Rajesh Khanna ( About this sound pronunciation (help·info) born: Jatin Khanna; 29 December 1942 – 18 July 2012, Amritsar, Punjab, India) was a Bollywood actor, film producer and politician. He is referred to as the "first superstar" and the "original superstar" of Indian cinema. He starred in 17 consecutive solo hit films in the period 1969 to 1972. In 1973, BBC made a film on him, titled Bombay Superstar. Khanna is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of Hindi cinema.
He appeared in a total of 180 films - 163 feature films and 17 short films. He was the solo lead hero in 106 films. He won three Filmfare Best Actor Awards and was nominated for the same fourteen times. He received the most BFJA Awards for Best Actor (Hindi) – four times and nominated 25 times. In 1991, he was awarded the Filmfare Special Award for completing 25 years in the industry, and for appearing as the single lead hero in more films than any other male actor in Hindi films within 25 years of his debut. In 2005, he was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. He made his debut in 1966 with Aakhri Khat and rose to prominence with his performances in films like Raaz, Baharon Ke Sapne, Ittefaq and Aradhana. He had 35 Golden Jubilee Hits (where the films ran for more than 50 weeks in theatres across India) in the period 1967–1975, three more in 76–78 and 35 more in the period 1979–1991. He also had 22 silver jubilee hits (that is films ran in theatres for more than 25 weeks) in the period 1966–1991. He was the highest paid Indian actor from 1970 to 1987 where Amitabh Bachchan shared the same tag with Khanna from 1980 to 1987. He was also a Lok Sabha member of the Indian National Congress from New Delhi constituency from 1992 to 1996.
He married Dimple Kapadia in March 1973, eight months before her debut film Bobby was released and had two daughters from the marriage. Their elder daughter Twinkle Khanna is married to actor Akshay Kumar, while they also have a younger daughter Rinke Khanna.
After being critically ill, Khanna died on 18 July 2012. Khanna has been posthumously awarded India's third highest civilian honour Padma Bhushan. On 30 April 2013 he was officially bestowed with the title The First Superstar of Indian cinema at Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Awards A postage stamp, bearing his face, was released by India Post to honour him on 3 May 2013. On his first death anniversary, a bronze statue of Rajesh Khanna was unveiled at Bandra Bandstand, Mumbai.
Early life
Born on 29 December 1942, in in Amritsar in the state of Punjab, as Jatin Khanna, Khanna was adopted and raised by foster parents – Chunni Lal Khanna and Leela Wati Khanna, who were relatives of his biological parents after his father had migrated from pre-partitioned Pakistan to Gali Tiwarian in the city of Amritsar. His biological parents were Lala Hiranand and Chandrani Khanna and Lala worked as headmaster of the MC High School in Burewala (in present day Pakistan), Vehari District, Punjab, Pakistan. His adopted parents belonged to a family of railway contractors who had moved from Lahore to Bombay in 1935. Khanna lived in Saraswati Niwas in Thakurdwar near Girgaon, Mumbai and attended St. Sebastian’s Goan High School there, along with his friend Ravi Kapoor, who later took the stage name Jeetendra, and whose mothers were friends. Khanna gradually started taking interest in theatre and did a lot of stage and theatre plays in his school and college days and won many prizes in the inter college drama competitions. In 1962 Khanna played a wounded dumb soldier in the play 'Andha Yug' and impressed with his performance the chief guest suggested him to get into films soon. Khanna became a rare newcomer who struggled in his own MG sports car to get work in theatre and films in the early sixties. Khanna did his first two years of Bachelor of Arts in Nowrosjee Wadia College in Pune from 1959 to 1961. Both friends later studied in K. C. College, Mumbai. Khanna also tutored Jeetendra for his first film audition. Khanna's uncle KK Talwar changed Khanna's first name to Rajesh when Khanna decided to join films. His friends and his wife called him Kaka.
