows remain closed, they kiss the car instead; and by the end of the day, this star's car is filled with red lipstick all over! Finally the tired actor reaches home only to find it stocked with mail. All fan-letters, written by girls in blood! His house is filled with flowers on his birthday. Unofficially, he gets married thousands of times, atleast that's what the females believe when they marry his photographs. And when this star indeed gets married, hundreds of female fans commit suicide!
This is no film story. Such was the real-life stardom of our very own Kaka. No other film actor in the world, male or female, till date, has received such fan interest other than him. He was not just an actor, he was not just a star ... he was a phenomenon that took the nation by storm in the late 60s and continued to do so for the next half decade. You only needed to put up a poster of this star outside a theatre to make the film a hit. After all, no other actor in the world has such a huge record of consecutive hits (15!!!).
Even if you watch just a few of his films today, you will not find it hard to understand why this man garnered so much interest, so much fanfare, so much love. Here's celebrating the first (and still the biggest) megastar ever witnessed - Rajesh Khanna.
The actor who had by then starred in some very good films like Aakhri Khat, Raaz, Bahaaron Ke Sapne and Khamoshi hit it off only in 1969 when Shakti Samantha's Aradhana took the nation by storm. Hits after hits followed and Rajesh Khanna became the first real superstar the country had ever seen. He was to rule the nation for the next six years; a period which included films of his like Anand, Ittefaq, Do Raaste, Kati Patang, Aan Milo Sajna, Daag - A Poem Of Love, Sachcha Jhutha, Mere Jeevan Saathi, Safar, Dushman, Amar Prem, Baawarchi, Namak Haram, Aap Ki Kasam, Ajanabee, Roti and Prem Kahani. These are just few of his blockbuster films that were released within five years. In all, Rajesh Khanna had worked in 42 films from 1969-1975, of which there remain only a handful of forgettable ones. Why not then? Why not then that the nation would embrace this actor so much? Girls obviously loved him for his extremely good looks, charm, style; everyone were amazed at his ability to light up the screen at his very presence; but at the end of the day he was a great actor with a unique style. Period.
His later years, which were obviously after he was overshadowed by the likes of Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor too were not bad. Few memorable films post '76 included Mehbooba, Anurodh, Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka, Souten, Avtaar, Aaina and Tyaag. While some of these films and most of his others in this period did not do well at the box office, there's no denying that Rajesh Khanna gave his best in them! He tried several comebacks in the 90s, but to no avail. Yashraj Films is the biggest production house in India today ... I wonder how many people know the 'Raj' in Yashraj was named after Rajesh Khanna, who had worked with Yash Chopra earlier in Ittefaq, and the first Yashraj movie was Daag!
Rajesh Khanna though will always be remembered for those glorious years between '69 and '75. Not only were the films outstanding, but so were the music. After Dev Anand, if there is any actor who had such a great record of hit and evergreen songs (both quality and quantity i.e.), it just has to be Rajesh Khanna. No doubt about that. Kaka's songs are a hit even today and continue to endear the listener, no matter what gender or age the listener be.
He was an actor with a wide variety of emotions, but he will most likely be remembered one of the most romantic actors on screen, what with films like Aradhana (how much he makes me cry even when I see the movie for the umpteenth time!!!), Kati Patang, Prem Kahani and Daag in his kitty. He excelled in drama, with films like Amar Prem, Safar, Anand (need I say more???), Bawarchi, Do Raaste and Avtaar to back him up. My favourite role of his will always be that of an accused convict (for murdering his wife) turned mental patient who escapes from the asylum, and while on the run from police, lands into Nanda and her husband's house. The movie is Ittefaq and quite easily (along with Jewel Thief and Teesri Manzil) one of the best suspense thrillers of all time! If there is anybody who thinks that Rajesh Khanna was just a star and not a great actor first, I would just tell them to go and watch Ittefaq and realize what great acting truly is! Arguably, one of the toughest roles to portray on screen ... and he did it so effortlessly in his own inimitable style!
I have always admired writers and directors since they are the visionaries, but when actors are not just puppets of the directors; when they have the ability to take the vision of the writers and directors to a level they could not imagine, that is something admirable. The effect an actor can have when he/she comes on screen is not something that a director can control, this is a gift; and no one was more gifted in that sense than Rajesh Khanna. When he looked in front of the camera with a very boyish charm, gave a smile, winked his eyes, tilted his head and said something in a singing tone, it was sheer magic - enough to make the females swoon over him and to make the males want to be like him. There was a vulnerability in his performance like no other, an innocence; and romance that would make a female aged between 5 and 95 go mad about him. He could come looking dashing in a suit (like in Sachcha Jhootha or The Train) or as a simple middle-class man (Anand or Baawarchi), but whatever the look - he would make you believe he is the character and the superstar Rajesh Khanna that we know of.
Here's a toast - to one of the finest actors ever to embrace the silver screen! Here's thanking Rajesh Khanna for everything he has contributed towards cinema.
This is no film story. Such was the real-life stardom of our very own Kaka. No other film actor in the world, male or female, till date, has received such fan interest other than him. He was not just an actor, he was not just a star ... he was a phenomenon that took the nation by storm in the late 60s and continued to do so for the next half decade. You only needed to put up a poster of this star outside a theatre to make the film a hit. After all, no other actor in the world has such a huge record of consecutive hits (15!!!).
