In the history of Hindi cinema, nobody has induced fan hysteria like Rajesh Khanna. And nobody has captured the nation's collective mindspace like the actor, who passed away at Ashirwad, his iconic Mumbai residence, on Wednesday. He was 69. The cause of his death has been officially announced. But doctors treating him at Lilavati hospital hinted at cancer.
Once he rode into a nation's heart serenading Sharmila Tagore with Mere sapnon ki raani in Aradhana (1969) and followed it up with another blockbuster Do Raaste a few weeks later,Rajesh Khanna rewrote box-office history. Between the years 1969 and 1972 almost everything he touched turned to gold 15 consecutive hits of various degrees. No wonder producers chanted: Upar aaka, neeche Kaka (God above and Kaka, Khanna's pet name, below).
Best of Rajesh Khanna