Political and business career
At the insistence of Rajiv Gandhi, he started campaigning for Congress since 1984. In the election for New Delhi seat in the 1991 Lok Sabha election, Khanna lost to L.K. Advani by a narrow margin of 1589 votes after which Khanna stood on the ground at the counting station insisting that he had been cheated of a win. A by-election took place and Khanna won the same seat in 1992 by defeating Shatrughan Sinha by 25,000 votes. Rajesh Khanna was a member of Parliament for the Indian National Congress, from the New Delhi constituency, where he won the 1992 by-election, retaining his seat until the 1996 after which he was not interested in active politics. When Khanna was MP, he did not accept new acting assignements but only acted in the film Khudai (1994). After leaving parliament, he was a political activist for the INC and campaigned for the party till the 2012 Punjab election.
Khanna and a group of foreign investors bought land in Shirdi on which they planned to build a religious resort for disciples of Sai Baba of Shirdi.
Personal life
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Khanna fell in love with the then fashion designer and actress Anju Mahendru. They were in a relationship for seven years. Mahendru states that the couple did not speak to each other for 17 years after the break-up. Later Khanna married the budding actress Dimple Kapadia in March 1973, before Kapadia's debut film Bobby released in November of that year. They have two daughters from the marriage; Twinkle and Rinke.[140] Khanna and Kapadia separated in 1984 but did not complete the divorce proceedings. In the eighties Tina Munim was romantically involved with Khanna while working with Khanna in 11 movies from 1980 to 1987. Munim had been a fan of Rajesh since her school days. According to website Bollywood Mantra reporter, relation with Tina ended in 1987 when Khanna refused to marry her as their marriage would have bad impact on his daughters. Khanna and Kapadia however maintained an amicable relationship where they both were seen together at parties and family functions together. Kapadia also campaigned for Khanna's election and worked in his film Jai Shiv Shankar (1990).
Khanna's elder daughter Twinkle Khanna, an interior decorator and a former film actress, is married to actor Akshay Kumar while his younger daughter Rinke Khanna, also a former Hindi film actress, is married to a London-based investment banker Samir Saran. On 17 July 2012, a woman named Anita Advani claimed that she had been Khanna's live-in partner, and sent a legal notice to his family members asking for compensation. The family denied the claims.
Illness and death
In June 2012, it was reported that Rajesh Khanna's health had been deteriorating for some time, On 23 June he was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai due to health complications. He was discharged on 8 July from the hospital and was reportedly fine.
On 14 July, Khanna was readmitted to the Lilavati Hospital but was discharged on 16 July. He died on 18 July 2012, at his bungalow, Aashirwad, in Mumbai. Sources confirmed that his health was deteriorating since July 2011 as he was diagnosed with cancer. After his death his co-star Mumtaz said that Khanna was suffering from cancer since a year and had undergone chemotherapy sessions. His funeral took place on 19 July at 11:00. His funeral was attended by nearly 9 lakh people and his fans had come from places like Surat, Ahmedabad, California, Singapore and from other foreign countries Police had resort to lathi-charge to control the crowd of fans who had gathered for the procession from Khanna's Bandra house to crematorium. He died in the presence of his wife Dimple Kapadia, daughters Rinkie Khanna and Twinkle Khanna, son-in-law Akshay Kumar, grand children, Anju Mahendru and other close relatives. His pyre was lit by his grandson, Aarav, with the assistance of Akshay Kumar. Amitabh Bachchan cited that Khanna's last words were 'Time is up', 'Pack up'. In his special recorded message to his family, friends and fans which was played on his "chautha" he thanked and saluted his friends and fans for the love they showered on him. On 25 July 2012, his ashes were immersed in Ganges by his wife Dimple Kapadia and daughter Rinke Khanna.
