Rajesh Khanna (born
Jatin Khanna on 29 December 1942) is an
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n actor of from
HindiStandard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
films, and has been Hindi film producer and an Indian politician.
During his career, he appeared in 163 films of which 105 had him as the solo lead hero and 21 were two hero projects. He won three
Filmfare Best Actor AwardThe Filmfare Award for Best Actor is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954....
s and was nominated for the same fourteen times. He received the maximum BFJA Awards for Best Actor (Hindi) – four times and nominated 25 times. He was awarded the
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement AwardThe Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, initially named Raj Kapoor Award for Lifetime Achievement after Raj Kapoor is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films....
in 2005. Khanna is referred to as the “First Superstar” of Hindi cinema. He made his debut in 1966 with Aakhri Khat and rose to prominence with his performances in films like
RaazRaaz is a 1967 Hindi movie directed by Ravindra Dave. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Babita, I. S. Johar and Asit Sen. The films music is by Kalyanji Anandji. Rajesh Khanna and Babita are introduced in this film.The film was critically acclaimed and was given 5 stars in Bollywood guide Collections...
,
Baharon Ke SapneBaharon Ke Sapne is a 1967 Hindi movie under Nasir Hussain films banner. It starred Rajesh Khanna ,and the Nasir Husain fixture- Asha Parekh. It also had Premnath , Madan Puri and another Nasir Husain fixture Rajendranath....
,
IttefaqIttefaq is a 1969 Hindi movie produced by B. R. Chopra and directed by his brother Yash Chopra. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Nanda, Bindu, Madan Puri, Iftekhar and has music by Salil Choudhury. The film became a "semi-hit" at the box office...
and
AradhanaAradhana is a 1969 Bollywood film directed by Shakti Samanta and starring Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna. It is a remake of the 1946 Hollywood film To Each His Own. It was voted best film of the year by the Filmfare Awards...
.
Early life
Khanna was born in
AmritsarAmritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
on 29 December 1942. He was adopted and raised by foster parents who were relatives of his biological parents. Khanna lived in Thakurdwar near
GirgaonGirgaon, also spelt Girgaum, is an area in southern Mumbai in Maharashtra, India.Girgaon gets its name from being located at the foot of Malabar Hill in South Mumbai. The culture in Girgaon is diverse and varied. Like most areas of cosmopolitan Mumbai, residents span diverse languages, religions,...
. Khanna attended St. Sebastian’s Goan High School in Girgaum, along with his friend Ravi Kapoor, who later took the stage name
JeetendraJeetendra born Ravi Kapoor is an Indian actor and television producer...
. Their mothers were friends. Khanna gradually started taking interest in theatre and did a lot of plays in his school and college days and won many prizes in the inter college drama competitions. Khanna became a rare newcomer who struggled in his own MG sports car to get work in theatre and films in the early sixties. Both friends later studied in
Kishinchand Chellaram CollegeKishinchand Chelaram College, better known as K. C. College, in Mumbai, India is an educational institution.In addition to Science, Arts and Commerce degrees, the college offers professional and vocational courses such as Bachelor of Mass Media, B.Sc...
(KC). When Jeetendra went for his first film audition, it was Khanna who tutored him.
Khanna's uncle changed Khanna's first name to Rajesh when Khanna decided to join films. His friends and his wife call him Kaka.
Adult life
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Khanna fell in love with the then fashion designer and actress
Anju Mahendru-Personal life and education:Mahendru was born in Dehradun. She is famed for her relationship with famous Bollywood star Rajesh Khanna and was briefly engaged to cricket player Gary Sobers.-Career:...
. They were in the relationship for seven years. Mahendru states that the couple did not speak to each other for 17 years after the breakup. Later Khanna married
Dimple KapadiaDimple Chunnibhai Kapadia is an Indian film actress. She made her acting debut at the age of 16, playing the title role in Raj Kapoor's teen romance Bobby . In that same year she married Indian actor Rajesh Khanna, and retired from acting. Kapadia returned to films in 1984 after her separation...
in 1973 and has two daughters from the marriage. Khanna and Dimple Kapadia separated in 1984 as his schedule kept him away much of the time and Dimple became interested in pursuing an acting career, and thereafter lived separately, but did not complete the divorce proceedings. In the eighties
Tina MunimTina Munim is an Indian film actress who had a successful Bollywood career during the late seventies and early eighties. She is married to Anil Ambani. She is involved in a number of philanthropic and charity activities and is currently running an NGO and a hospital.-Early life and...
was romantically involved with Khanna till the time she decided to leave the industry to pursue her higher studies. Years of separation brought about mutual understanding between Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia. Reporter Dinesh Raheja stated that “the bitterness between Rajesh and Dimple washed away", noting that they are seen together at parties and that Dimple campaigned for Khanna's election and also worked in his film. Their elder daughter
Twinkle KhannaTwinkle Khanna is an Indian film actress who has acted in Bollywood and Telugu films. She is the wife of Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and the daughter of established actors, Dimple Kapadia and Rajesh Khanna...
, an interior decorator and a former film actress, is married to actor
Akshay KumarAkshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",...
while their younger daughter
Rinke KhannaRinke Khanna is an Indian actress. She is the daughter of actor Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia and is the sister of Twinkle Khanna and sister-in-law of actor Akshay Kumar. She made her film debut with Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi , changing her screen name from Rinkle to Rinke...
, also a former Hindi film actress, is married to London-based investment banker Samir Saran.
Early career (1966–1975)
Rajesh Khanna was one of eight finalists in the 1965 All India Talent Contest organised by United Producers and Filmfare from more than ten thousand contestants. Subsequently Khanna won the contest. He made his film debut in the 1966 film
Aakhri KhatAakhri Khat is a 1966 Bollywood film written and directed by Chetan Anand. This is Rajesh Khanna's first film released, but actually his debut film is Raaz, which was released a year later...
directed by Chetan Anand, followed by
RaazRaaz is a 1967 Hindi movie directed by Ravindra Dave. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Babita, I. S. Johar and Asit Sen. The films music is by Kalyanji Anandji. Rajesh Khanna and Babita are introduced in this film.The film was critically acclaimed and was given 5 stars in Bollywood guide Collections...
directed by Ravindra Dave both of which were a part of his predetermined prize for winning the All-India United Producers’ Talent Competition. G.P. Sippy and Nasir Hussain were the first to sign Rajesh Khanna after he won the contest. Khanna in an interview to Hindu newspaper said,"Though “Aakhri Khat” is my first film, I received my first break as a leading actor in Ravindra Dave's, “Raaz” in 1967. My heroine was Babita, already a popular actress then. Though I had lots of confidence, I was shy in facing the camera initially. In my first three shots, I had to perform with stress on my body language and dialogue delivery. Though I was right with my dialogues, my movements were not up to the mark. Ravindra Dave explained me my scenes and movements very clearly correcting my way of walking". Being under contract with United Producers, he got projects like Aurat, Doli and Ittefaq. He was then noticed for his performances in films like
Baharon Ke SapneBaharon Ke Sapne is a 1967 Hindi movie under Nasir Hussain films banner. It starred Rajesh Khanna ,and the Nasir Husain fixture- Asha Parekh. It also had Premnath , Madan Puri and another Nasir Husain fixture Rajendranath....
