Goodbye Rajesh Khanna. Goodbye Megastar, Phenomena, Superstar

Goodbye Rajesh Khanna. Goodbye Megastar, Phenomena, Superstar July 19, 2012 Mumbai Malavika Sangghvi >> You were my generation’s star, a hero for us girls who read Archie comics, had the lyrics to all the pop songs five years after they were released abroad and had just won the right to wear Beatle boots. Those days we were listening to Radio Ceylon and Polydor LPs and hadn’t been allowed to accompany our elder siblings to the Blow Up yet. Goodbye Rajesh Khanna. You came after Shammi and before AB. And in between you spawned a million bouffant hair-head-tossing-dimple-flashing clones, a generation of pasty-faced men in pants two sizes too small and very melodious singing voices. ... Goodbye Rajesh Khanna. With your going, an era has truly passed; of stars who handled their stardom with flamboyant disregard, actors who spouted Hafiz, who had grand crushes on unlikely women, who rolled up their trousers and walked on Juhu beach sharing their coconut water with the fisherfolk. Who had midnight wedding ceremonies. King of romance: Rajesh Khanna, the original heartthrob of Bollywood Goodbye Rajesh Khanna, it was a time of intimate perfume, Cadillac cars, VAT 69 tankards, ‘import-export’ and strip shows in Juhu clubs. Dusky women in mini boots and leather skirts would dance to the Hippy Hippy Shake, the diamond stud in their nostril glinting in the disco lights. The film industry had arrived just the day before from Rawalpindi. On the same train. Beddings and family portraits and their entire collection of Proust and their double degrees from Government College Lahore and FC College. ... Every one was a Kapoor or a Khanna. Even the Khans. Especially the Khans. They’d all found homes in and around Juhu-Bandra. And as more people arrived, constellations developed around these areas namely Prithviraj Kapoor’s cottage at Janki Kutir and the cottage at Pali Hill where Chetan and Uma Anand and the Chand sisters and Balraj and Damayanti Sahini set camp. Happy family: Rajesh Khanna and Dimple with daughter Twinkle Between the outward circumferences of these two points a swathe of brilliance resided: The BR Chopra’s near Lido cinema, the Anands at Iris Park, the Feroz Khan brood at Theosophical Colony, the Sippys and Sultanpuris, the Sahir Ludhianvis, the Ramanand Sagars and Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Shakti Samanta. This is the world you inherited: Camps, chamchas, and a triumvirate at the pinnacle of it all: Dilip, Raj and Dev, three young men from the same region who’d got off that train trailed by their younger brother Shammi. One big Panjabi family of freedom’s children, too handsome (and innocent) for their own good. There was romance and Nehru’s red rose and Mother Russia. And the earnest idealistic fables of Khwaja Ahmed Abbas and revolution around the corner. There was the same old same old. It had got a little boring. We were ready for change. ... We bunked class to see Aradhana at the Bandra Talkies. First day, first show. We got goose bumps when your broad, smiling, tossing, turning, impossibly swaying head mouthed Kishore Kumar’s voice. We were scandalised and titillated by the Roop Tera Mastana song. Rajesh Khanna with Dimple Kapadia By the time we lurched out, we’d become converts. Our nuns were alerted when your films played at the cinema next door; and as for your white bungalow that rose like a visage from Bandstand’s bay, which our school bus passed twice each day: who could tell what thoughts crossed our minds of the resident inside? ... Goodbye Rajesh Khanna, it was a more romantic time and now it’s over. Journalists swathed in white organzas with white mogras in their hair who swore their passion for you through their columns. Actors who’d weep like babies in each other’s arms when they heard a Sufi singer from Pakistan, or when their films flopped. Or even when their films succeeded. Lots of kebab and sharab and ghazals and guzzling and the last embers of nation building and Nehru. When the industry was caught between the socio-political dramas of Raj Kapoor and the emergence of the formula film: the rich /poor evil/ good vamp/heroine villain and hero’s sidekick with cabaret number films. ... That’s when you arrived and forged a new path striding jauntily across our screens. The good son. The darling brother. The perfect lover. Is it germane to even mention that none of our boyfriends ever looked like you? God knows they tried: backcombing the hair, the pants two sizes too small, the four pocketed safari suits. But no one quite looked like you and we were none the worse for it. ... Goodbye Rajesh Khanna. Today, we have actors who know the opening numbers, the bottom lines and the movement on the New York Stock Exchange. They launch restaurants and own industries and endorse brands. You opened nothing but allegedly many bottles of spirit, owned naught but a few well deserved millions and our hearts and waited till the autumn of your life to endorse a brand, inexplicably agreeing to lampoon your own image, so that you could gift your daughter a BMW. ... Goodbye Rajesh Khanna. It was a crazy time and hey, you were allowed your kinks. Why did you sign those awful subsequent movies, for instance, or allow yourself to become a pawn in a political party’s game, or disappear from sight, or reappear with orange hair and orange clothes? How come you never knew how to build on your phenomenal success, resurrect your career, hire a good publicist, or even for God’s sake write your memoirs? What happened, Rajesh Khanna? You were the last hero of my generation. And stood for all that was good and bad about it. And now that you’ve gone, you’ve taken the ‘70s with you. A generation turns its grown up eyes to you. Goodbye Rajesh Khanna. Goodbye Megastar, Phenomena, Superstar

