Connect with us
हिंदी اردو
Monday,15-December-2025
Breaking News

Bollywood

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

Published

4 years ago

on

 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)

Post Views: 159
Related Tags:

Bollywood

Jannat Zubair and Elvish Yadav meet Messi, call it an ‘amazing day’

Published

7 hours ago

on

December 15, 2025

By

Mumbai, Dec 15: As Messi fever grips the entire country, ‘Laughter Chefs season 3’ contestants Jannat Zubair and Elvish Yadav also got the rare opportunity to meet the ‘G.O.A.T’.

Sharing glimpses of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on social media, Jannat and Elvish dropped a joint post that read, “We met Messi!! What an amazing day (Sparkles emoji) Welcome to India 🇮🇳 So much love (red heart emoji) Special Thanks To @officialpuch.ai (Smiling face and red heart emoji) (Sic).”

Messi landed in Mumbai on Sunday as part of his India tour. However, he encountered an embarrassing situation in Kolkata, where he ended up spending only 20 minutes, despite a promised time of 2 hours.

The footballer was forced to leave early as the situation at the Salt Lake stadium turned unpredictable after political and influential figures tried hijacking the event, irking fans, who did not get a chance to see the football player even after paying thousands on tickets.

After Kolkata, Messi made a stop in Hyderabad and then Mumbai as part of his itinerary.

During his Mumbai visit, many bigwigs from Bollywood met the legendary footballer.

B-town beauty, Kareena Kapoor Khan, took her two boys, Taimur and Jeh, to meet Messi. Bebo was seen coming out of the Wankhede Stadium after meeting the footballer on Sunday.

While Kareena was dressed sharply in formals, her sons were seen wearing football jerseys. While Taimur wore the jersey with Messi’s name on it, Jeh was seen in a jersey with Argentina’s name.

Actress Shilpa Shetty also took her son, Viaan-Raj Kundra to meet the football legend at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.

After coming out of the stadium following the meet, Shilpa told the media stationed outside the venue, “It was very nice. Iska (Viaan) ka toh dream poora ho gaya (Viaan’s dream has been fulfilled)”.

Post Views: 59,485
Continue Reading

Bollywood

Celebrate Rajinikanth’s 75th Birthday: Evergreen Films Of Superstar Rajini To Stream On OTT Platform

Published

3 days ago

on

December 12, 2025

By

As India celebrates Rajinikanth’s 75th birthday, fans across the world are revisiting the timeless charm, unmatched screen presence, and iconic dialogues that have made him a living legend. Superstar Rajinikanth is fondly known as Thalaivar. The legendary actor is not just a superstar; he is a phenomenon who has shaped Indian cinema for nearly five decades. Rajnikanth’s real name is Shivaji Rao Gaikwad, who was born on December 12, 1950, in a Marathi family in Bengaluru, Mysore State (present-day Karnataka). He has acted in over 170 films across various languages including: Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, and Bengali.

The actor is professionally known as Rajinikanth. The Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Award nominee actor received his iconic name from legendary director K. Balachander. The legendary director mentored him and suggested the name Rajinikanth for his mass fan following. Rajinikanth has turned 75 on Friday, December 12, 2025. To honour his legacy, let’s take a look at some of his evergreen films available on OTT platforms, perfect for a nostalgic binge.

Enthiran is the sci-fi spectacle that revolutionised Indian cinema. The films’ visual effects brought Rajinikanth in a double role as Dr. Vaseegaran and the unforgettable Chitti, the robot. His performance as the antagonist robot remains iconic. Even today, Enthiran continues to be a benchmark for Indian science fiction. The film was released in 2010, and it was the most expensive Indian film at the time of its release. The film received an overwhelming response, and it emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film of 2010 and won two National Film Awards in the categories of Best Special Effects and Best Production Design. The music of the film was composed by A.R. Rahman.

Another blockbuster film of Rajinikanth is Sivaji The Boss, which is helmed by S. Shankar. Sivaji is a visually grand entertainer that narrates the story of an NRI fighting corruption, which struck a chord with audiences, while Rajini’s charismatic performance and stylish transformation in “Oru Koodai Sunlight” became instant fan favourites. The film remains a must-watch for its powerful message and mass sequences. The film emerged as one of the highest-grossing Indian films at its release and won a National Award in the category of Best Special Effects. The music of the film was composed by A. R. Rahman.

