Bollywood’s first superstar, Rajesh Khanna, had an illustrious film career with over 170 movies to his name. During the 60s and 70s, he garnered an enormous fan following, delivering 15 consecutive solo hit films, a feat unmatched by any other actor.
His popularity extended beyond the silver screen, as political parties sought his presence for campaigning during rallies. Close to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Rajesh Khanna was encouraged to step into politics, and he eventually contested from the New Delhi seat.
After venturing into politics, the actor’s film appearances diminished, but he remained actively involved in the political sphere. However, post-politics, Rajesh Khanna embraced television, taking on diverse roles in serials. When asked about his transition to TV daily soaps, he revealed that he didn’t find substantial film roles that piqued his interest.
In 2008, Rajesh Khanna returned to the big screen with some Bollywood movies, which unfortunately didn’t fare well at the box office. Nonetheless, the films he starred in became the talk of the town.
One notable movie from that time was ‘Wafaa: A Deadly Love Story,’ released in 2008, where he had steamy scenes with actress Laila Khan. Addressing the bold scenes, Rajesh Khanna said in a rare interview with Lehren Retro, “Ab jab kal jo picture lag rahe hai aur kuch logo ne uski publicity deakhe aur kaha ki Rajesh Khanna is umar mein itne adhi umar ke larki ke saat ishq farma rahe hain. han woh romantic jaroor hai, sexy scenes jaroor hai, mein tu yeah kahunga ke woh Bollywood nahi Hollywood ke scenes hai, lekin us scene ke baad jab aap deakhenge uske piche uska jo background hai, mein yaqeen se kahunga ke logo ke ankho mein anso a jayenge, q ke uske piche ek kahan hai hai.”
He further added,”Jab loag picture deakheneghe tu logo ko pata chalega yeah jo itne Hollywood hot scenes hai ke Rajesh Khanna ne is umar mein aa ke kiya woh story ki demand rahi hai.”
Tragically, the iconic actor passed away after a prolonged illness on July 18, 2012, leaving behind a timeless legacy in the hearts of his fans and admirers.