We thought Super Star Rajesh Khanna would come back: Hema Malini

We thought he would come back: Hema Malini Top Newsin,Mumbai

Submitted by Kiran Pahwa on Wed, 07/18/2012 - 10:24 India Maharashtra Mumbai Hema Malini We thought he would come back: Hema MaliniMumbai, July 18 - Veteran actress Hema Malini is in shock after hearing about the demise of Rajesh Khanna and says she always hoped that he would recover. "We always thought he would come back (from the hospital). We are in shock right now," Hema told a TV news channel. Rajesh Khanna died at his Bandra residence Wednesday after a prolonged illness. He was 69. Talking about her last meeting with the superstar, the actress said: "We met at Apsara Awards, at the celebration of 100 years of cinema. He spoke to us and he talked properly and looked fine." The two worked together in films like "Andaz" and "Prem Nagar" and Hema says the news is sad and she will soon meet his family members. "I have worked with him in many films but right now this is a very sad moment and I must go and meet his family members," she said.(IANS)

Rajesh Khanna's Aradhana to be remade as modern day Top Gun

Rajesh Khanna's Aradhana to be remade as modern day Top Gun

Mid-Day.Com | Sunday, July 29, 2012 (Mumbai) The remake of one of Rajesh Khanna's biggest hits Aradhana will take a little longer than expected, as producer-director Ashim Samanta intends to turn the original story of an airforce pilot and his lookalike illegitimate son into a modern-day Top Gun. Explains the director, "When my father made Aradhana, he couldn't shoot at an air base and the scenes had to be fudged. Those were times when permission to access defence-related locations was impossible for filmmakers. Now, we will shoot at air force bases. It was something my father couldn't do and it remained a lingering regret." Ashim Samanta wants to turn Aradhana into Top Gun. "I want the sequences showing the hero emerge from the fighter planes to have the same impact as Tom Cruise's scenes in Top Gun. We are working towards creating the same level of adrenaline and authenticity in the air-base sequences." Ashim Samanta's son Aditya will play the double role that had made Rajesh Khanna a household name after the original Aradhana. But who will play the role of the heroine, the young girl with a son born out of wedlock who transforms into an old mother? "My father had a tough time casting for the role. Aparna Sen was almost finalised, but she opted out at the last minute. Finally Sharmila Tagore, who was in her 20s, played the 60 year-old woman. I'm hoping an equally enterprising actress will be found for the new Aradhana." If no actress is found to be suitable for both the young and old avatar of the unwed mother, then two actresses may be signed for the same role. But the hero's double role remains unchanged. The original songs from Aradhana -- Roop Tera Mastana, Mere Sapnon Ki Rani Kab Aayegi Tu, Baaghon Mein Bahaar Hai and Gunguna Rahe Hai Bhanwar -- will all be retained in the new Aradhana. Says Mr Ashim, "We're keeping the songs, but we're recording them as per new technology. Why would I tamper with such classic songs?"

