3 days agoAuthor: Virendra Mishra
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Rajesh Khanna, the first superstar of Indian cinema, has seen such stardom in his time, which is difficult to even imagine. Rajesh Khanna had 17 consecutive hit films in three years. Till date no one has been able to break this record of his.
Rajesh Khanna was such a superstar that girls used to die for. She would marry his picture. She would lie down in front of his car. Used to apply vermilion in his name. There has never been such a big superstar nor will there ever be. His stardom was such that people in the industry started considering him as God. There has been a very famous saying about him that ‘Up Aka, Below Kaka’. Beggars also used to beg in the name of Rajesh Khanna instead of the name of God.
Today is the 82nd birth anniversary of Rajesh Khanna, born on 29 December 1942 in Amritsar, Punjab, on this occasion let us know some more special things related to him.
Rajesh Khanna was selected out of ten thousand people
Rajesh Khanna’s entry into Bollywood was through a talent hunt competition. In 1965, United Producers and Filmfare organized a talent hunt competition, in which about ten thousand people took part.
Rajesh Khanna came first in this competition. From here, Jatin Khanna, born in Amritsar, reached Bollywood as Rajesh Khanna. He made his Bollywood debut in 1966 with the film ‘Aakhri Khat’, which became India’s first official entry film for the Oscars in 1967.
Became famous in the industry as Kaka
Everyone in Bollywood used to call Rajesh Khanna as Kaka. During an interview, Rajesh Khanna himself had revealed how he got the name Kaka? Rajesh Khanna had told that in Punjabi a small child is called Kaka. His parents and relatives used to call him ‘Kaka’.
Even during his school and college days, his friends used to call him Kaka. When he stepped into Bollywood, his film friends also started calling him by the same name. Gradually this name became famous and his fans also started calling him Kaka.
Once when Rajesh Khanna fell ill, the producers booked nearby rooms so that he could narrate the story of his film.
The film industry started believing in God
Rajesh Khanna’s stardom was such that the film industry started considering him as God. A saying regarding this was very famous that ‘Up Aka, Below Kaka’. There used to be a line of vendors outside his house. Rajesh Khanna was in such demand that once he had to be admitted to the hospital for a piles operation, the producers booked nearby rooms so that he could narrate the story of his film to Kaka.
Beggars used to beg in the name of Rajesh Khanna
It is also very famous about Rajesh Khanna that the beggar used to beg not in the name of God but in the name of Rajesh Khanna. Rajesh Khanna himself once saw a beggar doing this.
Actually, once one of his films was being shot at Mithibai College, Vile Parle, Mumbai. During that time, a beggar used to beg outside the shooting set in the name of Rajesh Khanna. After this incident, beggars at many places started begging in the name of Rajesh Khanna.
Rajesh Khanna’s record which has not been broken till date
Rajesh Khanna achieved stardom by giving 17 consecutive superhits between 1969-72. The popularity of his films can be gauged from the fact that after watching one of his films, people used to enter the theater to watch another film. There was a time when in all the big theaters there were only 5-6 films of Rajesh Khanna.
Stardom had become difficult to handle
Rajesh Khanna was once troubled by the stardom he got due to his hit films. It is said that he had started thinking that some of his films might flop. Later, when the films started flopping, he was completely broke. That period of his life was the most difficult.
Was broken by continuous flop films
It is said that when Rajesh Khanna’s 7 consecutive films flopped, he was devastated. To forget the sorrow of flop films, he started getting drunk. One night it was raining heavily. Everyone in the house was in deep sleep when suddenly the sound of Rajesh Khanna crying loudly was heard. Dimple was also very scared after seeing Rajesh Khanna in such a condition.
started thinking about suicide
Yasir Usman mentioned in his book ‘The Untold Story of India’s First Superstar’ that Rajesh Khanna was completely heartbroken by his disintegrating career. He became so depressed that he started thinking about suicide.
had decided to drown in the sea
According to Yasir Usman, Rajesh Khanna had decided to drown himself in the sea, but at the last moment he changed his decision. Rajesh Khanna was such a person that he had seen both success and failure very closely. He lived every moment of his life to the fullest. He stood strong even in his sorrow and proved that happiness never dies.
Dialogues that teach life lessons
Rajesh Khanna mostly worked in such films which talked about life and relationships. Rajesh Khanna, who has portrayed romance, action and emotion brilliantly on screen, has spoken many memorable dialogues in his film career, which also give a lesson in life.
Producer-director Siddharth Nagar spoke to Dainik Bhaskar on the birth anniversary of Rajesh Khanna.
Rajesh Khanna made his TV debut with Doordarshan’s serial ‘Raghukul Reet Sada Chali Aayi’. Producer-director Siddharth Nagar with Rajesh Khanna during the shooting of the serial.
My refuge and I am their Salim
Producer-director Siddharth Nagar, while sharing some special memories related to Rajesh Khanna, said – I had a very close relationship with Kaka. I called them Jahanpanah and they called me Salim. Once I went to Doordarshan for a meeting for a new show. I was told to plan something big. It just came out of my mouth that I should make a serial with Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore? The director who was there at that time stood up from his chair. Said why have you come to joke?
used to serve sake very well
I became a producer-director at the age of 22. Seeing my age no one believed me. This happened in 2005, when he was 30 years old. After the meeting with Doordarshan, I reached Kaka ji’s house to meet him. At that time there was no idea of the story on which to make the serial. Uncle used to serve very good sake. He was very fond of feeding and feeding.
Uncle asked- Which movie is it?
After feeding, uncle asked, now tell me what is the project? Which film do you want to make? I said, Kaka ji is serial. Uncle suggested me to make a film. He said that you have made many serials, now make a film. I said, Kaka ji, right now there is only serial, I have come for that only. He kept looking at me for a long time.
he was a very emotional person
I don’t know what kind of X-ray machine was there in Kaka’s eyes that could read the mind of the person in front of him. He was a very emotional person. Understood what was going on in my mind. Ask yourself, “Okay, tell me what is the story?” I said that I don’t know anything about the story yet, while coming in the lift the title ‘Raghukul Reet Sada Chali Aayi’ came to my mind. As soon as he heard the title, he immediately agreed to work.
Hello, I am Rajesh Khanna
When Kaka came to the shooting on the first day, he was introducing himself to all the artists. He was saying- Hello, I am Rajesh Khanna, I am a new artist in television. By meeting everyone myself, I removed everyone’s hesitation. When the first shot was taken, I forgot to cut after the action. Kaka himself said ‘cut’ and saw that tears were flowing from my eyes. At that time, I became very emotional after seeing my uncle’s work.
Kaka used to say that people make fun of me
He used to invite me to his house any time. Was sitting in his balcony once in the afternoon. Kaka said that people make fun of me that when I stand here and look at the sea, they think that I am looking for my fans. See, when I am not there, there will be no vacant space on the road. When he was no more, his words were echoing in my ears after seeing that crowd. On July 18, 2012, Kaka said goodbye to the world, but it seems that he is still around us somewhere. 10 lakh people attended his funeral.
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