,
AuratAurat is a 1967 Hindi movie produced and directed by S S Balan and SS Vasan. The film stars Padmini, Pran, Rajesh Khanna, Feroz Khan, Kanhaiyalal, David, O P Ralhan, Nazima, Lalita Pawar and Leela Chitnis. The films music is by Ravi.The film is totally revolving around character of Parvati's...
(1967), Doli,
Aradhana and
IttefaqIttefaq is a 1969 Hindi movie produced by B. R. Chopra and directed by his brother Yash Chopra. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Nanda, Bindu, Madan Puri, Iftekhar and has music by Salil Choudhury. The film became a "semi-hit" at the box office...
. Later
Waheeda RehmanWaheeda Rehman , is an Indian film actress who appears in Bollywood movies and is known for many successful and critically acclaimed movies from 1950's, 60's and early 70's most notably C.I.D. and Guru Dutt classics such as Pyaasa , 12 O'Clock , Kaagaz Ke Phool , Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam...
suggested Asit Sen to take Khanna for the lead role in Khamoshi. Through
Aradhana he rose to "instant national fame" and film critics referred to him as the first superstar of India. In that film, Rajesh Khanna was cast in a double role (father and son) opposite
Sharmila TagoreSharmila Tagore is an Indian film actress. She has won National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards for her performances.She has led the Indian Film Censor Board from October 2004 till March 2011...
and
Farida Jalal- Career :Farida Jalal, a native of New Delhi, started her career in the 1960s, when she won the United Film Producers Talent Hunt sponsored by Filmfare. She usually played the sister or rejected fiancée of the male lead, but almost never the female lead...
. The film also saw the resurgence of Kishore Kumar, who eventually became the official playback voice of Rajesh Khanna. The Kishore Kumar-Rajesh Khanna combination worked miracles and it was almost impossible to see them as separate identities. They became a singer-actor duo and together they gave many songs till 1991. Then in year 1971, Haathi Mere Saathi became the biggest hit and also became the biggest grosser ever till then.Khanna is also credited with giving Salim Akhtar and Javed Akhtar their first chance to become screenplay writers by offering them work in Haathi Mere Saathi. Javed Akhthar accpeted in an interview "One day, he went to Salimsaab and said that Mr. Devar had given him a huge signing amount with which he could complete the payment for his bungalow Aashirwad. But the film's script was far from being satisfactory. He told us that if we could set right the script, he would make sure we got both money and credit."
Rajesh acted alongside
MumtazMumtaz , fondly called Mumu, is a famous Bollywood actress, best remembered for her roles in Tere Mere Sapne and Khilona . Her performance in Khilona got her the Filmfare Best Actress Award, while the film itself won the Filmfare Best Movie Award...
in eight successful films. They were neighbours and got along very well, and as a result they shared a great on-screen chemistry. After Khanna married, Mumtaz decided to marry millionaire Mayur Madhwani in 1974. At the time, she was doing three films Aap ki Kasam, Roti and Prem Kahani with Khanna. She decided to quit movies only after completing these films. When she left films Khanna felt very lost. In one of her interviews, Mumtaz was quoted saying "I would pull his leg and tease him about his fan following. Whenever Rajesh entered a hotel in Madras, there was a queue of 600 girls waiting to see him at midnight. As a result, even I would get some importance, as people would ask for my autograph as well. He was very generous with his associates, and would party a lot."
During the peak of his career he would be mobbed during public appearances. Fans kissed his car, which would be covered with lipstick marks, and lined the road, cheering and chanting his name. Female fans sent him letters written in their blood. There used to be a line of cars of his producers and hysterical fans outside his bungalow every day. Actor Mehmood parodied him in
Bombay to GoaBombay to Goa is a 1972 adventure-comedy Hindi movie starring Amitabh Bachchan, Shatrughan Sinha, Aruna Irani and Mehmood. The movie is known particularly for its catchy tunes.It is a remake of the hit Tamil film Madras to Pondicherry....
where the driver and conductor of the bus were called 'Rajesh' and 'Khanna'. Even today, he remains the favourite of mimicry artists, who copy his trademark style and dialogue delivery. During the filming of Amar Prem there was a scene that needed to be filmed at
Howrah BridgeThe Howrah Bridge is a cantilever bridge that spans the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. Commissioned in 1943, the bridge was originally named the New Howrah Bridge, because it links the city of Howrah to its twin city, Kolkata . On 14 June 1965 it was renamed Rabindra Setu, after Rabindranath...
with a boat carrying Khanna with Sharmila moving under the bridge. The authorities ruled this scene out as they realized that if the public found out that the hero of the film would be there, it may create problems on the bridge itself, and that it might collapse due to the amount of people trying to get a glimpse of their favourite actor. Film critic Monojit Lahiri remembers “Girls married themselves to photographs of Rajesh Khanna, cutting their fingers and applying the blood as sindoor. Rajesh was God, there has never been such hysteria.”
Several songs sung by
Kishore KumarKishore Kumar , born Abhas Kumar Ganguly, was an Indian film playback singer and an actor who also worked as lyricist, composer, producer, director, screenwriter and scriptwriter.Kishore Kumar was one of India's greatest performers of the late 20th century...
in the 1970s were based on Rajesh Khanna. During the filming of the song 'Mere Sapnon Ki Rani' in Aradhana, Sharmila Tagore was shooting for a
Satyajit RaySatyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
film and director Shakti Samanta had to shoot their scenes separately and then join the scenes together.
The BBC made a film on him, titled Bombay Superstar, in 1974, the shooting for which began the same time when he got married and his film Daag premiered. In the video it can be noticed that Khanna was shooting for Aap Ki Kasam. A textbook prescribed by the Bombay University contained an essay, 'The Charisma of Rajesh Khanna!'.
Sharmila Tagore said in interview to India Express, “Women came out in droves to see Kaka (Khanna). They would stand in queues outside the studios to catch a glimpse, they would marry his photographs, they would pull at his clothes. Delhi girls were crazier for him than Mumbai girls. He needed police protection when he was in public. I have never seen anything like this before and since.”
