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Rajesh Khanna’s top five movies

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Here is our celebration of B'wood's first superstar's enduring cinematic legacy...

Rajesh Khanna - Bollywood's king of romance

They don’t make men like him anymore. In the annals of Bollywood history, the word ‘superstar’ is synonymous with Rajesh Khanna. In the 60s, his mere name spelt frenzy. He could make girls go wild with just a wave or a slight tilt of the head. Indeed, no superstar in Bollywood – not the famed Dilip Kumar-Raj Kapoor-Dev Anand trio of the 50s or Amitabh Bachchan of the 80s or the Khans of the 90s – could match the hysteria that Rajesh Khanna generated in his heydays. Young girls writing to him in blood, his house being thronged by thousands of fans, his presence ensuring ‘housefull’ boards every Friday…. these stores have become part of urban cinematic legend. Alas, the other side was equally dramatic. Tales of his arrogance, his ego, his bitter rivalry with Amitabh Bachchan, his numerous idiosyncrasies, his tumultuous affairs and marriage woes and his subsequent downfall make his real life equally fascinating as his reel one. While it would be impossible to enumerate all that Rajesh Khanna was famous and infamous for, one thing is sure – his legacy will continue to shine through his films. Just like Shammi Kapoor, Dev Anand, Bhupen Hazarika and Dara Singh – luminaries who passed away over the last few months – Rajesh will be cherished by his legions of fans. We pick five films from his impressive repertoire (a tough task indeed!) that made him the megastar that he was. Do you have them on your classic DVD list yet?

ARADHANA (1969) Co-star: Sharmila Tagore Director: Shakti Samanta

This was the movie that propelled Rajesh Khanna, whose real name was Jatin, to superstardom. In a double role as father and son, Rajesh’s charm created a massive impact. The storyline that had just the right amount of melodrama, comedy and huge doses of romance, touched hearts of audiences. And his chemistry with the sizzling Sharmila Tagore in the song Roop Tera Mastana still makes many hearts beat faster. Aradhana made Rajesh, Bollywood’s first bonafide superstar. The soundtrack by SD Burman had some golden numbers such as Khil Rahe Hain… and of course the evergreen Mere Sapno Ki Rani. Rajesh, who had done small roles in big and small budget films earlier, arrived on the scene with this romantic saga.

Anand (1971) Co-star: Amitabh Bahchan Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee

You can watch Anand a hundred times and still shed tears when Rajesh, playing Anand Sehgal, a happy-go-lucky cancer patient who believes in living life to the fullest, dies in the end. In the process he teaches people around him a lesson or two about the true essence of life. The movie had some delightful scenes and some equally heart-breaking ones. Once again, music played a big part in the success of this classic. Rajesh’s co-star in the film was then upcoming actor (and future rival) Amitabh Bachchan and he made an impact as the cynical young doctor who learns to smile thanks to Anand. If nothing else, this movie boasts of one of the most powerful ‘death scenes’ ever. Right Babumoshai?