This visual is impossible to shake off from the collective memories of Rajesh Khanna,'s ardent devotees. With moist eyes and prayers on their lips fans bidding a tearful goodbye to India's first superstar with thousands of admirers crowding streets to catch the last journey of the man who created a cinematic precedent, a path to follow for the superstars that came along after him.
The kind of stardom Khanna achieved no one has ever experienced it before nor has ever since. His close, family, as well as friends maintian that superstardom destroyed the man. Rajesh Khanna's dramatic, colourful life in its entirety from little-known facts about his childhood to the low-down has been chronicled. His relationships as indeed his rivalries and from his unmatched hopes to his deep-seated insecurities, everything has been discussed and documented. On his special day, we revisit some of Rajesh Khanna's iconic movies.
Daag: A Poem of Love In this film Rajesh Khanna showcases his A-game. Torn between the love of two women Khanna shows his impeccable mastery over the craft with incredible dramatics. Khanna plays a murder convict who is is on the run. Will the law and his past finally catch up with him? Can he rewrite his destiny or will he fall the victim to an ill fate?
Anand: This Hrishikesh Mukherjee masterpiece might have introduced the lanky Amitabh Bachchan who was all to take the industry by storm with his exceptional talent and personality, but one simply can't deny how Rajesh Khanna breathed life into the film by playing a patient who suffers from cancer and yet he believes in living life to the fullest!
Bawarchi: Miles away from his romantic image, Rajesh Khanna plays a cook who wins anybody over with what he brings to the table both as a professional as indeed as a person. This is one of his best performances....well, impeccably served!
Amar Prem: 'Pushpa...I Hate Tears' Rajesh Khanna gave one of the most popular lines of Indian cinema in one of the most celebrated cinematic tales ever told. Amar Prem revolves around a village belle (Sharmila Tagore) abandoned by her husband. She is later is forced into prostitution in Kolkata where she forms strong relations with a wealthy patron as well as an abused boy in the neighbourhood.
Aaradhana: Debonaire pilot Arun (Khanna) romances Vandana (Sharmila Tagore), The two become very intimate in a rainy night, and as a result Vandana gets pregnant. Arun and Vandana have a quiet temple wedding ceremony, and Arun leaves to re-join his duties. Unfortunately, Arun is killed, and Vandana is unable to convince anyone of her marriage with him, and as such must re-locate to hide her shame. She gives birth to a baby boy, who she must place in an orphanage, and then adopt. Unfortunately for her, the boy, Suraj, is adopted by someone else.
With twists and turns galore, Aaradhana is as much a dramatic ride as it is emotional serving best performances delivered by Kaka and Sharmila Tagore. Now you tell us fans, which is your favourite Rajesh Khanna film of all time and list it in our comment section below!
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 29, 2018 10:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).