Music remained one of the biggest attractions of all Rajesh Khanna films throughout his career. Many of the musical scores for Khanna's films were composed by
Sachin Dev BurmanSachin Dev Burman , also credited as Burman da, Kumar Sachindra Dev Barman, Sachin karta or S. D. Burman, was one of the most famous music composers for Hindi movies and a Bengali singer and composer. His son Rahul Dev Burman also achieved great success as a Bollywood music director in his own...
, R.D. Burman and Laxmikant-Pyarelal. The trio of Rajesh Khanna,
Kishore KumarKishore Kumar , born Abhas Kumar Ganguly, was an Indian film playback singer and an actor who also worked as lyricist, composer, producer, director, screenwriter and scriptwriter.Kishore Kumar was one of India's greatest performers of the late 20th century...
and R.D. Burman went on to make a number of popular films, including
Kati PatangKati Patang is a 1970 Indian Hindi movie produced and directed by Shakti Samanta. It became a box office success. It stars Asha Parekh as a woman pretending to be a widow, and her ensuing trials and tribulations...
,
Amar PremAmar Prem is a 1971 Hindi film directed by Shakti Samanta, based on a story by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay and starring Sharmila Tagore, Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Mehra and Madan Puri....
,
ShehzadaShehzada is a 1972 Bollywood drama film directed by K. Shankar, set during the British Raj. The film stars Rajesh Khanna and Rakhee Gulzar.-Cast:*Rajesh Khanna ... Rajesh*Rakhee Gulzar ... Chanda*Veena ... Rajlaxmi*Karan Dewan ... Ratan...
,
Apna DeshApna Desh is a 1972 Hindi movie. Produced by T.M. Kittu and A. V. Subramaniam and directed by Jambu. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Mumtaz, Om Prakash, Jagdeep, Mukkamala, Madan Puri and the uncredited Roja Ramani, who plays Rajesh Khanna's niece Sharda. The films music is by R. D. Burman. ...
,
Mere Jeevan SaathiMere Jeevan Saathi is a 1972 Hindi movie produced by Harish and Vinod Shah. It is directed by Ravikant Nagaich, and it stars Rajesh Khanna, Tanuja, Sujit Kumar, Bindu, Helen, Utpal Dutt and Rajindranath....
,
Aap Ki KasamAap Ki Kasam is a 1974 Hindi film produced by J. Om Prakash, which also marks his directorial debut. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Mumtaz, Sanjeev Kumar, Rehman, Asrani and A. K. Hangal. The music is by R.D. Burman, who received the only Filmfare nomination for the film...
,
AjnabeeAjnabee is a 1974 Bollywood film produced by Girija Samanta and directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Rajesh Khanna and Zeenat Aman in the lead supported by Prem Chopra, Asrani, Madan Puri, Yogeeta Bali and Asit Sen. The film's music is by R.D. Burman...
,
Namak HaraamNamak Haraam , is a 1973 Indian Hindi film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The music is by R.D. Burman and the screenplay by Gulzar and lyrics by Anand Bakshi. The film stars Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan. The film also stars Rekha, Asrani, Raza Murad, A.K. Hangal, Simi Garewal and Om Shivpuri...
,
Maha ChorMaha Chor is a 1976 Bollywood action film cum comedy film directed by Narendra Bedi starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead role paired opposite Neetu Singh for the very first time. The film had music by R.D.Burman and the lyricist whom Rajesh Khanna preferred for his films Anand Bakshi...
,
KarmKarm is a 1977 Hindi movie produced and directed by B. R. Chopra. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Vidya Sinha and Shabana Azmi. The music is by R. D. Burman.-Plot:...
,
Phir Wohi RaatPhir Wohi Raat is a 1980 suspense film of horror genre starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead role as a psychologist doctor opposite Kim Yashpal. Danny later on married Kim Yashpal. The music is by R.D.Burman. This is the first and the only film directed by Danny Denzongpa. It fetched 1.2 crore...
,
AanchalAanchal is a Hindi blockbuster released in 1980 starring Rajesh Khanna, Rakhee, Rekha as the main protagonist and supported by Prem Chopra and Amol Palekar. This story basically revolves around divine relationship shared by Rajesh Khanna with Rakhee. Music is by R D Burman. Songs are sung by...
,
KudratKudrat is a Hindi/Urdu word which was probably derived from the Persian language. It means Nature in English. The word is used widely in lots of expressions in Hindi and Urdu languages. There is also a 1981 Hindi movie written and directed by Chetan Anand. The film stars Rajesh Khanna and Hema...
,
AshantiAshanti is a 1982 Hindi-language film directed by Umesh Mehra, starring Rajesh Khanna, Mithun Chakraborty, Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi, Shabana Azmi and Amrish Puri-Plot:...
,
Agar Tum Na HoteAgar Tum Na Hote is a 1983 Indian Bollywood film directed by Lekh Tandon. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Rekha and Raj Babbar in leading roles.-Story:...
,
AwaazAwaaz is a 1984 Hindi movie directed by Shakti Samanta with Rajesh Khannain the lead role and supported by Jaya Prada, Rakesh Roshan, Suresh Oberoi, Supriya Pathak, Iftekar, Prem Chopra, Madan Puri and Amrish Puri....
,
Hum DonoHum Dono is a 1985 Hindi film, starring Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini and Reena Roy and is directed by B.S. Glaad. The music is by R D Burman, and the songs are sung by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhonsle.The box office collections were Rs.4,50,00,000 in 1985....
and
Alag AlagAlag Alag is a 1985 Hindi film starring Rajesh Khanna, Tina Munim, Shashi Kapoor in the lead roles and produced by Rajesh Khanna. The film is best remembered for the way it was shot in Kashmir and different storyline...
.
Rajesh Khanna had 15 consecutive solo superhits between 1969 to 1972, which is still an unbroken record in Indian film history. The commercial success of his films declined during 1976–78.In calculation of the 15 films, 2 hero films like Maryada,Andaz and films with box office result as hits were excluded -Mere Jeevan Saathi, Choti Bahu and Shehzada.
Khanna considered Guru Dutt, Meena Kumari and Geeta Bali as his idols.Khanna dislosed in an interview," My inspirations include, Dilip Kumar's dedication and intensity, Raj Kapoor's spontaneity, Dev Anand's style and Shammi Kapoor's rhythm."
1976–1978
Between 1976 and 1978, Khanna acted in nine films that were not commercially successful. Seven of these were rated highly by critics upon their release and have achieved strong cult status over the years among the viewers and these films included
MehboobaMehbooba is a 1976 Hindi film produced by Mushir-Riaz and directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini and Prem Chopra. The music is composed by R. D. Burman. The plot it is based on Gulshan Nanda's novel Sisakate Saaz, and Nanda also wrote the screenplay...
