Rajesh Khanna, often referred to as the ‘First Superstar of Indian cinema’, rose to fame rapidly in the late 1960s. His charismatic on-screen presence made him a cultural icon during the 1970s as he provided one hit movie after another. He almost seemed unstoppable at one point in time.
Khanna made his acting debut in the 1966 film Aakhri Khat but gained widespread recognition with Aradhana (1969), in which 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 films in the early 1970s. During this period, he had an unparalleled run of success that eventually ended in 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, 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. However, in a 2014 book, Salim Khan recalled witnessing Rajesh Khanna’s decline. He also believed that Khanna’s own actions led to his decline.
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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 with his setbacks was not ideal. As reported by The Indian Express, Usman’s book quoted Khan, saying, “When his [Khanna’s] films started flopping, he didn’t look within to evaluate what was going wrong and where. He started blaming others. He used to feel that there was some conspiracy against him.”
The book also reveals the superstar’s desire to establish a cinematic ‘camp’ where individuals would collaborate exclusively with him. However, Salim-Javed expressed disinterest in this idea and conveyed their decision to Rajesh Khanna, a stance that did not leave a favorable impression.
Salim Khan added in the book, “His cronies used to instigate him in such matters. We [Javed and I] told him, ‘You are doing ten films with different producers and expect that we work only with you. How is that possible?’ But he did not have the maturity to understand that we would work with him as well as with other stars. He was a very possessive person by nature.”
Salim Khan On Rajesh Khanna’s Isolation
Salim Khan also reportedly added in the book that Rajesh Khanna believed everything that people said to him. He would apparently lash out at his acquaintances for unverified reports and rumors he had heard about the concerned acquaintance badmouthing him.
This led to Khanna’s eventual isolation, according to Khan. Ajit Ghosh, formerly responsible for managing Rajesh Khanna’s public relations, also confirmed the same to Usman.
Salim Khan also noted that Khanna often took things personally. This prompted him to see ordinary differences in opinion as an affront, which further deteriorated his creative relations.
However, there is no way to verify these reports. Despite his supposed shortcomings, Khanna left behind an enduring legacy in Bollywood.
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The post When Salim Khan Called Out Rajesh Khanna For Falsely Blaming Others For His Own Downfall appeared first on Koimoi.
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