Rajesh Khanna, the first superstar of Bollywood was born on December 29, 1942 in Amritsar, Punjab. Today is the 79th birth anniversary of the actor who had beyond comparison fan-following and stardom. Rajesh Khanna’s original name was Jatin Khanna. The heartthrob of many girls for decades, the actor took the Bollywood film industry to a new height with his versatile personality and brilliant acting.
The veteran actor also tried his hand in film production and showed his talent in politics. Affectionately called Kakaji, he gave many legendary films to Indian cinema. He made his debut in Bollywood in 1966 with Chetan Anand’s Aakhri Khat.
The journey of the boy from Amritsar to becoming the first Superstar of Hindi cinema shows the commitment and passion of Rajesh Khanna for the craft.
With consecutive 15 superhit films from 1969 to 1971, Rajesh Khanna became famous as the superstar and this was the first time the title was used for any film actor in Bollywood.
Over the years it’s rare for any actor to achieve the success and stardom like that of Rajesh Khanna. Rajesh Khanna acted in about 163 feature films and 17 short films in a career spanning over four decades.
In 1973, BBC made a documentary on the actor titled Bombay Superstar. Apart from this, there was once a textbook in Mumbai University which carried a chapter ‘The Charisma of Rajesh Khanna’, a rare feat for any Bollywood actor.
Rajesh Khanna married Dimple Kapadia in 1973. Rajesh and Dimple have two daughters Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna. Twinkle, born on December 29, shares her birthday with the superstar.
Rajesh Khanna entered politics after playing long innings in the film industry. Contested the election as a Congress candidate from the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat and won. He was an MP from 1991 to 1996.
Rajesh, who ruled the hearts of fans, left for the heavenly abode on 18 July 2012 after prolonged illness.