,
Bundal Baaz,
TyaagTyaag is a 1977 Bollywood film directed by Din Dayal Sharma. The film stars Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in lead roles.The film was produced by Sharmila Tagore's secretary N.S.Kabir and was co-produced by Sharmila Tagore.The film was critically acclaimed and given four stars by critics upon...
,
Palkon Ki Chhaon MeinPalkon Ki Chhaon Mein is a 1977 Bollywood film directed by Meraj. The film stars Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini.The film received 4 of 5 stars from critics in Bollywood Guide Collections.Rajesh Khanna plays the role of a village postman.The film was critically acclaimed and became an unexpected flop...
,
Naukri,
ChakravyuhaChakravyuha is a 1978 Bollywood film directed by Basu Chatterjee.The film stars Rajesh Khanna and Neetu Singh in lead roles and supported by Vinod Mehra, Simple Kapadia, Pradeep Kumar, Om Shivpuri, Dina Pathak, Master Raju Shresta and others.The music was given by Laxmikant-Pyarelal.The film was...
and
Janata HavaldarJanata Havaldar is a 1979 Bollywood film directed by Mehmood.-Popular Songs of the film:1. Hum se ka bhool huyi sung by Anwar2. teri ankho ki chahat mein3. Hum se kya bhool hui sung by anwar...
which were directed by
Shakti SamantaShakti Samanta was an Indian film director and producer, who founded Shakti Films in 1957, which is most known for films like Howrah Bridge, China Town, Kashmir Ki Kali, An Evening in Paris, Kati Patang and Amar Prem.He received Filmfare Awards for Best Film for Aradhana, Anuraag and Amanush,...
,
Shammi KapoorShammi Kapoor was an Indian film actor and director. He was a prominent lead actor in Hindi cinema from the late 1950s until the early 1970s....
, Din Dayal Sharma, Meeraj,
Hrishikesh MukherjeeHrishikesh Mukherjee ) was a famous Indian film director known for a number of films, including Satyakam, Chupke Chupke, Anupama, Anand, Abhimaan, Guddi, Gol Maal, Aashirwad, Bawarchi, and Namak Haraam.Popularly known as Hrishi-da, he directed 42 films during his career spanning over four decades,...
,
Basu ChatterjeeBasu Chatterjee is an Indian film director. His films are very similar to those of Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Like Mukherjee, he built his plots on middle-class lives.He was born in Ajmer, Rajasthan, India....
and Mehmood Ali, respectively. Khanna persuaded Samanta to cast his sister-in-law
Simple KapadiaSimple Kapadia was a Bollywood actress and costume designer.Simple Kapadia began her career when she was 18 years old. She made her acting debut in 1977 in the film...
opposite him in
AnurodhAnurodh is a 1977 Hindi film, based on the 1963 Bengali film Deya Neya, produced by Girija Samanta and directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Mehra, Simple Kapadia, Rita Bhaduri, Ashok Kumar, Asrani, Asit Sen Utpal Dutt and Nirupa Roy. The music of the film is by Laxmikant...
. Films starring Rajesh Khanna and directed by Shakti Samanta tended to be commercially successful, but
MehboobaMehbooba is a 1976 Hindi film produced by Mushir-Riaz and directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini and Prem Chopra. The music is composed by R. D. Burman. The plot it is based on Gulshan Nanda's novel Sisakate Saaz, and Nanda also wrote the screenplay...
was an exception.
K. BalachanderK. Balachander is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer. Balachander is known for his distinct film-making style. His films analyse unusual or complicated interpersonal relationships and social themes. He has directed nearly 80 films and has worked in 100 films either as director or...
then remade his film
ArangetramArangetram , also Arangettam in Malayalam, is the debut on-stage performance of a Bharatanatyam student, after undertaking years of training.Bharatanatyam is an ancient Indian dance form originating in Tamilakam....
in Hindi as
AainaAaina is a 1974 Indian Bollywood film starring Mumtaz in the lead roles and A. K. Hangal, Nirupa Roy, Lalita Pawar, Jayasudha and Madan Puri in support roles. The music is given by Naushad.This film has a special appearance by Rajesh Khanna...
with Mumtaz in the lead and Khanna in a cameo appearance in 1977. This film was also unsuccessful. The change from romantic and social movies to action oriented multi-starrers caused the decline of Khanna's career in terms of box office ratings to some extent. The declaration of emergency in India had angered the masses and this helped films having the lead character revolting against corruption becoming success. Actor Joy Mukherjee made Chhailla Babu, a suspense thriller in 1977, which became the only successful film of his as a director and the unexpected success of the Chhailla Babu gave a boost to the career of Khanna. However, Khanna continued basically in solo hero social sober household meaningful films during this era and played a variety of characters in films of various genres. During this phase too he had box office hits like
Maha ChorMaha Chor is a 1976 Bollywood action film cum comedy film directed by Narendra Bedi starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead role paired opposite Neetu Singh for the very first time. The film had music by R.D.Burman and the lyricist whom Rajesh Khanna preferred for his films Anand Bakshi...
,
Chhailla Babu,
AnurodhAnurodh is a 1977 Hindi film, based on the 1963 Bengali film Deya Neya, produced by Girija Samanta and directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Mehra, Simple Kapadia, Rita Bhaduri, Ashok Kumar, Asrani, Asit Sen Utpal Dutt and Nirupa Roy. The music of the film is by Laxmikant...
and
KarmKarm is a 1977 Hindi movie produced and directed by B. R. Chopra. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Vidya Sinha and Shabana Azmi. The music is by R. D. Burman.-Plot:...
.
Later career (1979–present)
After 1978, Khanna starred in critically acclaimed commercially successful films such as
AmardeepAmar Deep is a 1979 Bollywood romantic drama film directed by R. Krishnamurthy and K. Vijayan. The film stars Rajesh Khanna in the lead role supported by Shabana Azmi and Vinod Mehra and introducing new actress Deepa. The lyrics were by Anand Bakshi and the music is by Laxmikant Pyarelal.-Plot:Raja...
,
Phir Wohi RaatPhir Wohi Raat is a 1980 suspense film of horror genre starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead role as a psychologist doctor opposite Kim Yashpal. Danny later on married Kim Yashpal. The music is by R.D.Burman. This is the first and the only film directed by Danny Denzongpa. It fetched 1.2 crore...
, Bandish,
Thodisi BewafaiiThodisi Bewafaii is a 1980 Hindi movie written and directed by Esmayeel Shroff. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Shabana Azmi and Padmini Kohlapure. The music is by Khayyam.-Plot:...
,
Dard-People:* Khwaja Mir Dard, 18th century Urdu poet.* Dard Hunter, born William Joseph Hunter , an American authority on printing, paper, and papermaking—especially by hand....