RIP: Rajesh Khanna bids a quiet adieu

Bollywood

IANS New Delhi, July 18, 2012 First Published: 14:08 IST(18/7/2012) Last Updated: 01:16 IST(19/7/2012) Rajesh Khanna has passed away but his legacy lives on. Here's a look at the journey of Bollywood's original heartthrob. more photos » From the dizzying heights of fame to quiet shadows behind the arclights, Rajesh Khanna's life had a theatrical sweep, almost like one of his films. Bollywood's original superstar - simply the phenomenon to some - died in Mumbai on Wednesday, leaving behind memories cast in celluloid of that related stories famous crooked smile and head tilt. He was only 69. In an era long before this age of instant connect of mobile phones and internet, Rajesh Khanna was the man who sparked a frenzy never seen before and never since, not even by the likes of Amitabh Bachchan. His very name spelt magic in the 1970s. He sparked hysteria, particularly amongst his legions of women fans, who would line the road for a glimpse, chant his name, cover his car with lipstick marks and even write him letters in blood. They got married to his photograph, cut their finger, let the blood flow and applied sindoor. Kaka, as he was popularly known, was one of the highest paid actors of his time, his record of consecutive solo super hits still unbroken. Who can forget the years between 1970-1979 when he starred in mega hits like Safar, Kati Patang, Sachaa Jhutha, Aan Milo Sajna, Anand, Amar Prem and Mere Jeevan Saathi. Ever the urbane, suave romantic who wooed like few others. Glory and fame galore came his way with the two 1969 films - Aradhana and Do Raaste - where he teamed up with two of his best co-stars, Sharmila Tagore and Mumtaz, respectively. Both the films were super hits. Hindi film's first superstar was born. Between Aradhana in 1969 and Prem Kahani in 1975, Rajesh enjoyed god-like status. It was all about charisma - a certain something that went beyond the art of acting. He had that unique way of delivering a dialogue, of crinkling his eyes and that interesting head tilt that were all his own - and designed to get fans swooning. Describing the charm of Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh once said: "I got famous purely because I was working with Rajesh Khanna in Anand. People asked me questions like, 'How is he to look at? What does he do?'" FAMOUS LAST WORDS IN ANAND The mega story had a small beginning in Amritsar. Born Jatin Arora on Dec 29, 1942, he was adopted and raised by foster parents. He went from being Jatin to Rajesh, thanks to his uncle who changed his name, when he decided to join films. In 1965, the journey to filmdom started after he won the All India Talent Contest organised by United Producers and Filmfare. He made his debut with Aakhri Khat in 1966. It was a fairly easy road to superstardom after that. He became the heartthrob of the nation, singing timeless melodies like Mere Sapnon Ki Rani... in Aradhana, Zindagi Ek Safar in Andaaz or Yeh Shaam Mastani in Kati Patang. Singer Kishore Kumar and composer RD Burman were amongst his closest friends. KHANNA'S TOP 15 FILMS In his four-decade career, he appeared in about 160 films, of which 106 had him as the solo lead hero and 22 were two hero projects. Rajesh proved his mettle in offbeat films too. He teamed up with Hrishikesh Mukherjee for the critically acclaimed Bawarchi and Namak Haram. The quintessential romantic also did the intense Avishkar, directed by Basu Bhattacharya. LEADING LADIES But then age caught up and the star began fading away. He moved to television and played the main lead in two serials - Ittefaque and Apne Paraye during 2001-02 and also featured in Raghukul Reet Sada Chali Aayi between 2008-09. The decline to B-grade films was inevitable. There was also the sorry Wafa with Laila Khan, who was found murdered this July. He dabbled in politics, being Congress MP from the New Delhi constituency from 1991-1996. KHANNA, THE POLITICIAN Like the Hollywood legends of yore, the personal life also had a larger than life dimension. He fell in love with Dimple Kapadia, who was only 16 and whose first film Bobby was yet to release. She was 15 years younger to him but the pull was strong and they got married in 1973. It was the stuff of tabloid headlines. They had two daughters Twinkle and Rinke. The marriage lasted only 11 years. It was a lonely life for Rajesh after that. He disappeared from the headlines and appeared to be a shadow of his former self in his rare public appearances. But the family came together in his last days. His estranged wife was the one who took care of him during his illness. Son-in-law Akshay Kumar was also a great comfort. BOLLYWOOD TWEETS FAREWELL Rajesh reappeared in an ad a few months before his death, and once again became the talk of town - he was clearly unwell but the zest in his voice was intact as he intoned Babumoshai from his much loved film Anand. Like Anand from the film, the man is gone. But the memories will live on.

