Maut aani hai aayegi ek din Jaan jaani hai jaayegi ek din Aisi baaton se kya ghabrana Yahaan kal kya ho kisne jaana...
These immortal lyrics pictured on yesteryear superstar Rajesh Khanna in Andaz (1970) echoed through everyone’s minds, as news about his death poured in.
The veteran actor kicked the bucket at his Bandra residence yesterday afternoon after battling kidney problems. His condition were deteriorating since April and Khanna was admitted to Lilavati Hospital twice prior to now month. He was 69.
The Amritsar-born actor became the country’s first superstar, way to his 15 consecutive solo super hits between 1969 and 1972. He appeared in 163 feature films in all. Simply put, he single-handedly redefined Hindi cinema in 1970s after making his Bollywood debut in Aakhri Khat.
His unique way of delivering dialogues, crinkling eyes and tilted head contributed to his onscreen charisma that triggered hysteria particularly amongst his legions of ladies fans who would queue up the street for a glimpse, cover his car with lipstick marks or even write him letters in blood. Some even got married to his photographs!
Popularly referred to as Kaka, he was also some of the highest paid actors of his time. A few of his megahits include Aradhana, Safar, Kati Patang,Sachaa Jhutha, Aan Milo Sajna, Anand, Amar Prem and Mere Jeevan Saathi. Not just unforgettable films, even the songs featuring him are timeless. Mere Sapnon Ki Rani, Zindagi Ek Safar, Yeh Shaam Mastani are only some of them.
Rajesh fell in love with Dimple Kapadia when she was only 16 and her debut film Bobby was yet to release. She was 15 years younger to him but they got married after a whirlwind romance in 1973. That they had two daughters Twinkle and Rinke. The wedding however lasted for under 11 years, before they separated in 1984.br /> Like many other prominents actors within the country, he too flirted with politics and served as MP from 1991 to 1996. Later, after fading clear of public glare, he re-emerged at the small screen on the onset of the brand new millennium making his presence felt in two TV serials Ittefaque and Apne Paraye.
He breathed his last within the presence of his estranged wife Dimple, daughters Twinkle and Rinkie, son-in-law Akshay Kumar, grandchildren and shut relatives. After all, like he said in a single of his most renowned films, Anand, “Zindagi lambi nahi, badi honi chahiye...”
Courtesy: Mid-Day.com