Awards
Khanna won four Best Actor Awards in the Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards, and received 25 nominations. He won three Filmfare Best Actor Awards, one Filmfare Special Guest Actor Award in 1973, and received a Filmfare Special Award in 1991, after 25 years in the Hindi film industry. He received the Filmfare Life Time Achievement Award at the 50th anniversary Filmfare award ceremony in 2005.
He appeared in a total of 180 films - 163 feature films and 17 short films. He was the solo lead hero in 106 films. He won three Filmfare Best Actor Awards and was nominated for the same fourteen times. He received the most BFJA Awards for Best Actor (Hindi) – four times and nominated 25 times. In 1991, he was awarded the Filmfare Special Award for completing 25 years in the industry, and for appearing as the single lead hero in more films than any other male actor in Hindi films within 25 years of his debut. In 2005, he was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. He made his debut in 1966 with Aakhri Khat and rose to prominence with his performances in films like Raaz, Baharon Ke Sapne, Ittefaq and Aradhana. He had 35 Golden Jubilee Hits (where the films ran for more than 50 weeks in theatres across India) in the period 1967–1975, three more in 76–78 and 35 more in the period 1979–1991. He also had 22 silver jubilee hits (that is films ran in theatres for more than 25 weeks) in the period 1966–1991. He was the highest paid Indian actor from 1970 to 1987 where Amitabh Bachchan shared the same tag with Khanna from 1980 to 1987. He was also a Lok Sabha member of the Indian National Congress from New Delhi constituency from 1992 to 1996.
He married Dimple Kapadia in March 1973, eight months before her debut film Bobby was released and had two daughters from the marriage. Their elder daughter Twinkle Khanna is married to actor Akshay Kumar, while they also have a younger daughter Rinke Khanna.
After being critically ill, Khanna died on 18 July 2012. Khanna has been posthumously awarded India's third highest civilian honour Padma Bhushan. On 30 April 2013 he was officially bestowed with the title The First Superstar of Indian cinema at Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Awards A postage stamp, bearing his face, was released by India Post to honour him on 3 May 2013. On his first death anniversary, a bronze statue of Rajesh Khanna was unveiled at Bandra Bandstand, Mumbai.
Early life
Born on 29 December 1942, in in Amritsar in the state of Punjab, as Jatin Khanna, Khanna was adopted and raised by foster parents – Chunni Lal Khanna and Leela Wati Khanna, who were relatives of his biological parents after his father had migrated from pre-partitioned Pakistan to Gali Tiwarian in the city of Amritsar. His biological parents were Lala Hiranand and Chandrani Khanna and Lala worked as headmaster of the MC High School in Burewala (in present day Pakistan), Vehari District, Punjab, Pakistan. His adopted parents belonged to a family of railway contractors who had moved from Lahore to Bombay in 1935. Khanna lived in Saraswati Niwas in Thakurdwar near Girgaon, Mumbai and attended St. Sebastian’s Goan High School there, along with his friend Ravi Kapoor, who later took the stage name Jeetendra, and whose mothers were friends. Khanna gradually started taking interest in theatre and did a lot of stage and theatre plays in his school and college days and won many prizes in the inter college drama competitions. In 1962 Khanna played a wounded dumb soldier in the play 'Andha Yug' and impressed with his performance the chief guest suggested him to get into films soon. Khanna became a rare newcomer who struggled in his own MG sports car to get work in theatre and films in the early sixties. Khanna did his first two years of Bachelor of Arts in Nowrosjee Wadia College in Pune from 1959 to 1961. Both friends later studied in K. C. College, Mumbai. Khanna also tutored Jeetendra for his first film audition. Khanna's uncle KK Talwar changed Khanna's first name to Rajesh when Khanna decided to join films. His friends and his wife called him Kaka.