,
KudratKudrat is a Hindi/Urdu word which was probably derived from the Persian language. It means Nature in English. The word is used widely in lots of expressions in Hindi and Urdu languages. There is also a 1981 Hindi movie written and directed by Chetan Anand. The film stars Rajesh Khanna and Hema...
,
DhanwanDhanwan is a 1981 Hindi film starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead role, paired opposite Reena Roy and produced by Sohanlal Kanwar..The supporting cast includes Aruna Irani, Rakesh Roshan, Shakti Kapoor, Om Prakash and Vijayendra Ghatge. Rakesh Roshan was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor at the...
,
AvtaarAvtaar is a 1983 movie starring Rajesh Khanna and Shabana Azmi. It was directed by Mohan Kumar, and the music was by Laxmikant Pyarelal.Rajesh Khanna did achieve success from Amardeep and Prem Bandhan onwards but this was Rajesh Khanna's biggest hit film in terms of box office collections after...
,
Agar Tum Na HoteAgar Tum Na Hote is a 1983 Indian Bollywood film directed by Lekh Tandon. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Rekha and Raj Babbar in leading roles.-Story:...
,
SoutenSouten is a 1983 Hindi-language Indian feature film directed by Sawan Kumar Tak, starring Rajesh Khanna, Tina Munim, Padmini Kolhapure, Prem Chopra and Pran. The film is a family drama. It was written by Kamleshwar, with music by Usha Khanna...
, Jaanwar,
Asha JyotiAsha Jyoti is a Hindi film starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead roles opposite two actresses Reena Roy and Rekha. The film was directed by Dasari Narayana Rao, who had also directed Aaj Ka M.L.A. Ram Avtar with Khanna in the lead role and music was given by Laxmikant Pyarelal. The film grossed 1.75...
,
AwaazAwaaz is a 1984 Hindi movie directed by Shakti Samanta with Rajesh Khannain the lead role and supported by Jaya Prada, Rakesh Roshan, Suresh Oberoi, Supriya Pathak, Iftekar, Prem Chopra, Madan Puri and Amrish Puri....
,
Naya KadamNaya Kadam is a 1984 film starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead role paired opposite three heroines Padmini Kolhapure, Sridevi and Jaya Prada directed by Kovelamudi Raghavendra Rao. This film is a remake of the hit 1982 Telugu film, Trisulam directed by the same director, that had starred Krishnam...
,
Hum DonoHum Dono is a 1985 Hindi film, starring Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini and Reena Roy and is directed by B.S. Glaad. The music is by R D Burman, and the songs are sung by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhonsle.The box office collections were Rs.4,50,00,000 in 1985....
, Babu,
Aaj Ka M.L.A. Ram AvtarAaj Ka Ram Avtar MLA is a 1984 film starring starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead role. It was a remake of MLA Yedukondalu directed by Dasari Narayana Rao in Telugu. The film fetched gross of 2 crores at the box office in 1984.-Synopsis:...
,
ShatruShatru is a 1986 hit film starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead in a role playing the role of an inspector in a remote village.The film was a Indo Bangladesh venture and the music was given by R.D.Burman.The lead actress Shabana Sidique was from Bangladesh.The film had box office collection of 1.70...
,
Insaaf Main KaroongaInsaaf Main Karoonga is a 1985 Hindi film directed by Shibu Mitra and produced by S.K.Kapur. This film has Rajesh Khanna in the lead opposite Tina Munim and Padmini Kolhapure...
,
Anokha RishtaAnokha Rishta is a 1986 film starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead supported by Smita Patil, Sabeehaa, Tanuja, Shafi Inamdar, Satish Shah and Karan Shah...
,
NazranaNazrana is a Hindi film starring Rajesh Khanna paired opposite two heroines Smita Patil and Sridevi. The film was directed by Ravi Tandon. The music has been given by Laxmikant Pyarelal and lyrics are written by Anand Bakshi. In the film credits, its mentioned that this film is dedicated to late...
,
AngaareyAngaaray is a 1986 Hindi-language film directed by Rajesh Seth and starring Rajesh Khanna, Smita Patil and Raj Babbar in the main lead roles.The dialogue, screenplay and story has been written by Salim Khan.-Plot:...
, Adhikar (1986) and
AmritAmrit, also known as Marathos or Marathus, was an ancient city located near Tartous in Syria. It was founded during the Amorites period, 3rd millennium BC....
. Director
BharathirajaP. Bharathiraja , is a critically acclaimed South Indian filmmaker.He displayed a story-teller's potential from an early age. Bharathiraja is known for his realistic and sensitive portrayal of village-life in his movies....
decided to remake his 1978 Tamil box office hit film "Sigappu Rojakkal" in Hindi with Khanna playing the role of a psychopath. Kamal Haasan who played the same role in Tamil won South Filmfare Best Actor Award for his portrayal. But the Hindi movie was seen as controversial by traditional and orthodox Hindi moviegoers and was not a commercial success, although Khanna's performance has been rated later higher by critics than the original.
Tina Munim and Rajesh Khanna became the leading on and off screen couple of the 80’s with hits like
Fiffty Fifftyis an Indian film from 1981 starring Rajesh Khanna and Tina Munim and directed by Kajol's father, Shomu Mukherjee.-Plot:Thakur Virendra Singh lives a wealthy lifestyle in India along with his wife and a son, Kumar . His relative Bihari is envious, and successfully switches his son, Kishan , with...
, Suraag,
SoutenSouten is a 1983 Hindi-language Indian feature film directed by Sawan Kumar Tak, starring Rajesh Khanna, Tina Munim, Padmini Kolhapure, Prem Chopra and Pran. The film is a family drama. It was written by Kamleshwar, with music by Usha Khanna...
, Aakhir Kyun,
BewafaiBewafai is a 1985 Hindi film starring Rajesh Khanna and Rajnikanth. This was the first film starring these two actors . The film was directed by R. Thyagaarrajan. During the making of the film Haathi Mere Saathi , the producer Dhandayuthapani was part of the crew of the film as the office...
,
Insaaf Main KaroongaInsaaf Main Karoonga is a 1985 Hindi film directed by Shibu Mitra and produced by S.K.Kapur. This film has Rajesh Khanna in the lead opposite Tina Munim and Padmini Kolhapure...
and Adhikar(1986). Ram Awatar Agnihotri wrote that Tina Munim showed the first sparks of the dedicated actress she would become in the films "Alag Alag" and "Adhikar", both with Khanna. He also acted in the Marathi hit film "Sundara Satarkar" in 1981. He has performed in the least number of multi-starrer films in comparison to his contemporaries and portrayed the central character in the few multistarrers he acted. Khanna delivered multi-starrer superhits like
RajputA Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
,
Dharam Aur KanoonDharm Aur Qanoon is a 1984 film starring Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Vinod Mehra, Asha Parekh and Danny Denzongpa in pivotal roles and Jaya Prada, Supriya Pathak, Manmohan Krishna, Ifthekar and Om Shivpuri are in the supporting roles in this film...
