Rajesh's mother could not stand even his on-screen death

Asked to recall the would-be star's stay with the Bhatlekar family, Ramesh said, "We had a close association with the Khanna family since our Mumbai days and therefore he was comfortable with my mother and liked the Maharashtrian food at our home. "During his stay with us, he used to take an auto-rickshaw to go to Wadia college, which was at the other end of the city."

Rajesh went back to Mumbai after doing first two years of Bachelor of Arts at Wadia and completed his graduation there, he added.

"We used to play together in Girgaum in Mumbai. Even as a young boy, Rajesh, who had good looks with a pink complexion, always aspired to be an actor. Once he showed me a photograph of his and told me with an innocent pride that he had sent it to Raj Kapoor asking him for a role in films," Bhatlekar said.

"He and his family were always very gracious and maintained relations with us even after he became a star. When he married Dimple in 1973, Rajesh and his family invited us for the wedding in Mumbai. Among the large assembly of guest celebrities, when he noticed my parents, he sent Premnath (the late actor) to take us to the stage, where the newly-wed couple was seated accepting greetings...His mother – Leelavati -- gifted a traditional saree to my mother on the occasion," Bhatlekar said in a choked voice.

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