Anita Advani, co-habitant of the late superstar Rajesh Khannahas spoken about a difficult phase in the actor’s life, recalling that he became isolated when his films stopped doing at the box office.In an interview with Vickey Lalwani, Anita reflected on the time when her career as an actress went downhill and how it affected her personal life.
‘Slowly, everyone left’
Talking about that time, Anita said, “There was a time when his films didn’t work. When that happened, his people also started moving away from him.”He added: “Slowly, one by one, everyone left: friends, family, people around. No one was there for him.”Focusing on the emotional toll she took, she said: “Isn’t that why a person gets married? When the world leaves you, to have someone stand by you. But in her case, on all sides… she felt like everyone was against her.”Asked if the industry was actively sidelining the actor, Anita said, “Yes, absolutely. It felt like there was a campaign against him. People would say, ‘Don’t take him’, ‘Don’t throw him away’.”
Dedication to return and craftsmanship
Despite the obstacles, Rajesh Khanna made a comeback with films like Avtaar. Anita remembered hearing his dedication during that time.Referring to what Shabana Azmi shared, she said, “He even walked to Vaishno Devi and slept on the floor. He was a very dedicated artiste.”He added, “he would take great care of continuity: bringing the clothes home so that nothing was disturbed. He was very honest with his work.”
“I didn’t follow his life when we broke up”
Talking about her equation with the actor at that time, Anita said, “I wasn’t following his life at that time. Our lives took different paths… I didn’t want unnecessary pain.”Recalling her interactions with industry insiders, Anita revealed, “No one had the guts to say anything. If anyone did, they would be upset. I don’t think they were even in the listening range.”
The story behind ‘Kaka Ji’
He also talked about the origin of his nickname.“In Punjabi families children are called ‘Kaka’. He was a very pampered child, and everyone started calling him ‘Kaka Ji’,” he said.However, she clarified, “Why do you call me that? It’s what you call a baby.” He didn’t like the name very much.”However, Anita added, “I never called him Rajesh. It stayed on my tongue.”
