Rajesh Khanna ki amar kahaani...
Pathetic as it sounds, this is the fate of exceedingly famous individuals who lose touch with reality. It may seem unfair at this delicate stage to bring in a comparison, but look at the ailing and frail Dilip Kumar and the dignity with which he continues to conduct his life.
Dilip Kumar’s two main rivals (Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor) are both dead and gone after securing a permanent place for themselves in the movie pantheon.
Rajesh Khanna came much later. Long after this triumvirates’ glory days had ended. And yet, today’s moviegoer is more likely to know about the life and times of all three of them, but may be totally blank about Rajesh Khanna’s. There’s an important lesson in this. Some of Rajesh Khanna’s contemporaries (Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna) are also struggling with health issues. Amitabh Bachchan, who arrived on the scene a few years after “The Phenomenon” and smoothly usurped his throne, has battled life-threatening medical conditions for years but continues to remain at the top of the pile. Fans have not forgotten any of these accomplished actors. But with Rajesh Khanna, the story is more complicated. Unwilling to come to terms with fading popularity, Khanna chose isolation.
After retreating into his den, he stayed there, possibly licking his wounds and wondering what happened to his charmed existence. Nobody dared tell him that his old life was long over. That others had captured the hearts of fans. Bollywood had moved on. Khanna was left stuck in a time warp, a sad and bitter man, living inside a bottle, wallowing in self-pity, still clinging on to delusions of grandeur. But ask women of my vintage and they’ll tell you a different story. For us, Rajesh Khanna is by far the biggest superstar India has ever seen. Nobody has ever come anywhere close to him — not any of the Khans, not the Kapoors, not even Big B. Whether or not he had done that rather insensitive Havell Fans ad, for us he stays frozen forever as the Ámar Prem lover boy, tilting his head, smiling rakishly and breaking our hearts with that adorable little boy look.
Sigh! And sigh again. Rajesh Khanna’s decline and descent, depressing as it is, serves us well. All of us. Fame and fortune are fickle lovers, ready to be courted by the next suitor — someone younger, richer, more accomplished. Nobody is spared. Not Presidents, Prime Ministers, Kings and Queens. Look around you... check out the latest Louis Vuitton ad that features Muhammed Ali. It will make you weep. The same way the Havell Fans commercial made me weep. As much for Rajesh Khanna as myself. Toh bhi, Kaka can certainly count me in as a “Fan Forever”. Readers can send
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