Rajesh Khanna facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rajesh Khanna
Khanna in 2009
Born	Jatin Khanna (1942-12-29)29 December 1942 Amritsar, Punjab, British India (present-day Punjab, India)
Died	18 July 2012(2012-07-18) (aged 69) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Nationality	Indian
Education	K. C. College
Occupation	Actor film producer politician
Years active	1966–2012
Works	Full list
Political party	Indian National Congress
Spouse(s)	Dimple Kapadia ​ (m. 1973)​
Children	Twinkle Khanna (daughter) Rinke Khanna (daughter)
Relatives	Akshay Kumar (son-in-law) Simple Kapadia (sister-in-law)
Awards	Padma Bhushan (2013) Full list
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office 1992–1996
Preceded by	L. K. Advani
Succeeded by	Jagmohan
Constituency	New Delhi
Majority	28,256
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Rajesh Khanna (born Jatin Khanna; 29 December 1942 – 18 July 2012) was a famous Indian actor, film producer, and politician. He worked mainly in Hindi films. People called him the "First Superstar of Hindi cinema". He starred in a record 15 hit movies in a row between 1969 and 1971.

He was the highest-paid actor in Hindi cinema during the 1970s and 1980s. Rajesh Khanna won many awards, including four BFJA Awards and five Filmfare Awards. In 2013, after he passed away, he received the Padma Bhushan. This is India's third-highest award for civilians.

Khanna started his acting career in 1966 with the film Aakhri Khat. This movie was India's first official entry for the Oscars in 1967. In 2005, he received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. This was given at the 50th anniversary of the Filmfare Awards.

He was also a Member of Parliament for New Delhi from 1992 to 1996. He was elected as a candidate for the Indian National Congress party. Rajesh Khanna married actress Dimple Kapadia in March 1973. They had two daughters: Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna. Twinkle Khanna is also an actress and is married to actor Akshay Kumar.

Rajesh Khanna passed away on 18 July 2012, after being ill for some time. India honored him with a postage stamp and a statue. A road was also renamed after him. His biography, Rajesh Khanna: The Untold Story of India's First Superstar, was published in 2014.

Early Life and Background

Rajesh Khanna was born on 29 December 1942, in Amritsar, which was then part of British India. His birth name was Jatin Khanna. He was adopted and raised by Chunnilal and Leelawati Khanna, who were relatives of his biological parents. His adoptive parents were railway contractors. They moved from Lahore to Bombay in 1935.

He went to St. Sebastian's Goan High School with his friend Ravi Kapoor, who later became the actor Jeetendra. Rajesh Khanna became very interested in theater. He performed in many school and college plays and won several awards.

In 1962, Khanna acted in a play called Andha Yug. His performance as a wounded, mute soldier impressed everyone. The main guest at the play suggested he should join films soon. Khanna was one of the few new actors who owned a fancy MG sports car.

He studied for two years at Nowrosjee Wadia College in Pune. Later, he studied at K. C. College in Mumbai. His uncle, KK Talwar, changed his first name to Rajesh when he decided to become an actor. His friends and wife called him Kaka, which means "baby-faced boy" in Punjabi.

Acting Career Highlights

Becoming a Star in the 1960s

In 1965, Rajesh Khanna was one of eight finalists in the All India Talent Contest. Over 10,000 people competed. He won the contest along with Farida Jalal. Many famous producers and directors were judges.

He made his first film, Aakhri Khat, in 1966. This was directed by Chetan Anand. His next film was Raaz in 1967. Both films were part of his prize for winning the talent competition.

He gained attention for his roles in films like Baharon Ke Sapne and Ittefaq. In Baharon Ke Sapne, the audience loved him so much that the film's sad ending was changed to a happy one.

His role in Aradhana made him instantly famous across the country. The media started calling him the "First Superstar of India". This was because of the huge fan following he had. In Aradhana, Rajesh Khanna played a double role as father and son. This film also helped Kishore Kumar become very popular. Kishore Kumar then became the main singing voice for Rajesh Khanna's songs.

Success in the 1970s

In 1971, Rajesh Khanna starred in Haathi Mere Saathi. This became the highest-earning film of that year. Khanna also gave Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar their first chance to write screenplays for this film.

Between 1969 and 1971, Rajesh Khanna had 15 solo hit films in a row. These included Aradhana, Do Raaste, Kati Patang, Anand, and Haathi Mere Saathi. He had a total of 17 consecutive hit films as the lead actor during this time.

In 1972, he acted in 11 films. His movies Amar Prem, Apna Desh, and Mere Jeevan Saathi earned a lot of money. He also made a guest appearance in a Telugu film called Bangaru Babu, which was a hit.

Rajesh Khanna worked with actress Mumtaz in eight films. They were good friends and neighbors, which showed in their on-screen chemistry. Mumtaz said that when Rajesh entered a hotel, hundreds of girls would wait to see him.

At the peak of his career, fans would mob him in public. They would kiss his car, leaving lipstick marks. Female fans even sent him letters written in their own blood. There were always lines of producers' cars and excited fans outside his house.

During the filming of Amar Prem, a scene needed to be shot under Howrah Bridge. The authorities worried that if people knew he was there, the bridge might collapse from the crowd. Film critic Monojit Lahiri said that "Girls married themselves to photographs of Rajesh Khanna, cutting their fingers and applying the blood as sindoor."

In 1973, the BBC made a documentary about him called Bombay Superstar. This showed his life as he got married and his film Daag premiered. A textbook for Mumbai University even had an essay titled "The Charisma of Rajesh Khanna!"

