The first superstar of Hindi cinema Rajesh Khanna he may have died in 2012, but his legend lives on, and a heartwarming episode of ‘Indian Idol’ is proof of that. Veteran actor By Asha Parek and music composer Vishal Dadlani He recently appeared on the show, sharing extraordinary personal memories of the late actor’s once-in-a-generation star that left the audience absolutely nostalgic.
Asha Parekh came to know that Rajesh Khanna was a superstar at this point
When host Harsh Limbachiyaa asked Asha Parekh when she first realized Rajesh Khanna’s star power, the veteran actor had a lively response. He recalled, “Unki picture ekdam se hit ho gayi aur sab ladkiyan deewani ho gayi. Tab laga ki yeh superstar ban gaye hain. Iske liye main jo kahungi ki Rajesh Khanna ke peeche jo craze tha, ladkiyon ka jo pagalpan tha, woh maine sirf ek aur hero a ke liye wo de hainkha Dev Anand yes Unke liye bhi ladkiyan behosh ho jaati thi. Isi tarah Rajesh Khanna ji ke liye bhi suna hai ki log unki gaadi ko kiss karte the, aur kuch toh unke photo ke saath shaadi bhi karte the.”(His movie was an overnight hit and all the girls went crazy for him. That’s when I felt he became a superstar. About this, I would say that I saw the craze and craze that girls had for Rajesh Khan only for another hero, and that was Dev Anand. Girls would also go crazy for him. I also knew Rajesh Khan’s car and Khan’s pictures).
Asha Parekh recalls 200-300 girls cramming into a recording theater for a glimpse
Pressed for a vivid memory, Asha Parekh shared an unforgettable incident from the sets of ‘Mere Sapno Ki Rani’. He said, “Hum log shooting kar rahe the, aur ‘Mere Sapno Ki Rani’ ke liye dubbing theater mein gaye the. Chhota sa theater tha, aur 200-300 ladkiyan andar ghus gayi thi. Rajesh Khanna ji ko dekhkar sab pagal ho gayi thi.”(We were shooting, and we went to the dubbing theater for ‘Mere Sapno Ki Rani’. It was a small theater, and around 200-300 girls came inside. The moment they saw Rajesh Khanna, they all went crazy)
About Rajesh Khanna
Considered the first superstar of Indian cinema, Rajesh Khanna delivered iconic films including ‘Anand’, ‘Aradhana’, ‘Kati Patang’, ‘Amar Prem’, ‘Haathi Mere Saathi’ and ‘Safar’ in a career spanning six decades. He married actress Dimple Kapadia and is survived by daughters Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna. He passed away in 2012, but as this episode of ‘Indian Idol’ makes abundantly clear, his hold on the public imagination has never faded.