, Zamana, Dil-E-Nadan, Ashanti,
Awam (film)Awam is a Hindi film released in 1987 with Rajesh Khanna in the lead role and supported by Shafi Inamdar, Ashok Kumar, Raj Babbar, Smita Patil and Poonam Dhillon. In this film, the playback singing for Rajesh Khanna was done by Mahendra Kapoor.-Plot:...
and
Ghar Ka ChiraagGhar Ka Chiraag is a 1989 Indian film in Hindi directed by Sikander Bharti. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Neelam Kothari and Chunky Pandey in leading roles.-Cast:*Rajesh Khanna … Kumar*Neelam Kothari … Kiran*Chunky Pandey … Ravi...
. He did three potboiler movies with Jeetendra, which were blockbusters-Dharam Kanta, Nishaan and
MaqsadMaqsad is a 1984 Hindi film directed by K. Bapaiah and starring Rajesh Khanna and Jumping Jack Jeetendra in the lead roles. This was the third straight movie with Rajesh and Jeetendra together in the lead roles. The film is a remake of the Telugu movie Mundadugu directed by K. Bapaiah and...
.
Aaj Ka M.L.A. Ram AvtarAaj Ka Ram Avtar MLA is a 1984 film starring starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead role. It was a remake of MLA Yedukondalu directed by Dasari Narayana Rao in Telugu. The film fetched gross of 2 crores at the box office in 1984.-Synopsis:...
is one of the memorable political films of Rajesh Khanna. Khanna played the character of a corrupt politician in this film. Viewers praised his role in the film. The year 1985 saw him turn a producer with
Alag AlagAlag Alag is a 1985 Hindi film starring Rajesh Khanna, Tina Munim, Shashi Kapoor in the lead roles and produced by Rajesh Khanna. The film is best remembered for the way it was shot in Kashmir and different storyline...
. Eleven films, with Khanna in the lead, released in 1985 and seven of these became hits and in addition had three films with him in special appearance. Before joining politics one of his last films as the lead hero was
SwargSwarg is a 1990 Indian Bollywood film directed by David Dhawan, released on 18 May 1990...
released in 1990. David Dhawan regards
SwargSwarg is a 1990 Indian Bollywood film directed by David Dhawan, released on 18 May 1990...
as his most favorite directorial venture and said in an interview " Swarg did well. Though a serious film, people even today talk about it as it struck a chord. I was working with Rajesh Khanna for the first time. I shared a good rapport with him. He never threw tantrums on the sets."
He experimented with films of different genres like tragedy in Babu as a rickshaw puller, thriller in Redrose as a psycopath, political adventure in Awam, negative roles in Dhanwan and Redrose, fantasy in Bundalbaaz and Jaanwar, crime in Phir Wohi Raat and Angarey, suspense in Chakravyuha and Iteefaq, comedy in Hum Dono and Masterji, action in Ashanti, family dramas like Aanchal and Amrit and Agar Tum Na Hote, variety of social films like Avtaar, Naya Kadam, Akhir Kyun and with different themes like reincarnation theme in Kudrat, patriotism in Prem Kahani, immature young love theme handled in different ways in films like Anokha Rishta, Nazrana and Dil E Nadan and did college romance in Bandish. He has played variety of characters as the lead hero – as a postman in Palkon Ki Chaon Mein, as a lawyer who proves that his senior has committed a rape 25 years earlier in Kudrat, as a politician in Aaj Ka MLA Ram Avtaar , as a young musician forced by fate to marry two women in Asha Jyoti, as professional advocate in Awaaz, fisherman in Prem Bandhan, a revolutionary patriot who is torn apart by love and policeman like in Prem Kahanai, as a righteous farmer in Bandhan etc.
He shared a very close relationship with R.D. Burman and
Kishore KumarKishore Kumar , born Abhas Kumar Ganguly, was an Indian film playback singer and an actor who also worked as lyricist, composer, producer, director, screenwriter and scriptwriter.Kishore Kumar was one of India's greatest performers of the late 20th century...
. The trio were very close friends and have worked together in more than thirty films. Work of Pancham with Khanna is regarded as legendary and far superior than any other actor-music director combinations. The king of playback singing Kishore Kumar had even credited Rajesh Khanna for his resurgence, so much so that he sang for
Alag AlagAlag Alag is a 1985 Hindi film starring Rajesh Khanna, Tina Munim, Shashi Kapoor in the lead roles and produced by Rajesh Khanna. The film is best remembered for the way it was shot in Kashmir and different storyline...
, the first film produced by Rajesh Khanna without charging anything. In 1985 Pancham found himself being sidelined after failure of few films but Rajesh Khanna was among the few who continued to stand by him. Rajesh and Pancham worked together even after the death of Kishore in the films
Jai Shiv ShankarJai Shiv Shankar is a 1992 Hindi film produced by Rajesh Khanna and directed by S.A. Chandrasekhar starring Rajesh Khanna,Jeetendra,Poonam Dhillon,Dimple Kapadia in the lead roles supported by Sangeeta Bijlani, Chunky Pandey and Asrani.The music is composed by R.D.Burman.The song Tu Andar Kaise Aya...
, the unreleased film Police Ke Peechhe Police (both produced by Khanna ) and Sautela Bhai. Khanna even helped Leena Gangully and Amit Kumar in completing Mamta Ki Chhaon Mein, the last film directed by Kishore who died before the completion of the film.
Actors who were part of the cast of most of his films include
Ashok KumarAshok Kumar also fondly called Dadamoni was an Indian film actor. Born Kumudlal Ganguly in Bhagalpur, Bengal Presidency he attained iconic status in Indian cinema...
,
Sujit KumarSujit Kumar , born near a village in Varnasi, was an Indian film actor and producer. He appeared in over 150 Hindi films in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s and 25 films in Bhojpuri. From the late 90s, he latterly concentrated more on production. Kumar was the first superstar of Bhojpuri cinema...
,
Prem ChopraPrem Chopra is an actor in Hindi and Punjabi films. He has acted in over 400 films. He is famous for his soft spoken diction despite being a villain in most films.-Personal life and education:...
,
Madan PuriMadan Puri was an actor in Hindi and Punjabi films.-Early life:Madan Singh Puri was born in Nawanshahr, Punjab to S. Nihal Singh Puri and Ved Kaur...
,
AsraniGovardhan Asrani , popularly known simply as Asrani, is an actor in Indian films whose Bollywood career has spanned over 35 years. His wife Manju Bansal is an actress.-Early life:...
