Rajesh Khanna, sometimes called the ‘First Superstar of Indian cinema’, rose to fame rapidly within the late Sixties. His charismatic on-screen presence made him a cultural icon in the course of the Seventies as he provided one hit movie after one other. He almost seemed unstoppable at one time limit.
Khanna made his acting debut within the 1966 film Aakhri Khat but gained widespread recognition with Aradhana (1969), wherein he played a dual role. The success of this film catapulted him to unprecedented stardom, and he went on to deliver a series of hit movies within the early Seventies. During this era, he had an unparalleled run of success that eventually led to a slump.
Salim Khan Called Out Rajesh Khanna
The rapid ascent that brought Rajesh Khanna fame and admiration dissipated just as quickly, leaving him perplexed by the sudden downturn. Salim Khan, a part of the prolific writing duo Salim-Javed, had received his first break with Khanna’s film Haathi Mere Saathi.
This marked the inaugural collaborative credit for Salim-Javed as a writing team. Nevertheless, in a 2014 book, Salim Khan recalled witnessing Rajesh Khanna’s decline. He also believed that Khanna’s own actions led to his decline.
In Yaseer Usman’s book, Rajesh Khanna: The Untold Story of India’s First Superstar, Salim Khan was quoted as saying Rajesh Khanna’s approach to coping along with his setbacks was not ideal. As reported by The Indian Express, Usman’s book quoted Khan, saying, “When his [Khanna’s] movies began flopping, he didn’t look inside to judge what was going incorrect and where. He began blaming others. He used to feel that there was some conspiracy against him.”
The book also reveals the superstar’s desire to determine a cinematic ‘camp’ where individuals would collaborate exclusively with him. Nevertheless, Salim-Javed expressed disinterest in this concept and conveyed their decision to Rajesh Khanna, a stance that didn’t leave a good impression.
Salim Khan added within the book, “His cronies used to instigate him in such matters. We [Javed and I] told him, ‘You’re doing ten movies with different producers and expect that we work only with you. How is that possible?’ But he didn’t have the maturity to know that we’d work with him in addition to with other stars. He was a really possessive person by nature.”
Salim Khan On Rajesh Khanna’s Isolation
Salim Khan also reportedly added within the book that Rajesh Khanna believed every part that individuals said to him. He would apparently lash out at his acquaintances for unverified reports and rumors he had heard concerning the concerned acquaintance badmouthing him.
This led to Khanna’s eventual isolation, in accordance with Khan. Ajit Ghosh, formerly accountable for managing Rajesh Khanna’s public relations, also confirmed the identical to Usman.
Salim Khan also noted that Khanna often took things personally. This prompted him to see odd differences in opinion as an affront, which further deteriorated his creative relations.
Nevertheless, there isn’t a option to confirm these reports. Despite his supposed shortcomings, Khanna left behind a permanent legacy in Bollywood.
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