Milind offered me this book from his collection and I was interested to know more about the phenomenon that was Rajesh Khanna. I ended up with a better idea of the star and his life thanks to the book. Thanks to Milind too, who is a rich source of books when I am in Pune.
My first memories of RK were from 'Haathi Mera Saathi' which we watched in faraway Eluru and enjoyed thoroughly. So much did the movie impact us that my brother was adamant that he get a RK shirt stitched for him or something like that. He was only 3 or 4 years old then. Reading the book I realised that RK did that movie for a lark almost. Another movie we saw then, I fail to remember which, had a fire scene and my brother started crying a lot and we were both ejected from the theatre and sent home. I was glad to go home too. Funnily, the next RK movie I remember watching was 'Dhanwan' in the 80s. Much later, in the VCD, DVD, internet era, I watched all his hits - Anand, Namak Haraam, Safar, Bawarchi - and several others. I watch many of his hit songs on YouTube and he is very much part of my life even now.
So it was nice to know that Jatin Khanna belonged to a family of businessmen who moved from Lahore to Bombay and set up successful businesses. He grew up in luxury and everything was at beck and call, and he lacked for nothing. He found some interest in theatre and sometime after his college days entered a competition by Filmfare to find new faces - and won. His runner up was Vinod Mehra. His close pal from college was Ravi Kapoor aka Jeetendra. Jatin Khanna preferred the screen name Jeetendra but since it was already taken by Ravi, he settled for Rajesh Khanna. Ravi Kapoor seemed to have stolen a march over RK but soon RK caught up with him. As it always happens, the most unlikeliest project, made with the least amount of conviction, became a supoer hit in 'Aradhana' and the star became a super star. The stories of his super stardom are wild and RK delivered hit after hit for three years in a row before the Amitabh phenomenon eclipsed him.
Devyani Chaubal, a journalist who took a shine to him, is credited with building the superstar image. Shakti Samantha who directed him in Aradhana gave him several hits. RK didn't think much of Amitabh when he worked with him in Anand, nor did he treat Salim-Javed right. The Amitabh and Salim-Javed combine destroyed RK in the next few years. Known to cater to his coterie, to have people waiting on him, to be vengeful on any one who crossed his path, RK was the superstar in every sense. Not too many liked him and bore some grudge or the other and it all caught up with him. RK grudged Amitabh his success, went into several relationships, starting with Anju Mahendru, Dimple, Tina Munim. His true love seemed to be Anju Mahendru, who he wanted to spite by taking his baraat past her house, and who had an affair with Gary Sobers to spite him back, and who finally spent time with him when he was on his death bed. Dimple was too young when she married him and there is a hint of physical and emotional abuse but she never spoke about it, gave up her career, and rebuilt it after walking out on him. His passionate affair with Tina Munim also flopped and she left him for Anil Ambani. RK, in the end, lived a rather lonely life and he finally had one Anita Advani for company when he died. Contrary to what people say that he was in poor financial health, he had a net worth of 500 crores, some say.
RK had too much too soon, was a phenomenon, was unapologetic about it, and probably didn't have the learning mindset which is quite common to most who get things too easy. But towards the end Gautam Chintamani shows glimpses of his turning over and showing signs of the growth mindset, of learning to be humble, of knowing the medium is bigger. He loved the award Bachchan gave him, a lifetime award by the IIFA, and kept that one award saying - Amitabh Bachchan gave it to me. He loved his drink, friends, parties, good food. In the end, for whatever it is worth, whatever he does or did, one can never get angry with RK simply for having portrayed Anand Saigal in Anand and for having given us some wonderful songs and moments. That whole Havell's fans was a bit of a misadventure I felt, but sure, we could still see some magic in his eyes. Thoroughly enjoyed reading though I wish there was more on his affairs and stuff. Also interesting to know that Gautam Chintamani seems to have Telugu connections, related to Arudra, that he is.
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