Rajesh Khanna

On December 29, 1942 was born a boy who was destined to make history before his prime and also become a part of history before his time-a strange story written by the invisible hand of destiny. Jatin Khanna was born into a middle class family. He had no great ambitions. His only love was theatre and acting, specifically. He was among the most popular actors in inter-collegiate drama competition in Bombay (now Mumbai). His love for acting made him join a talent contest organised by the United Producers Talent Contest, a contest planned by some of the leading filmmakers of the time. He was the undisputed winner. He signed his first film, 'Raaz' in 1967 and when on to sign fourteen films in a row, some of which were released, some not and all the films that were release were very big flops ' Then when the industry was almost planning to show him the way out came Shakti Samanta's 'Aaradhana'. The month, November the year, 1969, the film created a roaring and soaring sensation and Rajesh Khanna (Rajesh was the name he opted for after coming to films) was a bigger sensation. He was declared the greatest superstar India had ever seen. He was more talk about then any other women being in India, treated almost like God and like God himself by many' Success came to him like a season which seemed to have no end. Every film with him was a silver jubilee which was a very small success for him. It was only jubilees and more jubilees and success and more success for him, the kind of success no Dilip Kumar or Raj Kapoor or Dev Anand, the trio who ruled till he came and conquered had ever seen' Rajesh Khanna was the dream man of every young woman, the dream son every father and mother and the dream brother of every sister. He was the most wanted romantic actor. But he also proved to be a very sensitive actor with films like 'Anand', 'Safar', 'Khamoshi', 'Amar Prem', 'Baawarchi' and 'Namak Haram' which had a struggling actor called Amitabh Bachchan as his co-star who he considered a nobody and no competition for him and predicted a very bleak future for him. He openly told people that their was only one Rajesh Khanna and their would never be another ' Than suddenly everything went through squally and smothering weather within just five years. The dream slowly showed signed of turning into a nightmare and finally turned out into one of the most stupefying and stunning nightmare of all time. The God fell from his pedestal. His magic failed and refused to come back. He had ten major flops in a row which marked the beginning of the end.. He created a sensation in a very different way when he married the one-film ('Bobby'), the gorgeous Dimple Kapadia who was just out of her teens. They soon had two daughters, Twinkle and Rinkle. Soon the marriage led to a separation of ways. The actor in him showed signs of rising with films like 'Thodisi Bewafaai', 'Amardeep' and 'Prem Nagar' but they were just sparks in the growing darkness that was surrounding him on all sight. He was loosing faith in himself, his God and the same people who worshipped him and were willing to live and die for him also lost faith in him. His misery reached its peak and a point of no returns when that nobody who was his co-star in 'Anand' and 'Namak Haram' , Amitabh Bachchan snatched his throne and everything that was his and left him staggering. The actor in him tried to shine as an elderly character in films like 'Avtaar' and 'Amrit' but it was too late. His time had come to an and before its prime for reasons people are still trying to find out. He tried to make it as a producer of film but failed miserably. He joined politics and met with his Waterloo because he never could get the hang of the real business of politics. He now lives with memories that haunt him. Rajesh Khanna will always live as a lesson for all the stars and super stars who are and who will be.