Rajesh Khanna dies: He gave us our first superstar

Rajesh Khanna dies: He gave us our first superstar Indian Express Shubhra Gupta : New Delhi, Wed Jul 18 2012, 21:53 hrs Rajesh Khanna A COUPLE of weeks ago, when Rajesh Khanna was declared critically ill, and survived, it seemed like a sign. That the first superstar of Hindi cinema was not meant to slide into the dark night, like an ordinary mortal, of a prolonged illness that led to a prosaic end in a hospital bed. For the kind of spectacular innings Kaka, for that was what he was universally called, had at the movies, it would have been far more appropriate for him to breathe his last, with disconsolate fans surrounding him, tears streaming in full filmi style. And Kaka singing, behind the wheel of that car, zindagi ek safar hai suhana... When he finally passed away today, he was at home, his family and friends by his side. But outside his home Aashirwad, there were the hordes he would have liked. Yes, maybe they were on a ghoulish death watch, yes, it was the kind of macabre thing people do, but yes, it was an indication that it was no average citizen they were there for, but a filmstar who induced mass hysteria of the kind that had never been witnessed before. The recent Havells ad on TV that showed the ravaged face of the star got only one thing right: the ‘fans’ bit. No star before had seen the kind of fandom he did. The people who were there today may not have seen many of his films, but they knew that he was the first Hindi cinema star to own the word ‘super’ completely. He was Rajesh Khanna, Superstar. Before Kaka, stars did live big. Stories abound of the opulence of Chevrolet Impalas with impossibly long fins, of larger-than-large patiala pegs, of secret rendezvous at the Sun n Sand, of quick and dirty liasions, of starry tantrums. But Khanna, who switched from Jatin to Rajesh, cranked up what a star could do to an unimaginable level. He had producers lined up with signing amounts never heard of before, the quantum of his tantrums was bigger than anyone had had to deal, and he wielded moods like weapons, showing up on sets when he liked — the day really began when he said it did. However, Khanna did the one thing that kept filmmakers running after him: he delivered a hit after hit, and he kept the audiences thirsting for more. Khanna arrived in the Hindi cinema in the mid ‘60s, and by the end of the decade, he had eclipsed everybody. A Nepali hat, a pair of intoxicating dimples, an evergreen song, and a film called Aradhna (1969) made sure that nobody who saw him forgot him. All the boys sang to their sapnon ki rani, and all the girls wanted to be that dream girl. Then came Do Raaste, Khamoshi, Sachcha Jhoota, Safar, Kati Patang, Anand, Andaz, Haathi Mere Saathi, Dushman, Amar Prem, Apna Desh, Bawarchi, Mere Jeewan Sathi, Anuraag, Daag, Namak Haraam. These were some of his biggest hits; what he did in between — for a star who only shot when he was good and ready, he made an amazing number of films, well over a 100 — also more than recovered the money. All the way, till the mid ‘70s, whatever Khanna touched turned to gold. He worked with Nanda, Saira Bano, Asha Parekh, Mumtaz, Hema Malini, Sharmila Tagore, Tanuja, Waheeda Rehman, Babita, Jaya, Rakhee, Rekha, Zeenat Aman, Moushumi Chatterjee, Poonam Dhillon, Tina Munim, Parveen Babi, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil: did I miss out anyone significant? His career was a roll call of the biggest leading ladies, biggest banners, biggest everything. He had affairs, well-publicised, well-timed, for inclusion in celebrity gossip columns: Anju Mahendru, whom he never married, Dimple Kapadia whom he did (and then separated from, but never divorced), Tina Munim, with whom he liaised briefly and passionately. However, he never stopped making his movies in which he exhibited his trademark mannerisms, tilting his head, crinkling his eyes, doing that thing with his neck. Like all superstars he knew the secret of his success — never do anything that a fan wouldn’t like. Like all the most popular stars, he set trends. The guru kurta, buttoned tightly all the way up, became the national dress for all the flash males; even that awful belt over a shirt gained the kind of popularity it never should have if it hadn’t been for Khanna sporting it in film after film. There were a few films in which we did see his manly chest. Remember Roop tera mastana in Aradhana? Sharmila revealing one shapely shoulder in a sheet — the very first time such a stylish use was surely made of a humble sheet — and Khanna in a shirt that was open, damp, and a chest that had, yes, hair. And oh, the steam they stirred up, those two. It still remains one of the most seductive of ditties. Rajesh Khanna could play good or bad. He could be a bawarchi, a thief, a cancer-ridden humorist. He could do anything and he would still get ‘em streaming in. It was a reign that remained unbroken till an angry young man came and wrested his crown. In Anand, in which Amitabh Bachchan and he acted together for the first time, Khanna was clearly the bigger star; a few years later, when they did Namak Haraam, there was a role reversal. That fellow with the burning eyes, the lanky gait, and the baritone that was to become the most famous voice in Bollywood was the guy who was on his way up. And Khanna’s time, that spoke of innocence, romance and lost love, was clearly over. The time of anger, unrest, instability, corruption was upon us, and Bachchan was the likelier, younger harbinger of this new era. Bachchan was also a supertar (and still is), and his stardom may have been of a quality that was deeper and more intense than Khanna’s. But Bachchan will always be the remembered as the next superstar. The first mover was, and always will be, Rajesh Khanna. And no, today’s not the day to mourn. Because you know and I know what he would have said: I hate tears.

