Remembering Bollywood’s original king of romance – Rajesh Khanna on his 6th death anniversary. Khanna was also the first film star to be called as a “Superstar” and popularly known as Kaka in Hindi film industry. To his credit he has 26 golden jubilee hits and 48 platinum hit movies in Bollywood.
He ruled the Hindi Film industry for 36 years and has given unforgettable hits movie like ‘Kati Patang’, ‘Amar Prem’, ‘Safar’, ‘Mere Jeevan Saathi’, ‘Haathi Mere Saathi’, ‘Swarg’, ‘Aa Ab laut Chalen’, ‘Kya Dil Ne Kahaa’ and others.
His song like ‘Yeh reshmi Zulfein’ from ‘Do Raaste’, ‘Roop Tera Mastana’ from ‘Aaradhna’, ‘Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai’ from ‘Kati Patang’, ‘Chingari Koi Bhadke’ from ‘Amar Prem’, ‘Jai Jai Shiv Shankar’ and ‘Zindagi Ka Safar’ from ‘Aap Ki Kasam’ mesmerizes today’s generation too.
He was always smiling, helpful person and loved by his fans for his positive energy. Such was his craze that children born in the 1960s and 1970s, many of them were named Rajesh, following Rajesh Khanna phenomenal rise to stardom.
Today, on his death anniversary we bring you some of the controversy which Rajesh Khanna faced in his life.
Rajesh Khanna’s affairs
Rajesh Khanna was said to be in a relationship with Devyani Chaubal, who was a journalist and columnist in ‘Star and Style’ film magazine. The tag Superstar was introduced by Devyani Chaubal for Rajesh Khanna. Due to some reason they got separated, and than Rajesh Khanna was involved in a relationship with Tina Munim. However, he did not marry her thinking that it might ruin his image and popularity. Moreover, it would leave a bad impact on her daughters. After that, he started dating Anju Mehandru for almost seven years but didn’t get success and parted way.
Marriage with Dimple Kapadia
Dimple Kapadia was a teenager when she entered in Bollywood. She was busy shooting ‘Bobby’ with Rishi Kapoor when she was just 15 years old. She was a die-hard fan of Rajesh Khanna at that time. When Rajesh Khanna met Dimple Kapadia, he fell in love and got married, who was 15 years younger to him. The ceremony took place at her father Chunnibhai Kapadia family bungalow in Juhu in March 1973. The grand reception was held at hotel Horizon, Juhu in Mumbai.
Rajesh Khanna postponed their honeymoon because there were just 3 months to complete her debut film ‘Bobby’. The couple have two beautiful daughters – Twinkle Khanna and Rinkie Khanna. Twinkle Khanna is a wife of Bollywood Khiladi Akshay Kumar.
According to reports, the name of bungalow which was situated at Carter Road at Bandra was named as ‘Dimple’. But due to some reason it was later changed to ‘Aashirwad’.
Divorce with Dimple
Rajesh and Dimple were both very romantic and referred each other with nicknames ‘Dimpy’ and ‘Kaka’. However, their marriage survived for only 10 years. The biggest reason of their separation was Rajesh Khanna’s alcoholism and his obsession with power. But they officially never got divorced.
Dimpy left Bollywood to raise her two daughters. However it is believed that Rajesh Khanna forced Dimple to take retirement from Bollywood, which she quietly agreed. After separation Dimple remarked, “The life and happiness in our house came to an end the day I and Rajesh got married.”
Live in relationship with Anita Advani
Anita Advani became a household name when she entered the hugely popular television reality show Bigg Boss. Anita was in a live-in relationship with Rajesh Khanna at Aashirwad in Mumbai. Anita looked after him in his final years but she was thrown out of his house two months before his death. In one of an interview, Anita said that they loved each other.
Dimple, Akshay, Twinkle v/s Anita
The cat fight between Dimple Kapadia and Anita Advani was on Rajesh Khanna’s bungalow named ‘Aashirwad’ at Carter Raod. Anita filed petition on Domestic violence Act against Dimple Kapadia, daughter Twinkle Khanna and son-in-law Akshay Kumar.
She said, “The HC ruled out my petition without even hearing my story. They refused to see all the proofs I had. Rajesh Khanna was single and deserted by his wife when I was with him.”
She further added, “I have no issues if they turn the bungalow into a museum. I won’t complain or ask for anything. We were not married, but we were passionately in love. I and Rajesh Khanna shared lot of things and Dimple had been away from his life. We were more than a married couple. I am happy that there are laws for live-in-partners and I will continue to fight the whole world,”
Naseeruddin Shah on Rajesh Khanna
Another controversy surfaced when Naseeruddin Shah elaborating on the comments. He said, that the coming of colour was the “main thing that caused it”. “The trilogy of Raj Kumar, Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand were on the wane. The film industry needed a new icon. Rajesh Khanna filled that role,” he said. “The fact is the industry created him, used him, and cast him away when he was no longer a money minting machine.”
On this Twinkle Khanna slam Naseeruddin she tweeted on twitter, Sir if u can’t respect the living, respect the dead-mediocrity is attacking a man who can’t respond @NaseerudinShah
Sir if u can’t respect the living ,respect the dead-mediocrity is attacking a man who can’t respond @NaseerudinShah https://t.co/4EdyWmwiNj
— Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) July 23, 2016
She also tweeted, All due regard to Mr Shah’s reality, mine=a man who loved cinema& did films like Anand, AmarPrem, Kati Patang thank u folks for all the love
All due regard toMrShah’s reality,mine=a man who loved cinema& did films likeAnand,AmarPrem,KatiPatang thank u folks for all the love
— Twinkle Khanna (@mrsfunnybones) July 24, 2016
Property sale to Shashi Shetty
Finally the property ‘Aashirwad’ bungalow was sold to Shashi Sheety for Rs 85 crore in 2014. Shashi plans to make Aashrwad his new home. Rajesh Khanna had bought Aashirwaad for Rs 3.5 lakh in 1970 from fellow actor Rajendra Kumar.