,
BinduBindu is a Sanskrit term meaning "point" or "dot". The feminine case ending is bindi which denotes a small ornamental, devotional and/or mystical dot that is cosmetically applied or affixed to the forehead in Hinduism....
,
Vijay AroraVijay Arora *Punjabi* was an actor in Hindi films and television serials, most famous for his roles in Yaadon Ki Baaraat and as Indrajit in the television serial Ramayan...
, Roopesh Kumar,
Dina PathakDina Pathak or Deena Pathak was a veteran actor and director of Gujarati theatre and also a film actor. She was also a woman activist and remained the President of the 'National Federation of Indian Women'...
and
A. K. HangalAvtar Kishan Hangal , popularly known as A. K. Hangal, is a well known Indian character actor in Hindi language films. His most notable roles are as the Inder Sen in Shaukeen, as Rahim Chacha in Sholay and as Ram Shastri in Aaina...
, who remained part of his " working team" since the start until the late eighties. The lyricist whom he preferred for his movies was
Anand BakshiAnand Bakshi was a popular Indian poet and lyricist.-Early days:Anand Bakshi was born in Rawalpindi, now in Pakistan, on 21 July 1930. His ancestors were from Kurree, near Rawalpindi, and had origins in Kashmir. His mother, Sumitra, died 1940, when he was 10...
. Films by
Shakti SamantaShakti Samanta was an Indian film director and producer, who founded Shakti Films in 1957, which is most known for films like Howrah Bridge, China Town, Kashmir Ki Kali, An Evening in Paris, Kati Patang and Amar Prem.He received Filmfare Awards for Best Film for Aradhana, Anuraag and Amanush,...
with Khanna in the lead, music by Pancham and lyrics by
Anand BakshiAnand Bakshi was a popular Indian poet and lyricist.-Early days:Anand Bakshi was born in Rawalpindi, now in Pakistan, on 21 July 1930. His ancestors were from Kurree, near Rawalpindi, and had origins in Kashmir. His mother, Sumitra, died 1940, when he was 10...
had people swooning over. The films Samanta directed without Khanna in the eighties were duds. His other close friends from the film industry include
Raj BabbarRaj Babbar is a Hindi & Punjabi film actor since 1977 and the current Member of Parliament from Firozabad which he won by defeating Dimple Yadav, wife of Akhilesh Yadav & daughter-in-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav. This is his fourth term as MP, in previous terms he was the part of Samajwadi...
,
J. Om PrakashJ. Om Prakash is a famous Indian film producer. His daughter is married to Rakesh Roshan, making him Hrithik Roshan's maternal grandfather.-Director:*Afsana Dilwalon Ka *Aadmi Khilona Hai *Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh...
and
JeetendraJeetendra born Ravi Kapoor is an Indian actor and television producer...
.
Pyarelal quoted in an interview that “Rajesh Khanna was lucky for us and we were lucky for him too. From the 1969 Do Raaste to the 1986 Amrit, we gave hits together both as films and as music scores.... When we went on our first overseas concert tour in 1984, he came and danced to three songs. He was very particular about his music and would take a tape home if he could not assess a song. He would then give his feedback after a day or two. But if he liked a song at the sitting, he would loudly shout “Wah! Wah!” in appreciation…. It was God’s blessing that we came up with such a vast range of hit songs for him, including in his home productions Roti and films like Chhailla Babu, Chakravyuha,
Fiffty Fifftyis an Indian film from 1981 starring Rajesh Khanna and Tina Munim and directed by Kajol's father, Shomu Mukherjee.-Plot:Thakur Virendra Singh lives a wealthy lifestyle in India along with his wife and a son, Kumar . His relative Bihari is envious, and successfully switches his son, Kishan , with...
, Amar Deep and
BewafaiBewafai is a 1985 Hindi film starring Rajesh Khanna and Rajnikanth. This was the first film starring these two actors . The film was directed by R. Thyagaarrajan. During the making of the film Haathi Mere Saathi , the producer Dhandayuthapani was part of the crew of the film as the office...
. Incidentally, he had a stake in
Mehboob Ki MehndiMehboob Ki Mehndi is a 1971 Hindi movie produced and directed by H S Rawail. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Leena Chandavarkar, Pradeep Kumar and Iftekhar. The music is by Laxmikant Pyarelal with lyrics by Anand Bakshi. The movie was a huge box office hit and won rave reviews from the...
too. He had great interest in music and a terrific sense of melody too. His music is dominated by Pancham (R.D. Burman) and us and we accepted Shakti Samanta’s Anurodh only because Rajesh Khanna had some misunderstanding with Pancham then and did not want to work with him.” Khanna would always request music directors to fit in Kishore Kumar wherever possible. In fact, Kishoreda was very reluctant to sing "Waada Tera Waada" in Dushman and suggested Laxmikant Pyarelal to get it sung by Rafi. Then Laxmikant made Kishoreda meet Rajesh Khanna and Khanna winked at Laxmikant and told Kishoreda that in that case the song should be scrapped. On hearing this Kishore immediately agreed to sing it by himself for Khanna.
Celebrities of the post-2000 era, like Madhur Bhandarkar, say that they take at least three or four turns in Carter Road even today only to see Khanna. The younger generation stars like Imran Khan still regard Rajesh Khanna as someone who would take the top slot as the most romantic hero of all time. Shahrukh Khan idolises Rajesh Khanna and has opined,"Rajesh Khanna you can’t touch". Actor Tom Alter confessed “I still dream of being Rajesh Khanna. For me, in the early 1970s, he was the only hero – romantic to the core, not larger than life, so Indian and real – he was my hero; the reason I came into films and he still is.” Actor Irrfan Khan accepted in an interview, "The kind of craze witnessed by Rajesh Khanna has not been duplicated by anyone. He was the biggest and the most real star Bollywood has produced. I'd say stardom is that feeling of being possessed by your idol; you are so overwhelmed with euphoria you lose touch with reality." Rajesh Khanna was the last superstar to set fashion trends. The trend of wearing guru kurtas and belt on shirts became famous in seventies and eighties because of Khanna.
Akshay Kumar was a fan of Khanna since his childhood and later when he became Khanna's son-in-law, he told "Look at what destiny had in store for me. I married my idol's daughter! I still can't believe it. Who wasn't his fan in the 1970s? I remember queuing up for hours to watch Aradhana, Amar Prem, Kati Patang. These are among my favourite films of all times." When Action Replayy, a film starring Akshay in the lead released in 2010, Akshay ensured that Rajesh Khanna was the first person to watch the film in theaters. On the eve of the film's release Akshay said "The film is set in the era that belongs to my father-in-law. I am proud of being part of the family now. Mr Khanna will be the first person to watch the film. I'm determined about that." Action Replayy was a film which paid homage to the decade when Rajesh Khanna ruled. Amitabh Bachchan, while presenting the lifetime achievement award to Khanna at the IIFA awards of 2009 acknowledged, "The word superstar in the Indian film industry was for the first time coined for him".