Pakistan mourns 'great actor' Rajesh Khanna

Indian Express Agencies : Islamabad, Wed Jul 18 2012, 17:13 hrs Rajesh Khanna People across Pakistan today mourned the death of Bollywood superstar Rajesh Khanna, with Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf describing him as a “great actor” and others taking to social networking websites to pay tribute to the romantic hero. In a special message, Prime Minister Ashraf conveyed his condolences at the death of Khanna. He said Khanna was “a great actor whose contribution to the field of films and arts would be long remembered”. Ashraf said Khanna had a “large fan following across the borders and captivated audiences with his excellent acting skills”. He said he shared the grief of the bereaved family. Most TV news channels led their bulletins with extensive reports on Khanna's death in Mumbai at the age of 69 after a prolonged illness. The reports featured songs and clips from Khanna's many hit films, which were equally popular across the border in Pakistan. Geo News channel, Pakistan's most watched news channel, aired a nearly hour-long tribute to Khanna -- including contributions from actors, filmmakers and musicians -- within hours of the death of the superstar. Singer and actor Ali Zafar wrote on Twitter, “Rajesh Khanna - RIP. So many fond memories from his movies and songs”. Leading actor and filmmaker Syed Noor told the media, “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.” Actress Meera, in a message posted on Twitter, wrote, “Rajesh Khanna was (a) great legend, it is a big loss for the film industry.” Acclaimed writer Mohammed Hanif, like countless other Pakistanis, posted links to hit songs from Khanna's films on Twitter. 'Chingari Koi Bhadke' and 'Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai' were among the songs that Hanif shared for his followers on the micro-blogging site. Ordinary Pakistanis too used Twitter to pay tribute to Khanna. Anthony Permal, a Pakistani copywriter based in Dubai wrote, “The first ever song I can recall from Indian cinema was 'Yeh Shaam Mastani' when dad played it for me when I was a toddler.” Permal said the collective sadness on social media in India and Pakistan over Khanna's death “says much of our shared heritage”. Journalist Fahad Desmukh tweeted, “RIP Rajesh Khanna. Thank you for introducing me to trade unionism and class consciousness in Namak Haram.” In a post, lawyer and columnist Yasser Latif Hamdani wrote, “Thank you Rajesh Khanna for the art and beauty left behind in the world. You will live on.”

Rajesh Khanna's funeral pyre lit by Akshay Kumar, grandson Aarav

Super Star

Rajesh Khanna's funeral pyre lit by Akshay Kumar, grandson Aarav NDTVMovies.com | Thursday, July 19, 2012 (Mumbai) Bollywood's first superstar Rajesh Khanna's last rites were held this morning at Pawan Hans Crematorium in Mumbai's Vile Parle area. Son-in-law Akshay Kumar lit the funeral pyre, accompanied by his son Aarav. Mr Khanna died at home in Mumbai on Wednesday (July 18, 2012). He was 69 and had been battling cancer. (Photos: Zindagi Ka Safar: Rajesh Khanna's final journey ) The cremation was a private affair and the assembled press were asked by Akshay Kumar not to film the ceremony. Mr Khanna's body was taken to the cremation ground from his home on Bandra's Carter Road in a glass casket to allow his fans, thousands of whom lined Mumbai's roads braving the rain, to pay their last respects. Bollywood celebrities were largely absent from the funeral procession, with the sole exception of Karan Johar. Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan arrived at the cremation ground later, and their presence caused a stampede of sorts. Yesterday, the Bachchans had rushed to Aashirwad, the Khanna residence in Bandra, to pay their respects. They were joined by Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif and others from the film fraternity. (Photos:The leading ladies in Rajesh Khanna's life ) Akshay Kumar and Mr Khanna's other son-in-law Sameer Saran oversaw funeral arrangements. Mr Khanna's estranged wife and veteran actress Dimple Kapadia was accompanied by her younger daughter Rinkie. Elder daughter Twinkle, who is pregnant with her second child and has been advised by doctors to rest, was not in evidence. Ms Kapadia separated from Mr Khanna in 1984, after 11 years of marriage, but never actually divorced.(Amitabh Bachchan pays blog tribute to Rajesh Khanna: Read full text here) Rajesh Khanna borrowed a phrase from the film fraternity that served him so well for 25 years to say his final goodbye yesterday. His last words are reported to have been - "time up ho gaya, pack up." Mr Khanna's final words were revealed online by no less a person than Amitabh Bachchan, the late actor's co-star co-star in the films Anand and Namak Haraam. Mr Bachchan had rushed to Aashirwad, to be with the bereaved family and pay his last respects. http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?ID=ENTEN20120209791&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&keyword=bollywood&nid=244984&pfrom=home-lateststories