Bollywood's Most Beloved Superstar Lagendary Actor Of The SubContinent Rajesh Khanna Fondly Addressed As Kakaji Passes Away At The Age Of 69
Date of Birth:
29 December 1942, Amritsar, Punjab, IndiaBirth Name:
Jatin KhannaNickname:
KakaRK
King of Romance
Superstar of Indian Cinema
Height:
5' 9" (1.75 m)Zodiac sign :
Capricorn
Biography:
Rajesh Khanna, the superstar of Indian Cinema, entered Hindi films in the latter half of the 1960s. He first tasted success with hit films like Baharoan Ke Sapne, Raaz and Aurat and he was appreciated for his performances in Aakhri Khat.Rajesh Khanna achieved overnight super-stardom with Shakti Samantha's 'Aradhana" (1969). His role in Khamoshi were greatly appreciated.He became the craze of the nation, and critics started calling him the First Superstar of both Indian Cinema (No. 1 Actor) and Hindi Films and remained so alone as the Superstar for 7 years (1969-1975) and had to share the status with Amitabh from 1977-1991 till he left films to join politics in 1991.
Anju Mahendru was his girl friend in 1966-1972, the then aspiring actress but they had breakup in 1972 when Anju was not ready for marriage and Khanna married his fan Dimple Kapadia in March 1973, 8 months before Raj Kapoor's Bobby released in theaters.
Khanna's pairing with Mumtaz always produced much success as they had all of their eight films together as major golden jubilee hits.His films with Sharmila Tagore, Asha Parekh and Zeenat Aman was a favorite with audiences too in 70's.
From 1976 onwards till 1978, his films started flopping unexpectedly although his performances and the film's music were praised by critics and thereby his successful run at the box office ended.
Khanna bounced back with Amardeep and then again started giving many critically acclaimed and commercially successful films starting from 1979 till 1991.K.Balaji , Tamil film actor and producer, wanted to establish himself in Hindi film industry as a producer and thereby wanted to remake his Tamil film Dheepam, which had starred Sivaji Ganeshan in the lead role, in Hindi. At a time when Khanna's films were not working at the box office, Khanna got this film out of the blue and went on to become a big hit.In the 80's his films opposite Tina Munim, Hema Malini, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil and Poonam Dhillon were big hits.
He produced three films and co-produced 3 films. He left film industry in 1991 and entered politics by joining the Congress Party in 1991 and became a member of parliament. Khanna was awarded Filmfare Special award in 1991 for having starred in 101 films as the solo lead hero and just 21 two hero films in short span of 25 years. He is still adored and fondly remembered by the masses. Songs from his films adorn the lips of youth and adolescents. He was the first mega-star and has left behind a storehouse of the finest moments in film history.
Anju Mahendru was his girl friend in 1966-1972, the then aspiring actress but they had breakup in 1972 when Anju was not ready for marriage and Khanna married his fan Dimple Kapadia in March 1973, 8 months before Raj Kapoor's Bobby released in theaters.
Khanna's pairing with Mumtaz always produced much success as they had all of their eight films together as major golden jubilee hits.His films with Sharmila Tagore, Asha Parekh and Zeenat Aman was a favorite with audiences too in 70's.
From 1976 onwards till 1978, his films started flopping unexpectedly although his performances and the film's music were praised by critics and thereby his successful run at the box office ended.
Khanna bounced back with Amardeep and then again started giving many critically acclaimed and commercially successful films starting from 1979 till 1991.K.Balaji , Tamil film actor and producer, wanted to establish himself in Hindi film industry as a producer and thereby wanted to remake his Tamil film Dheepam, which had starred Sivaji Ganeshan in the lead role, in Hindi. At a time when Khanna's films were not working at the box office, Khanna got this film out of the blue and went on to become a big hit.In the 80's his films opposite Tina Munim, Hema Malini, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil and Poonam Dhillon were big hits.
He produced three films and co-produced 3 films. He left film industry in 1991 and entered politics by joining the Congress Party in 1991 and became a member of parliament. Khanna was awarded Filmfare Special award in 1991 for having starred in 101 films as the solo lead hero and just 21 two hero films in short span of 25 years. He is still adored and fondly remembered by the masses. Songs from his films adorn the lips of youth and adolescents. He was the first mega-star and has left behind a storehouse of the finest moments in film history.
Spouse:
| Dimple Kapadia | (1973 - 1984) (separated) 2 children |
ILLNESS AND DEATH:
In June 2012, it was reported that Rajesh Khanna's health had been deterorating for some time On 23 June he was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai due to health complications. He was discharged on 8 July from the hospital and was reportedly fine.