From the early nineties onwards he stopped acting and served as
M.P.A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
of New Delhi Constituency from 1991 to 1996. During that period, he returned to acting, appearing in
Khudai(1994). He made a comeback as a NRI in
Aa Ab Laut ChalenAa Ab Laut Chalen , literally Come, Let's Go Back) is a 1999 Bollywood romantic drama musical directed by Rishi Kapoor and written by Sachin Bhowmick. The film premiered in India and the United States on 22 January 1999. The film starred Akshaye Khanna and Aishwarya Rai in lead roles. This film was...
(1999), and
Kyaa Dil Ne KahaaKyaa Dil Ne Kahaa is a 2002 romantic comedy made in Bollywood and directed by Sanjay Chel. This film focuses on the relationship of Rahul and Esha , who are both students in the New Zealand.-Cast:* Tusshar Kapoor as Rahul...
(2002). In September 2007, he officially announced his planned return to the big screen, signing a contract for several new films, including some television serials.
Television
He is a life member of the International Film And Television Research Centre, the International Film And Television Club and the
Asian Academy of Film & TelevisionThe Asian Academy of Film & Television is a film school located in India's Noida Film City in India's Capital region, NCR. It is affiliated with the International Film & Television Research Center and the Marwah Films & Video Studios....
. He is the Guest Faculty of 'Specialized Cinema Courses At Asian School Of Media Studies'. On 10 April 1999 Khanna inaugurated the live concert of S.P. Balasubramanyam held at Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad as a tribute to Pancham. In 2001 and 2002, Rajesh played the lead in two television serials:
Aapne Parai (B4U & DD Metro) and
Ittefaq (Zee TV). He performed in a video album based on Tagore's songs (Rabindra Sangeet) without payment, and is currently in the process of creating his own music channel "R.K. Music Channel". He also endorsed
Star se Superstar tak – a talent hunt programme in 2007 and donated a Gold Trophy of Rs.1 crore. In its Silver Jubilee Episode on 14–15 March 2008,
K for Kishore aired a Rajesh Khanna special. He signed on to star in a TV serial with Creative Eye Banner (Dhiraj Kumar) in 2007, and in 2008 performed in a TV serial,
Bhabhima, with Leena Ganguly as his co-star. His successful TV serial
Raghukul Reet Sada Chali AayiRaghukul Reet Sada Chali Aayi is an Indian television series based on old Indian traditions , cultures, and values, as well as revolves around the personal relationships among people of our society today...
began in November 2008 and ended in September 2009. Khanna cites the lack of good roles for actors like him in the films these days. He said in an interview on being queried about his decision to do TV serials, "The reach of TV is much more than cinema today and one episode of my serial is likely to be watched by more people than a super-hit film". In 2009, on his 67th birthday,
Shemaroo EntertainmentShemaroo Entertainment ltd, is an Indian company and a distributor of Bollywood films. Founded in 1962, Shemaroo has worked in books, films, and television...
released his films and a song collection titled
Screen Legends-Rajesh Khanna-the Original Superstar.
Political and business career
Rajesh Khanna was a member of Parliament for the
Congress PartyThe Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
, from the
New DelhiNew Delhi Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 7 Lok Sabha constituencies in the Indian National Capital Territory of Delhi. This constituency came into existence in 1951.-Assembly segments:...
constituency, where he won the 1992 by-election, retaining his seat until the 1996 election. He has since been a political activist for the Congress Party.
Khanna and a group of foreign investors have bought land in
Shirdi on which they plan to build a religious resort for disciples of
Sai Baba of ShirdiSai Baba of Shirdi , also known as Shirdi Sai Baba , was an Indian guru, yogi, and fakir who is regarded by his Hindu and Muslim devotees as a saint....
.
Awards, honours and recognitions
Producer
| Year | Film |
| 1985 |
Alag Alag Alag Alag is a 1985 Hindi film starring Rajesh Khanna, Tina Munim, Shashi Kapoor in the lead roles and produced by Rajesh Khanna. The film is best remembered for the way it was shot in Kashmir and different storyline...
|
| 1989 |
Police Ke Peeche Police |
| 1990 |
Jai Shiv Shankar Jai Shiv Shankar is a 1992 Hindi film produced by Rajesh Khanna and directed by S.A. Chandrasekhar starring Rajesh Khanna,Jeetendra,Poonam Dhillon,Dimple Kapadia in the lead roles supported by Sangeeta Bijlani, Chunky Pandey and Asrani.The music is composed by R.D.Burman.The song Tu Andar Kaise Aya...
|
Co-Producer
| Year | Film |
| 1971 |
Mehboob Ki MehndiMehboob Ki Mehndi is a 1971 Hindi movie produced and directed by H S Rawail. The film stars Rajesh Khanna, Leena Chandavarkar, Pradeep Kumar and Iftekhar. The music is by Laxmikant Pyarelal with lyrics by Anand Bakshi. The movie was a huge box office hit and won rave reviews from the...
|
| 1974 |
Roti |
| 1995 |
Barsaat Barsaat is a 1995 Hindi film which was the debut of Bobby Deol and Twinkle Khanna . The film was directed by Rajkumar Santoshi...
|
Playback Singer
- Baharon Ke Sapne
Baharon Ke Sapne is a 1967 Hindi movie under Nasir Hussain films banner. It starred Rajesh Khanna ,and the Nasir Husain fixture- Asha Parekh. It also had Premnath , Madan Puri and another Nasir Husain fixture Rajendranath....
(1967)
- Raja Rani (1973)
- Amar Prem
Amar Prem is a 1971 Hindi film directed by Shakti Samanta, based on a story by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay and starring Sharmila Tagore, Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Mehra and Madan Puri....
(1972)
- Daag
Daag: A Poem of Love is a 1973 Bollywood film produced and directed by Yash Chopra in his debut as a producer, which laid the foundation of Yash Raj Films. It is an adaptation of the novel The Mayor of Casterbridge....
(1973)
- Ajnabee
Ajnabee is a 1974 Bollywood film produced by Girija Samanta and directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Rajesh Khanna and Zeenat Aman in the lead supported by Prem Chopra, Asrani, Madan Puri, Yogeeta Bali and Asit Sen. The film's music is by R.D. Burman...
- Souten
Souten is a 1983 Hindi-language Indian feature film directed by Sawan Kumar Tak, starring Rajesh Khanna, Tina Munim, Padmini Kolhapure, Prem Chopra and Pran. The film is a family drama. It was written by Kamleshwar, with music by Usha Khanna...
(1983)
External links