Raju Shrestha, affectionately known as Master Raju, has unveiled more tales that shed light on the late Bollywood icon Rajesh Khanna’s legendary ego. This time, the anecdotes involve Khanna’s interactions with his son-in-law, actor Akshay Kumar. The stories highlight how Khanna’s sense of hierarchy extended even into his family life.
According to Shrestha, a notable incident occurred when Akshay Kumar visited Rajesh Khanna at his residence. Despite the visit, Khanna reportedly refused to come downstairs to meet Kumar. Shrestha recounted the incident to Siddharth Kannan, saying, “I have heard another instance about him when Akshay Kumar went to his home to meet him, and Rajesh Khanna was sitting upstairs in some room, and somebody informed him that Akshay Kumar has come to meet him. His reaction was, ‘Main uska sasur hoon, woh aayega mere paas, main kyun jaoon (I am his father-in-law, he will come to me, why should I go?)’” Akshay Kumar married Twinkle Khanna, the daughter of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia, in 2001.
Khanna’s Professional Demeanor
Raju Shrestha also shared his personal experiences with Khanna, highlighting the superstar’s demeanor on set. Despite having worked with Shrestha when he was a child artist, Khanna reportedly did not recognize him during their professional interactions. Shrestha explained, “Rajesh Khanna worked in a serial, and I worked in the direction team of that show, so I would meet him regularly at his office. Still, he refused to recognise me. After a year of working with him, one day, he called me by my name.” This acknowledgment left Shrestha surprised.
Shrestha further elaborated, “I was surprised that he knows my name, and when I asked the director about it, he confirmed that the veteran actor recognises me, and he also often talks about me and how he has worked with me when I was a child artist, but Rajesh Khanna never showed this to me.” According to Shrestha, Khanna’s behavior was rooted in his belief system around stardom and authority. “He had this attitude. I don’t know why, but he would think that why should I talk nicely to this person or why should I give him respect?”
The Challenges of Working with a Superstar
Another aspect of Khanna’s personality was his behavior on film sets, as recounted by Shrestha. During the filming of Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein, Khanna’s punctuality was often a concern. The film was shot at China Creek, a location outside Bombay that was accessible only by a single dirt track. Shrestha recalled, “During the shooting of the film, Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein at China Creek, that area at that time was outside Bombay and there was a single dirt track that went to that area. All the actors, including Hema Malini, and myself would reach in the morning.”
However, Khanna’s arrival was not as predictable. “Rajesh Khanna was the lead actor of the film, so the producer used to go to his house to fetch him up. We used to keep sitting and waiting for him,” Shrestha explained. The crew even developed a method to predict Khanna’s attendance based on the speed of the producer’s car. “Also, we got to know whether Rajesh Khanna is coming to the set by the speed of the car. If the speed is high, that means that Rajesh Khanna is coming behind, and if the speed is slow that means Khanna is not coming today and the producer is bringing this bad news, and he’s going to declare pack up.”
The Legacy of Rajesh Khanna
Rajesh Khanna’s career was marked by his immense popularity and unique personality traits. Known as the “first superstar” of Indian cinema, his films and performances left an indelible mark on Bollywood. However, his personal and professional relationships were often influenced by his larger-than-life persona.
While Shrestha’s anecdotes paint a picture of a man deeply conscious of his status, they also highlight the complexities of stardom and its impact on personal relationships. As the film industry evolves, stories like these serve as reminders of the human aspects behind the glamour and fame.
For Akshay Kumar, who continues to be a leading figure in Bollywood, these stories are part of a family legacy intertwined with the history of Indian cinema. As the industry looks to the future, the narratives of past icons like Rajesh Khanna continue to offer valuable insights into the ever-changing dynamics of fame and relationships.
