The kind and slightly naive Indian cinema has long gone beyond the borders of its country and even got to Hollywood. This cinema also has its own audience in Russia, some probably still remember the crazy success of Disco Dancer, one of the most successful films in the biography of Rajesh Khanna. Bollywood stamps hundreds of films and dozens of superstars, including world cinema, but this actor is still the main and last romantic hero of Indian cinema.
early years
The biography of Rajesh Khanna began in British India. He was born December 29, 1942 in Amritsar, the second largest city in the state of Punjab, in the family of Lala Hiranand, who worked as the principal of the high school, and Chandran Khanna. He was adopted and raised by wealthy relatives of his parents - a family of railway contractors: Chunnilal Khanna and his wife Lilavati, who had recently moved to Bombay. The family settled in the southern suburb of Mumbai, where Rajesh went to St. Sebastian's School, in which he met another future great actor - Ravi Kapoor, who became famous in Bollywood under the pseudonym Jitendra. Foster parents had their three daughters, and he, the boy, was overly spoiled, refused nothing: luxurious things, a thousand rupees for pocket expenses every month, cars and garlands of banknotes on holidays.
In 1959-1961, he studied at Vadya College in Pune. Parents hoped that he would do family business, but Rajesh was only interested in art. He constantly ran away from classes at the rehearsal of the local theater club, so the first role appeared in the biography of Rajesh Khanna. The debut was unsuccessful, the actor mixed up the remarks from excitement and therefore got drunk with grief. But Rajesh did not despair, he participated a lot in amateur productions and won several dramatic competitions held among colleges.
Carier start
In the early 60s, Khanna, as a debutant, tried to get a job in the theater or cinema. His friend Jitendra always advised him to try acting in films. And he decided to take part in a competition held by a production company. Rajesh became one of the eight finalists of the All-India Talent Competition, in which ten thousand applicants participated. As a result, he became the winner and got the opportunity to star in the film. So in the biography of Rajesh Khanna in 1966, the first film “The Last Letter” appeared, which was directed by Chetan Anand. He then starred in several more films, including The Secret, directed by Ravindra Dave. The films were not a failure and did not become very successful, but these were his first steps to fame. Although the film “The Last Letter” was nominated for the Academy Award as the best film in a foreign language, in his biography actor Rajesh Khanna noted that he was shy in talking to the camera.
First success
After his first movie roles, Khanna signed a contract with United Producers, the organizer of a talent contest, and began to film a lot. In 1969, he starred in the film directed by Shakti Samant “Devotion” - a somewhat naive melodrama about a mother who took the blame for the murder committed by her son. Despite the trivial plot, in the country Rajesh became a famous actor and a new type of romantic and noble movie hero. Each of his seven films, shot in contact with United Producers, was a step forward in national recognition. He has made great advances in acting, learned to conduct dialogue normally and move in front of the camera. During these years, Rajesh Khanna's biography in his biography was closely linked. On the set, he met Anju Mahendra, who became his first love.
National glory
He was already recognized by the audience, but he truly became a recognized superstar after the film "Devotion" directed by Shakti Samantha. In this film, he starred with Sharmila Tagore, who played a major female role and was then his partner in romantic films and melodramas for a long time. The hero of Khanna, sometimes carefree charming, sometimes tragic, conquered not only the audience, but also the critics. The film won the main Indian film award Filmfare for Best Film of 1969. In the biography of Rajesh Khanna, this was the first film award, he was recognized as a romantic and dramatic actor. And among the audience, especially women, he became a real idol, they sent him declarations of love written in blood, his car was constantly in lipstick - traces of fans' kisses.
Hit Films
Since 1969, a series of fifteen popular films appeared in the biography of Rajesh Khanna:
- "Devotion", 1969;
- “Elephants are my friends”, 1971;
- Beloved, 1976;
- “The flip side of love", 1981;
- Disco Dancer, 1982;
- “If You Are Not With Me,” 1983;
- A Priceless Gift, 1987, and many others.
Rajesh three times during these years (1970, 1971 and 1973) received the award as the best actor in Indian cinema, and the British Air Force media holding made a documentary about him. The reason for the unprecedented success was that the Rajesh heroes, carefree and funny in everyday life, did not give in to the difficulties. The image of an honest and daring guy, maybe not too smart, had incredible touchingness and a peculiar inner strength and appealed to all the inhabitants of the country. Remakes of his Hindi films were often shot in other languages ​​of India. His friend Kamal Haasan starred in three remakes, re-shot in Tamil, Rajesh himself in two remakes of Tamil films, where the main roles were played by Kamal. The main difference between his films and most even contemporary paintings is that they enjoyed success throughout India, regardless of nationality. His talent as a romantic and dramatic actor allowed him to act in dozens of films and achieve recognition of all categories of viewers. His most versatile acting talent was revealed most fully in a duet with Mumtaz, Indian Marilyn, with whom he starred in the films Trick Against Greed, Slice of Bread, Test of Love. In 1970, one of his favorite films, Love Never Dies, was shot, where Amitabh Bachchan appeared in a small role, who will become the next idol of the Indians. During his active work in the cinema, about 180 films appeared in the biography of Rajesh Khanna.
After success
After the resounding success in the biography of Rajesh Khanna, whose photo, probably, was in almost every Indian family, a black streak came. His romantic heroes have outlived their lives, Rajesh agreed to knowingly failing roles, all this was compounded by problems in his personal life.
In 1992, he ends with an acting career and, on the advice of Rajiv Gandhi, moves to New Delhi to pursue politics. Until 1996, he was a member of the Indian National Congress, after which he was just a political activist. After a break related to political activity, Khanna continued to act in films, but he was already playing fathers, not heroes.
Personal life
After seven years of relationship with Anju Mahendru, which began in the late 60s, the couple broke up. The reasons were the starryness of Khanna and his constant demands on Anjah that she quit her job. As Anja Mahendra later said, after parting, they had not talked for 17 years.
In 1973, he married the sixteen-year-old Dimple of Kapadia - the star of the legendary film "Bobby". They lived together until 1984, they had two daughters - Twinkle and Rinkle Khanna. As you can see from the biography, Rajesh Khanna and his family were close to the last days of the actor's life. They never formalized a divorce, maintained friendly relations. The last journey was seen off by Dimple Kapadia with her daughters and grandchildren.
Last years
Rajesh began to have health problems in April 2012, when he was diagnosed with cancer during the examination, he underwent chemotherapy, which did not help him much. This was not reported to the general public. In June 2012, his health deteriorated sharply, he was hospitalized and then discharged from the hospital. On July 18, he died in his bungalow in Mumbai. In the biography of Rajesh Khanna, the cause of death is indicated - cancer. Admirers of his talent from many countries of the world gathered at his funeral. According to Hindu custom, his body was burnt, and the ashes were lowered into the Ganges River, sacred to the Indians. Everything related to the latest photos of Rajesh Khanna, biography, cause of death, remained in the memory of fans as an example of courage in the face of a terrible disease. In a special dying message, he thanked everyone for the love they surrounded him with.