The golden age

The golden age

WHO can forget the years when Rajesh Khanna starred in mega hits like Safar, Kati Patang, Anand, Amar Prem and Aaradhana? He sparked off a frenzy never seen before or since, perhaps not even by the likes of Amitabh Bachchan. Rajesh Khanna's stardom was a unique phenomenon.

— Bidyut K. Chatterjee

Faridabad

WITH the death of Rajesh Khanna, another star of the golden age of Hindi cinema has vanished. Two other stars, Dev Anand and Shammi Kapoor, also passed away this year. A fresh acting style, combined with his endearing mannerisms, made Rajesh Khanna a superstar. His stardom was brief but intense — in the early 1970s, he starred in dozens of films and delivered 15 successive hits. His movies are made memorable by the songs in them, sung by the inimitable Kishore Kumar. A sensitive filmmaker like Hrishikesh Mukherjee picked Rajesh Khanna to act in his films. The superstar did not shy away from non-glamorous roles, as in Bawarchi. However, his best performance was in Anand, which won him millions of hearts.

— J.V. Yakhmi

Mumbai

THE sad news of Rajesh Khanna's death came at time when Bollywood fans were still recovering from the loss of Dara Singh. It is sad that he wasn't able to reinvent himself and return to audiences the way Amitabh Bachchan did.

— J. B. Sunuwar

Bagrakote

MANY years ago, Rajesh Khanna had come to Muscat to inaugurate a music institute. I had the good fortune to meet him in his Mumbai home a year later and reminded him of his trip to Muscat. He jokingly said that he wanted to set up the "Rajesh Khanna Institute of Acting" there. While other Bollywood stars have high walls and gates around their bungalows, Khanna never did. Such was his popularity in the 1970s that the school I went to in Mumbai arranged to take its students to see Anand. I remember leaving the cinema hall sad because the lovable character that Khanna played died in the film. Today, Rajesh Khanna the real-life hero is no more.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Romance, finis

Hail, rain make a dent in kesar mango exports

tyuty