Long before he became Hindi cinema's first superstar, Jatin Khanna walked into an audition room and did something unusual: instead of reciting a dialogue on cue, he turned the question back on the producers sitting in front of him. That single audition, and the exchange that followed, set Jatin Khanna on the path to becoming Rajesh Khanna, born in Amritsar on December 29, 1942.
An entry with no backing, no shortcuts
Rajesh Khanna had a passion for acting long before he ever stepped in front of a camera, but he had nobody in the industry to open doors for him. No relative worked in films, and there was no one to put in a word on his behalf. His break came through a newspaper advertisement for the United Producers-Filmfare Talent Contest, a competition that drew nearly 10,000 hopefuls. He cut out the ad, filled in the form and mailed three photographs of himself. Within days, he received a call for an audition.
A question that stunned the panel
The audition panel included some of the biggest names in Hindi cinema at the time: Shakti Samanta, Bimal Roy, G P Sippy and B R Chopra. He was asked to deliver a dialogue on the spot, but instead of jumping straight in, he began asking about the character itself, whether the character was educated, what the family's financial condition was, and who the character's mother was. The panel was taken aback by the question. B R Chopra remarked, "Only a theatre actor could ask a question like that."
The dialogue that changed everything
He was then asked to recite his favourite dialogue instead. Nervous, he suddenly remembered a line from a play he had once performed and delivered that instead. That single moment turned out to be the biggest turning point of his career, because it was this dialogue that convinced G P Sippy to cast him in films. He went on to debut with the film Aakhri Khat, though his early films did not bring him major success. Even so, the actor now known as Rajesh Khanna kept gaining ground in the industry, one film at a time.
Aradhana turned him into an overnight sensation
The real turning point arrived with the 1969 film Aradhana, which became the biggest success of his career. He played a double role in the film, and its songs turned into massive hits in their own right, tracks like Mere Sapno Ki Rani and Gunguna Rahe Hain Bhanwre are still recalled fondly by audiences today. After Aradhana, hit after hit followed for Rajesh Khanna. His stardom reached a level where fans began copying his hairstyle, his manner of speaking and even his acting style. Every new release during that period was awaited with tremendous anticipation.
Ten hits alongside Mumtaz
Rajesh Khanna worked with nearly every leading actress of his era, but his pairing with Mumtaz alone produced 10 superhit and blockbuster films. Audiences took a particular liking to this on-screen duo.
Awards, politics and his final years
Across his long career in films, Rajesh Khanna won three Filmfare Awards. After stepping away from films, he moved into politics and served as a Congress Member of Parliament from 1992 to 1996. In his final years, he battled cancer, and he passed away on July 18, 2012. Rajesh Khanna continues to be remembered as Hindi cinema's first superstar, with his films and songs still very much alive in the hearts of audiences.