Political and business career
At the insistence of Rajiv Gandhi, he started campaigning for Congress since 1984. In the election for New Delhi seat in the 1991 Lok Sabha election, Khanna lost to L.K. Advani by a narrow margin of 1589 votes after which Khanna stood on the ground at the counting station insisting that he had been cheated of a win. A by-election took place and Khanna won the same seat in 1992 by defeating Shatrughan Sinha by 25,000 votes. Rajesh Khanna was a member of Parliament for the Indian National Congress, from the New Delhi constituency, where he won the 1992 by-election, retaining his seat until the 1996 after which he was not interested in active politics. When Khanna was MP, he did not accept new acting assignements but only acted in the film Khudai (1994). After leaving parliament, he was a political activist for the INC and campaigned for the party till the 2012 Punjab election.
Khanna and a group of foreign investors bought land in Shirdi on which they planned to build a religious resort for disciples of Sai Baba of Shirdi.
Personal life
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Khanna fell in love with the then fashion designer and actress Anju Mahendru. They were in a relationship for seven years. Mahendru states that the couple did not speak to each other for 17 years after the break-up. Later Khanna married the budding actress Dimple Kapadia in March 1973, before Kapadia's debut film Bobby released in November of that year. They have two daughters from the marriage; Twinkle and Rinke.[140] Khanna and Kapadia separated in 1984 but did not complete the divorce proceedings. In the eighties Tina Munim was romantically involved with Khanna while working with Khanna in 11 movies from 1980 to 1987. Munim had been a fan of Rajesh since her school days. According to website Bollywood Mantra reporter, relation with Tina ended in 1987 when Khanna refused to marry her as their marriage would have bad impact on his daughters. Khanna and Kapadia however maintained an amicable relationship where they both were seen together at parties and family functions together. Kapadia also campaigned for Khanna's election and worked in his film Jai Shiv Shankar (1990).
Khanna's elder daughter Twinkle Khanna, an interior decorator and a former film actress, is married to actor Akshay Kumar while his younger daughter Rinke Khanna, also a former Hindi film actress, is married to a London-based investment banker Samir Saran. On 17 July 2012, a woman named Anita Advani claimed that she had been Khanna's live-in partner, and sent a legal notice to his family members asking for compensation. The family denied the claims.
Illness and death
In June 2012, it was reported that Rajesh Khanna's health had been deteriorating for some time, On 23 June he was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai due to health complications. He was discharged on 8 July from the hospital and was reportedly fine.
On 14 July, Khanna was readmitted to the Lilavati Hospital but was discharged on 16 July. He died on 18 July 2012, at his bungalow, Aashirwad, in Mumbai. Sources confirmed that his health was deteriorating since July 2011 as he was diagnosed with cancer. After his death his co-star Mumtaz said that Khanna was suffering from cancer since a year and had undergone chemotherapy sessions. His funeral took place on 19 July at 11:00. His funeral was attended by nearly 9 lakh people and his fans had come from places like Surat, Ahmedabad, California, Singapore and from other foreign countries Police had resort to lathi-charge to control the crowd of fans who had gathered for the procession from Khanna's Bandra house to crematorium. He died in the presence of his wife Dimple Kapadia, daughters Rinkie Khanna and Twinkle Khanna, son-in-law Akshay Kumar, grand children, Anju Mahendru and other close relatives. His pyre was lit by his grandson, Aarav, with the assistance of Akshay Kumar. Amitabh Bachchan cited that Khanna's last words were 'Time is up', 'Pack up'. In his special recorded message to his family, friends and fans which was played on his "chautha" he thanked and saluted his friends and fans for the love they showered on him. On 25 July 2012, his ashes were immersed in Ganges by his wife Dimple Kapadia and daughter Rinke Khanna.
Awards
Khanna won four Best Actor Awards in the Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards, and received 25 nominations. He won three Filmfare Best Actor Awards, one Filmfare Special Guest Actor Award in 1973, and received a Filmfare Special Award in 1991, after 25 years in the Hindi film industry. He received the Filmfare Life Time Achievement Award at the 50th anniversary Filmfare award ceremony in 2005.