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Remembering Rajesh Khanna: The actor for whom the word ‘superstar’ was coined

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4 years ago

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 Rajesh Khanna was a natural. His biographer Gautam Chintamani recalls the director-writer-actor Rumi Jaffery saying how he can “never forget how Rajesh Khanna prided himself on never using aids like glycerine to evoke tears while acting”.

Jaffery recalled in a conversation with Chintamani: “He would ask you, ‘How many tears do you need?’, and just turn around for a moment or two; and when he turned back, there would be tears in his eyes. You could wake him up in the middle of the night and he would just stand and deliver when it came to tears.”

Chintamani will be collaborating with director Farah Khan on the script, based on his book, ‘Dark Star: The Loneliness Of Being Rajesh Khanna’, for a biopic on India’s first superstar.

“Once, Jaffery and (cinematographer) Sameer Arya instructed Rajesh Khanna to randomly shed a few tears in a hotel’s lift lobby and Khanna readily dispelled a few before the lift emerged,” Chintamani writes in the book.

And, there was no end to his ire when aroused.

“There were times when rumours of his sudden death flooded the Internet and saw his fans paying rich tributes on social media sites. Once, an infuriated Khanna walked to the main gate of Aashirwad in his favourite silk lungi-kurta with a cigarette and drink in tow only to prove to a journalist that, contrary to rumours, he was still alive,” Chintamai writes.

It was this strength of character that prompted Rajesh Khanna to appear in his first TV commercial — perhaps to the horror of some, but to the immense delight of a legion of admirers — and boldly declaim: “Fans kya hote hain mujhse poochho. Pyaar ka woh toofan … mohabbat ki woh aandhi .. woh jazbaa … woh junoon. Hawaa badal sakti hai lekin fans hamesha mere rahenge. Babumoshai, mere fans mujhse koi nahin chheen sakta (I will tell you what fans are. That storm of love … that passion … that madness. The direction of the wind may change, but my fans will always stay with me. Babumoshai, no one can steal my fans from me).”

This was only to be expected from an actor showered with love by a generation of fans who had grown up on three immensely poignant songs from his movie ‘Anand’: “Zindagi Kaise Hai Paheli”, “Kahin Door Jab Din Dhal Jaaye” and “Maine Tere Liye Hi Saat Rang Ke Sapne Chune”.

Sure, there were a procession of hit songs from his 17 consecutive hit films as the lead hero from 1969 to 1971, which included 15 solo-hero films and two non-solo-hero films. “Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana” and “Yeh Shaam Mastani” are just two, but listen carefully to the lyrics from ‘Anand’ and you will get a measure of what Rajesh Khanna’s guiding philosophy was all about.

Sharmila Tagore, his co-star in ‘Aradhana’, which began his journey to superstardom, sums this up the best in the foreword to Chintamani’s book: “If ever a life was meant to be a book, few could stake a stronger claim. Like a shooting star doomed to darkness after a glorious run, Rajesh Khanna spent the better half of his career in the shadow of his own stardom. Yet, 40 years after his last monstrous hit, Khanna continues to be the yardstick by which every single Bollywood star is measured.”

She recalls: “At a time when film stars were truly larger than life, Khanna was even more: the one for whom the term ‘superstar’ was coined. Born Jatin Khanna to middle-class parents, the actor was adopted by rich relatives who brought him up like a prince.

“By the time he won the Filmfare-United Producers Combine Talent Hunt, he was already famous for being the struggler who drove an imported sports car.

“With 17 blockbuster hits in succession and mass adulation rarely seen before or since, the world was at Khanna’s feet. Everything he touched turned to gold. The hysteria he generated — women writing him letters in blood, marrying his photograph and donning white when he married Dimple Kapadia, people bringing sick children for his ‘healing’ touch after ‘Haathi Mere Saathi’ — was unparalleled.

“Then, in a matter of months, it all changed. Khanna’s career hit a downward spiral, as spectacular as his meteoric rise just three years after ‘Aradhana’ (1969) and never really recovered.”

Adman-filmmaker R. Balki, who directed Rajesh Khanna in the TV commercial, roundly deprecates the criticism that the actor had been depicted in poor light in the 35-second spot, saying it only points to his strength of character.

“My response to it (the criticism) is simple,” he said in an interview after the commercial was aired. “If a man is great enough to laugh at himself, why should anyone have a problem? When he wasn’t doing anything on screen all these years, people were making all kinds of jokes about it. When a legend chooses to laugh at himself, then some people start getting uncomfortable. I don’t even think that they are Rajesh Khanna fans in the first place. … He’s the one who is cracking a joke at himself, he is sporting enough to say, ‘Yes, I am not what I used to be. But so what!'”

Legendary script-writer Salim Khan, who in tandem with Javed Akhtar, has penned some of Bollywood’s most memorable films, provides a balanced perspective in his foreword to an earlier biography, ‘Rajesh Khanna: The Untold Story of India’s First Superstar’, by journalist-author Yaseer Usman.

Salim Khan writes in the Foreword: “Today, my son Salman Khan is a big star. Crowds cluster daily in front of our house to catch a glimpse of him. People often come to me and say that they haven’t seen such a craze for any star before this.

“But I tell these people that just a small distance away from here, on Carter Road, I have witnessed many such sights in front of Aashirwad. And I have never seen that kind of mass adulation for any other star after Rajesh Khanna.”

Salim Khan concludes: “We often forget when we talk about film stars or public figures that they are also human beings who also make mistakes, face failure and are scared of losing their successful run professionally, like everyone else.”

One thing is for sure: It has been a decade since Rajesh Khanna departed from this world, but his legacy will continue to live for generations to come.

(Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)

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Bollywood

‘Dhurandhar 2 Is A Pakistani Film, Why Show It To People Of Hindustan?’ Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi Slams Ranveer Singh Starrer Movie

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3 weeks ago

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March 20, 2026

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Mumbai: Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi on Friday slammed the Ranveer Singh starrer Dhurandhar 2, calling it ‘a false film’ made to spread hatred. Azmi added that the film is about Pakistan and questioned why it is being shown to audiences in India. His statements came as the release of ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ triggered fresh controversy, with religious leaders raising concerns over its content.

While speaking to media, he questioned, “This film is made only to spread hatred, it is a false film. It is a Pakistani film, so why not show it to the people of Pakistan? Why show the people of Hindustan?”

Azmi accused the film of defaming Muslims, as he alleged that the movie focuses only on a few criminals while ignoring the many major crimes that have occurred in India.

Earlier, SP MLA Rais Shaikh had criticised the film and raised concerns saying that cinema should entertain, not become a tool for propaganda. Taking to his official handle on X (Formerly Twitter), Shaikh claimed that films like Dhurandhar blur the line between storytelling and political messaging, calling the film an agenda, not an art. “Films like #Dhurandhar blur the line between storytelling and political messaging, repeatedly glorifying one government. This isn’t art, it’s agenda,” he wrote.

AIMIM leader Waris Pathan stated movies should ideally provide knowledge and entertainment, alleging that some filmmakers create such content for monetary gain while spreading negativity against a specific community. 

Despite the controversy, the film garnered a massive box office collection by crossing the Rs 100 crore mark on Day 1 itself. With this, the film’s total collection now stands at a staggering Rs 145.55 crore (all languages), setting the tone for a blockbuster run ahead.

During the paid previews on March 18, the film faced cancellations and delays across India. Not just this, Director Aditya Dhar also issued an apology to the audience after last-minute cancellations and delays.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar 2 is a spy action thriller that stars Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R. Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, and Sara Arjun. Dhurandhar 2 offers a glimpse into Ranveer’s character, undercover agent Jaskirat Singh Rangi, who is fully embedded in the criminal underworld under the alias Hamza Ali Mazari. It also depicts his ascension to the role of the new Sher-e-Baloch and his ascendancy as the undisputed king of Lyari, as the actor unleashes his full intensity after eliminating Akshaye Khanna’s character, Rahman Dakait, in the first part.

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Bollywood

Mumbai Crime Branch Issues LOC Against Lawrence Bishnoi Aide Harry Boxer For Threatening Actor Ranveer Singh

Published

2 months ago

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February 21, 2026

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Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Harichandra alias Harry Boxer, a key alleged member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, in connection with a threat issued to Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh. The action follows a preliminary investigation into a threatening voice note and extortion demand received by the actor’s manager, police officials confirmed, Media reported on Saturday.

According to the Mumbai Crime Branch, the voice note was sent from an American phone number and demanded a ransom of Rs 20 crore. In an earlier development, Mumbai Police sources had indicated that the actor allegedly received a death threat along with an extortion demand of Rs 10 crore from members linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

A senior police official said the threatening message was received on the WhatsApp number of Ranveer Singh’s manager. The sender identified himself as ‘Harry Boxer’ in the audio message. Following this, the Crime Branch sent the voice note for verification to agencies in Punjab and Haryana, while also initiating official communication with US authorities to gather technical details related to the foreign number used to send the threat.

During the preliminary probe, investigators found that Harry Boxer, described as a close aide of the Bishnoi gang, allegedly sent the voice note. Initial findings suggest that the voice in the message matches that of Boxer, although officials stressed that further corroborative evidence is being collected to conclusively establish his involvement.

Police sources further revealed that the threatening message was sent shortly after a recent firing incident outside the residence of filmmaker Rohit Shetty, raising concerns about a possible pattern of intimidation linked to high-profile personalities.

In response to the threat, security arrangements around Ranveer Singh’s residence in Mumbai have been tightened as a precautionary measure. The Crime Branch has recorded the statement of the actor’s manager and continues to examine digital and forensic evidence related to the case.

Officials clarified that while no formal FIR has been registered so far, a preliminary inquiry is underway. Further action will be decided based on the outcome of ongoing verification and evidence collection, police confirmed.

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Bollywood

Actor Ranveer Singh Receives Death Threat, Rs 10 Crore Extortion Demand Linked To Bishnoi Gang

Published

2 months ago

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February 20, 2026

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Mumbai : Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh has allegedly received a death threat and an extortion demand of Rs.10 crore from members of the Bishnoi gang, according to Mumbai Police sources.

A senior Mumbai Police official said the threat was sent via a voice note from an American number. The Crime Branch has initiated contact with the concerned agency in the United States through official protocol to obtain details about the number used to send the message.

During the preliminary investigation, the Mumbai Crime Branch found that one of the close aides of the Bishnoi gang, identified as Harry Boxer, allegedly sent the voice note threatening the actor and demanding Rs.10 crore. The voice message was reportedly received on the WhatsApp number of Ranveer Singh’s manager.

Primary findings of the Crime Branch suggest that the voice in the note matches that of Harry Boxer. However, officials said further evidence is being collected to substantiate the claim.

According to investigators, the threatening voice note was sent after the recent firing incident outside filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s residence. The message was received on the manager’s mobile phone following that incident.

After the threat surfaced, security around Ranveer Singh has been tightened. The Crime Branch has recorded the statement of the actor’s manager and is continuing its inquiry.Police officials clarified that no FIR has been registered in the matter so far, but a preliminary inquiry has been initiated.

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