Baashha remains one of Rajinikanth’s most celebrated blockbusters. The film, known for its gripping storyline and the iconic dialogue “Naan oru thadava sonna… nooru thadava sonna madhiri,” showcases Rajini in a dual shade of a calm, humble auto driver by day and a fierce don with a past. Even today, Baashha is widely considered the film that defined Rajinikanth’s superstar aura.

In Kabali, Rajinikanth shed his larger-than-life image and delivered a more grounded, emotional performance. The film narrates the story of an aging gangster searching for his family, bringing a new depth to his acting repertoire. With stylish action and soulful storytelling, Kabali is a top pick for serious cinema lovers.

Kaala is an action-drama film directed by Pa. Ranjith. The film is set in the heart of Dharavi and explores themes of power, identity, and justice. Rajini’s portrayal of a charismatic leader of the oppressed added another dimension to his legacy. The film is appreciated for its socio-political undertones and raw cinematic mood.

Rajinikanth never fails to surprise his fans with his different looks and styles. In Jailer, you will definitely see the charismatic look, a lot of action sequences, and his powerful dialogue delivery, which will definitely keep you hooked to the edge of your seat till the end. The movie was released in 2023 and emerged as the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2023, the sixth highest-grossing Indian film of 2023, and the second highest-grossing Tamil film of all time. The music of the film is composed by Anirudh Ravichandran.

Petta is a Tamil-language action drama film in which Rajinikanth plays the role of Kaali, a mysterious, older man who takes a job as a college hostel warden, but is secretly a powerful figure. The film emerged as one of the highest-grossing Tamil films of all time and the second-highest-grossing Tamil film of 2019.

Apoorva Raagangal is Rajinikanth’s debut film. The film is directed by his mentor K Balachander, in which he played the role of the abusive ex-husband. The film also features Kamal Haasan. The film won three National Film Awards, including Best Feature Film in Tamil.

Post Views: 62,930
Continue Reading

Bollywood

The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 4: Will Virat Kohli Be The Next Guest? Kapil Sharma Responds To Fan Requests

Published

1 week ago

on

December 8, 2025

By

Will Indian cricketer Virat Kohli be Kapil Sharma’s next guest on The Great Indian Kapil Show? When a fan asked Kapil about inviting the cricketer to his show, he responded by saying “zaroor karunga.”

During an #AskKapil session, a fan wrote, “Virat Kohli ki aapke show paar kab invite kaar rahe ho ya aapki is bare me unse baat hui ya nahi sir (When are you inviting Virat Kohli to your show, or have you spoken to him about this or not, sir).” To this, Kapil replied, “Kabhi mila to zaroor request karunga unse (sic).”

Following Kapil’s reply, fans continued urging The Great Indian Kapil Show host to invite more Indian cricketers as well. One user even requested, “Dhoni aur Sachin Tendulkar ko Kab request karoge.”

Kapil Sharma will next be seen in Kis Kis Ko Pyaar Karoon 2, releasing in cinemas on December 12, 2025. The film stars Kapil in the lead role alongside Manjot Singh, Ayesha Khan, Hira Warina, Tridha Choudhary, Parul Gulati, Triptii Dimri, and Vipin Sharma.

Today, Kapil Sharma took some time out of his busy schedule to respond to fans’ questions. When one user asked, “Sir aapke show ka new season kab aa raha,” Kapil replied, “It’s starting on 20th December on @NetflixIndia.”

Another fan asked, “Kapil bhai aapne dhurandhar movie dekhi ky agr dekhi he to aapko movie kaise lagi ??” Kapil responded, “Busy in promotions, couldn’t watch it, but try to watch it tonight agar jaldi free ho gya to, mere bhai @RanveerOfficial ki movie hai, how can I miss it (sic).”

Season 4 of The Great Indian Kapil Show will premiere on December 20, 2025. As per reports, the first episode will feature Navjot Singh Sidhu and Harbhajan Singh as guests, appearing along with their wives. Besides them, the regular cast; Kapil, Sunil Grover, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda, Archana Puran Singh, and Rajiv Thakur, will also return to the show.

Post Views: 65,814
Continue Reading

Trending