Jatin Khanna was someone whom not too many folks would connect to while Kaka may bring a wry smile or a grimmace to the face but whisper RAJESH KHANNA and an entire generation that grew up in the 70's will sigh as they are transported into their past when Romance Was King & Rajesh Khanna was the undisputed Emperor of Bollywood!!!

Even though there had been legends in Indian cinema before RAJESH KHANNA appeared on the horizon such as the trio of Dilip Kumar-Raj Kapoor & Dev Anand and we had several Badshah's and King Khans after him yet there has been and I guess shall be only and only one Phenomenon that happed to Indian Cinema and that was RAJESH KHANNA.

Time and again it was believed that RAJESH KHANNA was blessed with the Midas touch so much so that whatever he touched turned into pure gold at the box-office-over and over again. But what is not known by all and sundry is the fact that RAJESH KHANNA too had his fair share of struggle that lasted for almost three years before he tasted real mega success with Aradhana after which there was absolutely no looking back for Kaka as he swept the nation with his charisma an abundant charms.

Arriving as Jatin Khanna he was transformed into Rajesh Khanna in 1965 when he won the United Producers Contest and given a break in films.Almost all of his earlier films be it Aakhri Khat, Baharon Ke Sapne or Doli were heroine oriented films with far more popular leading ladies be it Babita or Asha Parekh. The jinx was broken in mid 1968 when Shakti Samant kept aside his favorite blue eyed hero Shammi Kapoor and opted for a raw Rajesh Khanna opposite Sharmila Tagore who was then at the peak of her career.

Aradhana came as a tidal wave and RAJESH KHANNA had arrived.The next five years of a whirlwind experience that can truly go down as the Golden era of Bollywood. At the peak of his illustrious career RAJESH KHANNA was heard grumbling that he had seen so much success that he desired a few terrible flops just to get a feel of failure.Such was his box-office run. Apparently God heard his woe and decided to fulfill his desire thus began his steep downfall towards doom.

With every flop that RAJESH KHANNA landed the lanky Amitabh Bachchan landed another hit to his credit.Thus as swiftly as Kaka came hurtling down in the same propotion Amitabh zoomed uwards.Even though the two of them did just two films together Anand and Namak Haram both of which had Kaka dominating the scene and hogging the lime-light one last time their paths crossed was for Manmohan Desai's Naseeb where Kaka shared screen space with Amitabh Bachchan who was now an undisputed superstar and still growing while RAJESH KHANNA was virtually burnt out and desperately clawing to salvage what little was left of his sinking career.

But then RAJESH KHANNA was a born fighter and he would not give up so easily after having had loads of mega success and so while the industry predicted that Kaka was a has been he shut up one and all as he made an unbelievable come back with gems like Soutan, Avtaar,Amardeep & Aakhir Kyon.He virtually proved one and all wrong as he turned the tables and made a decent comeback that left everyone stunned.

Alas this come-back was short-lived and it became for him to either sustain it or survive as he failed to reinvent himself to jell with the new generation.Time and again producers begged him to use his trump card-wife Dimple Kapadia to pair with him on-screen and then see the sensation they created together but Kaka was stubborn and his pride and self respect did not stoop so low and the result is there for all to see.Dimple cameback to the industry with Saagar & Zakhmi Sher when she could have given her husband a few rocking block busters.

At the fag end of his career he did get cornered and signed estranged wife Dimple Khanna for his home production Jai Shiv Shanker but even here he paired her opposite Jeetu instead of himself as a matter of principle..Alas the film never got completed and eventually landed in the safe custody of the income tax department.

With his career in the dumps and nothing much to look forward to he walked into the Congress (I) camp and thus began his brief political career when he routed the giant never before defeated BJP supremo L.K. Advani. Thus he moved into his new avatar of a bright politician in the making.

The next decade was spent as a politician before he returned to Mumbai to lead a life of self retirement keeping a low profile doing a rare stint of television and some real odd films like Wafaa opposite his fave co-star Zeenie(no longer)baby or the horror(ible)flick D-5.

With his elder daughter Twinkle/Tina married to the heart throb Akshay Kumar and younger baby Chinky/Rinkie Khanna married in Delhi Kaka lives a lonely life straight out of one of his oh sooo popular hit tear-jerkers in oblivion!!!!

                           RAJESH KHANNA SAID IT!!

"After doing 171 films I left the film industry on the insistence of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to strengthen his arms and after I defeated L.K.Advani I plunged into politics from the deep end!!!"

"I'm greatful to God that he gave me a second chance to serve my fans by entertaining them with my acting skills!!!"

"The affection of the public transformed me from an actor into a star and then a superstar. Now I sincerly hope and pray that they give me even a fraction of the same love and devotion in my second innings as well !!"

"Films are about the universal language of emotions, irrespective of where and by whom they are made. Today film makers have the best of technology and equipment but sadly their films have no soul!!!"

"I value rewards not awards...The love and accetance of my audience is my reward thanks to which I could also win awards.I firmly believe that success is a journey and not the destination.So one must keep going on and on.Making you a Superstar is in the hands of God & the audience alone. So all you can do is be sincere and work hard and most important be ready to accept the thorns with the roses graciously!!!

BY: THE LIP

(CHHAYANKAN FEATURES)