Shining Stars: Rajesh Khanna

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Rajesh Khanna Biography

Date of Birth
29 December 1942, Amritsar, Punjab, British India (now India)

Date of Death
18 July 2012, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (cancer)
Birth Name
Jatin Chunnilal Khanna
Nickname
Kaka
RK
Shehzada
The Original King of Romance
Pasha of Passion
First Indian Superstar
Height
5' 9" (1.75 m)
Mini Biography
Rajesh Khanna, the superstar of Indian Cinema, entered Hindi films in the latter half of the 1960s and did 180 films - 163 feature films and 17 short films. By 2011, he held record for maximum number of films as the solo lead hero and least number of multi star cast films in Hindi Cinema. Of the 163 films 106 were solo hero films and 22 were multi star films. He first tasted success with hit films like Baharoan Ke Sapne, Raaz and Aurat and he was appreciated for his performances in Aakhri Khat.Rajesh Khanna achieved super-stardom with Shakti Samantha's 'Aradhana" (1969).He became the craze of the nation, and critics across India started calling him the First Superstar of both Indian Cinema (No. 1 Actor) and Hindi Films and remained so alone as the Superstar for 7 years (1969-1975) and had to share the status with Amitabh from 1977-1991 till he left films to join politics in 1991.He overtook his predecessors Dev-Dilip-Raj, Shammi Kapoor,Rajendra Kumar in terms of popularity with audience and critics, quality of performances, variety of films by doing quickly 41 films in 9 years which included 35 Golden Jubilee Hits and 2 silver silver jubilee hits from 1966-1975. He also made the world record of having 17 successive super-hits in 3 years from 1969-71 which included 15 consecutive solo super-hit films. The main difference between him and his predecessors,successors, contemporaries was that Khanna's films ran successfully in whole of India and not just Hindi speaking areas and he did films of every genre simultaneously and has more critically acclaimed films to his credit than all other Hindi Actors of every generation. He stands out even by selection of his films as he regularly did both offbeat alternate cinema along with commercial potboiler films and had success in both.He introduced intelligent cinema to the masses with ease.
Anju Mahendru was his girl friend in 1966-1972, the then aspiring actress but they had breakup in 1972 when Anju was not ready for marriage and Khanna married his fan Dimple Kapadia in March 1973, 8 months before Raj Kapoor's Bobby released in theaters.
Khanna's pairing with Mumtaz always produced much success as they had all of their 8 films together as major platinum jubilee hits.His films with Sharmila Tagore, Asha Parekh and Zeenat Aman was a favorite with audiences too in 70's.
From 1976 onwards till 1978, he had 4 box office hits and 9 films flopped unexpectedly although his performances and the film's music were praised by critics and thereby his successful run at the box office ended.
Khanna bounced back with Amardeep and then again started giving many critically acclaimed and commercially successful films including 35 Golden Jubilee Hits and 16 SJH starting from 1979 till 1991. K.Balaji wanted to establish himself in Hindi film industry as a producer and thereby wanted to remake his Tamil film Sivaji Ganeshan starer Dheepam in Hindi. At a time when Khanna's films were not working at the box office, Khanna got this film out of the blue and went on to become a big hit.In the 80's his films opposite Tina Munim, Hema Malini, Reena Roy, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil and Poonam Dhillon were big hits.
He produced three films and co-produced 3 films. He left film industry in 1991 and entered politics by joining the Congress Party in 1991 and became a member of parliament. Khanna was awarded Filmfare Special award in 1991 for having starred in 101 films as the solo lead hero and just 21 two hero films having appeared in 153 films in short span of 25 years. He is still adored and fondly remembered by the masses. Songs from his films adorn the lips of youth and adolescents. He was the first mega-star and has left behind a storehouse of the finest moments in film history.
IMDb Mini Biography By: ARUN SINGH
Mini Biography
Jatin Khanna, the first superstar of Indian and Hindi Cinema with 73 Golden Jubilee Hits - which includes 47 Platinum Jubilee hits and 26 Golden Jubilee Hits & in addition had 22 Silver Jubilee Hits, was born on 29 December 1942 in Amritsar, Punjab, India. Known as the most versatile of all actors who later regionally were given superstar status in media. In his on screen career, he has convincingly carried off a variety of roles without the aid of complicated costumes or make up. In fact, some of his most popular roles have required him to play two contrasting characters in a single movie. He had no prior connections in the industry and he made it all by his lonesome self. Khanna despite his reclusive ways came across as someone, the fans can identify with. His co actors (male and female) described him as the perfect gentleman, honest, bold, generous and grounded but an introvert. He was revered by fellow actors.
When Jatin took an interest in acting, his rich foster father disapproved, however, Jatin persisted and won first prize in the Filmfare Talent Contest where he was chosen in final eight from among 10000 contestants who participated in the 1965.His uncle K.K.Talwar advised him to replace his first name from Jatin to Rajesh while entering in contest.
He made his debut in the off-beat 'Aakhri Khat' opposite Indrani Mukherjee, thus was born Rajesh Khanna.
He married to Dimple Kapadia in 1973. Subsequently he became the father of Twinkle, born in 1974 on the same date as he himself, who would later become actress in her own right. His second daughter, Rinke, was born on 29 June 1977, and also became an actress.
Rajesh was the sole Superstar of Indian and Hindi Cinema from 1969-1976 but had a bad phase from 1976-78 and so has to share Superstar of Hindi Films status with Amitabh from 1977-1991. Khanna acted as the main lead hero from 1966 to 1991 till he the time he joined politics in 1991.In the period 1976-78 Khanna continued to act in 7 critically acclaimed movies but they failed at box office as violent movies, along with multi star films became popular. Khanna tasted success at box office again from 1979 till 1991. The same time, due to being constantly paired up opposite Khanna, Tina Munim fell in love with Khanna after Khanna had separated from Dimple in 1984. Tina and Khanna were the top most romantic pair in the eighties. Tina decided to discontinue her film career in 1987, when Khanna rejected her proposal for marriage as he continued to love Dimple and cared for his children. Relation between Dimple and Khanna blossomed by 1990 and they even did a film together Jai Shiv Shankar and always went to parties, functions as a couple from 1990-2012.
Rajesh decided to join politics in 1991 and was elected Member of Parliament from 1992 through to 1996 representing New Delhi as his constituency. He also starred in 3 movies during this period. He continued to appear on the tinsel screen as the central character in few films post 1998.
Rajesh played the main lead in two serials 'Ittefaque' and 'Apne Paraye' on television during 2001-02, Bhabhimaa and in Raghukul Reet Sada Chali Aayi in 2008-09.
He was the winner of 3 Filmfare awards for best actor and was nominated for it 14 times.He holds the maximum number of BJFA awards for the best actor - four and was nominated for the same 25 times.
IMDb Mini Biography By: rAjOo
Spouse
Dimple Kapadia (1973 - 18 July 2012) (his death) 2 children

Rajesh Khanna