Even if you watch just a few of his films today, you will not find it hard to understand why this man garnered so much interest, so much fanfare, so much love. Here's celebrating the first (and still the biggest) megastar ever witnessed - Rajesh Khanna.
The actor who had by then starred in some very good films like Aakhri Khat, Raaz, Bahaaron Ke Sapne and Khamoshi hit it off only in 1969 when Shakti Samantha's Aradhana took the nation by storm. Hits after hits followed and Rajesh Khanna became the first real superstar the country had ever seen. He was to rule the nation for the next six years; a period which included films of his like Anand, Ittefaq, Do Raaste, Kati Patang, Aan Milo Sajna, Daag - A Poem Of Love, Sachcha Jhutha, Mere Jeevan Saathi, Safar, Dushman, Amar Prem, Baawarchi, Namak Haram, Aap Ki Kasam, Ajanabee, Roti and Prem Kahani. These are just few of his blockbuster films that were released within five years. In all, Rajesh Khanna had worked in 42 films from 1969-1975, of which there remain only a handful of forgettable ones. Why not then? Why not then that the nation would embrace this actor so much? Girls obviously loved him for his extremely good looks, charm, style; everyone were amazed at his ability to light up the screen at his very presence; but at the end of the day he was a great actor with a unique style. Period.
His later years, which were obviously after he was overshadowed by the likes of Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor too were not bad. Few memorable films post '76 included Mehbooba, Anurodh, Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka, Souten, Avtaar, Aaina and Tyaag. While some of these films and most of his others in this period did not do well at the box office, there's no denying that Rajesh Khanna gave his best in them! He tried several comebacks in the 90s, but to no avail. Yashraj Films is the biggest production house in India today ... I wonder how many people know the 'Raj' in Yashraj was named after Rajesh Khanna, who had worked with Yash Chopra earlier in Ittefaq, and the first Yashraj movie was Daag!
Rajesh Khanna though will always be remembered for those glorious years between '69 and '75. Not only were the films outstanding, but so were the music. After Dev Anand, if there is any actor who had such a great record of hit and evergreen songs (both quality and quantity i.e.), it just has to be Rajesh Khanna. No doubt about that. Kaka's songs are a hit even today and continue to endear the listener, no matter what gender or age the listener be.
He was an actor with a wide variety of emotions, but he will most likely be remembered one of the most romantic actors on screen, what with films like Aradhana (how much he makes me cry even when I see the movie for the umpteenth time!!!), Kati Patang, Prem Kahani and Daag in his kitty. He excelled in drama, with films like Amar Prem, Safar, Anand (need I say more???), Bawarchi, Do Raaste and Avtaar to back him up. My favourite role of his will always be that of an accused convict (for murdering his wife) turned mental patient who escapes from the asylum, and while on the run from police, lands into Nanda and her husband's house. The movie is Ittefaq and quite easily (along with Jewel Thief and Teesri Manzil) one of the best suspense thrillers of all time! If there is anybody who thinks that Rajesh Khanna was just a star and not a great actor first, I would just tell them to go and watch Ittefaq and realize what great acting truly is! Arguably, one of the toughest roles to portray on screen ... and he did it so effortlessly in his own inimitable style!
I have always admired writers and directors since they are the visionaries, but when actors are not just puppets of the directors; when they have the ability to take the vision of the writers and directors to a level they could not imagine, that is something admirable. The effect an actor can have when he/she comes on screen is not something that a director can control, this is a gift; and no one was more gifted in that sense than Rajesh Khanna. When he looked in front of the camera with a very boyish charm, gave a smile, winked his eyes, tilted his head and said something in a singing tone, it was sheer magic - enough to make the females swoon over him and to make the males want to be like him. There was a vulnerability in his performance like no other, an innocence; and romance that would make a female aged between 5 and 95 go mad about him. He could come looking dashing in a suit (like in Sachcha Jhootha or The Train) or as a simple middle-class man (Anand or Baawarchi), but whatever the look - he would make you believe he is the character and the superstar Rajesh Khanna that we know of.
Here's a toast - to one of the finest actors ever to embrace the silver screen! Here's thanking Rajesh Khanna for everything he has contributed towards cinema.
4 comments:
Born as Jatin Khanna in Amritsar, unlike other struggling actors of his era, he used to go from one studio to another in a car; just to fetch a role ! A real "KAKA" in the sense.
LOL. Absolutely. One of the very few people who decided to pursue his dreams despite coming from a rich family and being someone who was doing well in life until then. We often speak of how some poor people make it big in life by chasing their dreams. Enough credit should also be given to people who rich and suddenly change their line of work just because they have other dreams to follow.
Good point raised, Charit.
Thanks!
Awesome...Rightly said " India's First Superstar "
Great work Aashish..
Like Rajesh Khanna, you too are doing a great job of writing these kind of articles. There is no doubt that both Devanand and Rajesh Khanna are great legends....I like the two very beautiful songs of both....One tell how to lead and live LIFE and the other tells how to remember each and every second........Yes, you guys understood very well.... "Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Chala Gaya, Har Fikarr Ko Dhoonyen Mein Udaata Chala Gaya" Aur "Zindagi Ke Safar Mein Guzar Jaate Hain Jo Makam Woh Phir Nahin Aate".
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