On 14 July, Khanna was readmitted to the Lilavati Hospital but was discharged on 17 July.He died the next day at his bungalow, Aashirwad, in Mumbai due to kidney problems.Dr Trivedi, a spokesman for the hospital, said that he cannot confirm the nature of the illness. However, a friend who acted as his spokesman during the illness had said his food intake had decreased over the previous days and he was "very weak." His funeral took place on 19 July at 11:00.He died in the presence of his wife Dimple Kapadia, daughters Rinkie Khanna and Twinkle Khanna, son-in-law Akshay Kumar, grand children and other close relatives.His pyre was lit by his grandson, Aarav, with the assistance of Akshay Kumar.Amitabh Bhachchan cited a close relative of Rajesh Khanna, "His last words were 'Time over, Pack-up'."
Reactions After His Death:
Following his death, there was a quick spate of reactions from within the Bollywood fraternity. Hema Malini said that "we always thought he would come back [from the hospital]. We are in shock right now." His son-in-law Akshay Kumar told reporters about his death and added that "he has gone to a nice and heavenly place. I am happy that he has gone there and hope that everyone will pray for him." Others celebrities who paid homage to him at his house included, Abhishek Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor, Prem Chopra and Sajid Khan.Shah Rukh Khan reacted on Twitter in writing: "To live with intention and walk to the edge. Play with abandon, choose with no regret. Smile and made us do the same. Sir, you defined our era. Whenever life felt tough u made us feel how love could change it all. RIP." Mumtaz also added that she had memories of having working with him; while Shahid Kapoor also wrote on Twitter: "RIP to the 1st king of romance...Rajesh Khanna." Subhash Ghai added that Khanna "was the powerhouse of Hindi film industry. I met him on the sets of aaradhna, he had some kind of energy and you will be charged when he is around you. His name will be written in golden words." Madhuri Dixit wrote on Twitter that "as another of Hindi cinema's giants passes, Rajesh Khanna. Our sincere condolences to his family. We will miss him dearly." Vyjayanthimala commented that "his death is a big loss to the industry. It's my bad luck that I didn't have the chance to work with him because he came much later. I remember when he came to Chennai for some film shoot the college girls went crazy to catch a glimpse of him when he was going to his studio.Manna Dey said: "He was a great actor, truly a superstar no doubt about it. I am honoured to have done playback for him. I have worked for him in several movies and actors like him are a rarity.Mrinal Sen recollected how Khanna had wanted to cast him in one of his films, but the latter could not manage due to date problems. "We had met several times. Once I had wanted to cast him in one of my films but somehow that didn't work out due to his date problems." Buddhadeb Dasgupta said Khanna's acting would continue to inspire young actors in future. "He was a great actor and was the first superstar. He was a much bigger star than Amitabh Bachchan. He was a craze when we were in school and college. His acting will continue to inspire young actors of the coming generations. Rituparno Ghosh said: "In the film Anand, Khanna delivered some of Indian cinema's most memorable dialogue. The use of the word babu moshai for Amitabh Bachchan, who played a Bengali doctor in the film, is so deeply etched in the minds of Indians that it has almost become a synonym for Bengalis for the rest of the countrymen. In a dhoti and kurta, you showed the rest of India how truly elegant Bengal was." Film historian S. M. M. Ausaja added: "He never acted in a Bengali cinema. But right from the late 1960s to the 70s he was the top star and worked with the top directors of his era, most of whom were Bengalis.There were also reactions from the Gali Tiwaria where the his ancestral house was, and had since been converted to a temple through his donation. Songs from his movies were played as the news of his death became known. His foster brother Muni Chand Khanna said that "he used to love to play cricket when he lived here.He was a simple boy when he lived here and led a simple life even after achieving so much.
Additionally, those within the political spectrum that offered their condolences included Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who said that he "convey[s] my heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved family and countless fans and admirers of Shri Rajesh Khanna." INC President Sonia Gandhi also expressed her sorrow. Regional political leaders who offered their condolences included Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee who said: "Rajesh Khanna was always a symbol of romance. His smiling face and the ability to connect with people at ease had made him popular. We lost a big pole star in the film world today;" as well as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who added that "his death has caused irreparable loss to Hindi cinema.
Reactions In Pakistan:
Condolences also came from Pakistan where Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf called Khanna a "great actor whose contribution to the field of films and arts would be long remembered. [He had a] large fan following across the borders and captivated audiences with his excellent acting skills." Ali Zafar wrote on Twitter: "Rajesh Khanna - RIP. So many fond memories from his movies and songs," while Syed Noor said: "Rajesh Khanna was such a huge actor of the subcontinent that he will be remembered by the people for many years to come. The era he reigned over is unlikely to be experienced by any other actor of this subcontinent." Geo TV also aired a nearly hour-long tribute with contributions from actors, filmmakers and musicians.