Music was a huge part of Rajesh Khanna's films. He personally chose tunes with music directors like Laxmikant Pyarelal and R. D. Burman. He was often present for song recordings. The combination of Rajesh Khanna, Kishore Kumar, and R.D. Burman created many popular songs.

Between 1976 and 1978, some of his films were not as successful. The film industry was changing, with more action-oriented movies becoming popular. However, he still had hits like Maha Chor and Anurodh.

Films in the 1980s

After 1978, Khanna continued to star in many films. These included Amar Deep, Dard, Avtaar, and Souten. He also worked with actress Tina Munim in several movies, becoming a popular on-screen couple.

He acted in a Marathi hit film called Sundara Satarkar in 1981. Rajesh Khanna was good friends with Kamal Haasan. Kamal Haasan once described how crazy fans were for Khanna at a movie theater in 1985. Khanna's shirt was torn by fans, but he enjoyed the excitement.

Khanna also appeared in successful multi-star films like Rajput and Dharm Aur Qanoon. He did three movies with Jeetendra. In 1984, Maqsad was the second-highest earning film of the year. In Aaj Ka M.L.A. Ram Avtar, he played a corrupt politician, and viewers praised his role.

Before he entered politics, one of his last films as a lead hero was Swarg in 1990. He played many different types of characters. He was a rickshaw puller in Babu, a psychopath in Red Rose, and a lawyer in Kudrat.

Rajesh Khanna was unique because his films were successful all over India. He also acted in many different types of movies at the same time. He was popular with both general audiences and film critics.

He had close friendships with R. D. Burman and Kishore Kumar. They worked together in 32 films. Kishore Kumar even sang for Khanna's first produced film, Alag Alag, without charging any fee.

Many actors and celebrities, like Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, still look up to Rajesh Khanna. They say no one has achieved the same level of stardom and fan craze as him. The fashion trend of wearing guru kurtas and belts on shirts became popular because of him.

Later Career (1990–2011)

While he was a M.P. from 1991 to 1996, he returned to acting in Khudai (1994). After 1992, he appeared in only a few films. He made a comeback in Aa Ab Laut Chalen (1999) and Kyaa Dil Ne Kahaa (2002).

He also acted in four television shows between 2000 and 2009. He said that he did TV shows because they reached more people than films at that time. In 2012, he became a brand ambassador for Havells, a fan company, appearing in their advertisements.

Political Career

Rajesh Khanna started campaigning for the Indian National Congress party after 1984. In the 1991 election for the New Delhi seat, he lost by a small number of votes. However, in 1992, a special election was held. Khanna ran again and won, defeating Shatrughan Sinha.

He served as a Member of Parliament for the Indian National Congress from 1992 to 1996. While he was an MP, he mostly avoided new acting roles. After leaving Parliament, he continued to be a political activist for his party.

Personal Life

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Rajesh Khanna was in a relationship with fashion designer and actress Anju Mahendru for seven years. They broke up.

Later, Khanna married actress Dimple Kapadia in March 1973. They had two daughters, Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna. Khanna and Kapadia separated in 1982. They separated because Dimple wanted to continue acting, but Rajesh preferred her to be a housewife. However, they never officially divorced and remained friendly. Later, he was in a relationship with actress Tina Munim.

His elder daughter, Twinkle Khanna, is married to actor Akshay Kumar. His younger daughter, Rinke Khanna, is married to Samir Saran, an investment banker in London.

Rajesh Khanna had many close friends in the film industry. These included Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Mumtaz, Kishore Kumar, and Jeetendra. In his later years, he also became friends with Amitabh Bachchan.

Illness and Death

In June 2012, news spread that Rajesh Khanna's health was getting worse. He was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on 23 June. He was discharged on 8 July but was readmitted on 14 July.

Rajesh Khanna passed away on 18 July 2012, at his home in Mumbai. Sources confirmed he had been battling cancer since July 2011. His co-star Mumtaz also said he had been undergoing chemotherapy.

His funeral took place on 19 July. About 900,000 people attended, with fans coming from all over India and even other countries. Police had to control the large crowd. His wife, daughters, son-in-law, and grandchildren were present. His grandson, Aarav, lit the funeral pyre with help from Akshay Kumar.

Amitabh Bachchan said that Rajesh Khanna's last words were "Time is up, Pack up." In a message played after his death, Khanna thanked his friends and fans for their love. He also shared how he became a successful actor without any special help. On 25 July 2012, his ashes were scattered in the Ganges River at Rishikesh.

Influence and Legacy

The President of India, Pratibha Patil, expressed sadness at his passing. She said he was a "heartthrob" for young people in the 1970s. Many celebrities and politicians paid their respects after his death.

Rajesh Khanna on a 2013 stamp of India

On 3 May 2013, India Post released a postage stamp featuring Rajesh Khanna. A bronze statue of him was unveiled in Mumbai on his first death anniversary. An intersection in Girgaon was named "Superstar Rajesh Khanna Chowk" in his honor. A park in New Delhi was also renamed "Superstar Rajesh Khanna Park".

Awards and Nominations

Rajesh Khanna won seven Best Actor Awards from the All-India Critics Association. He also won four Best Actor Awards at the Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards. He received three Filmfare Best Actor Awards.

In 1991, he received a Filmfare Special Award for his 25 years in Hindi cinema. He was given the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005. In 2009, he also received the IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Filmography

Producer

Co-producer

Playback Singer

Images for kids

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  Khanna's funeral procession in Mumbai on 19 July 2012

See also

In Spanish: Rajesh Khanna para niños