Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Some unknown facts about Rajesh Khanna


Here are some facts about Rajesh Khanna's films which most of the articles fail to notify, especially his critically acclaimed superhits and award worthy performances but commercially unsuccessful movies of the period 1976-1991. Aaina, Maalik and Raja Rani were good films which unfortunately flopped.
Aaina was remade by Balachander of his award winning Tamil hit. Plus Mahachor and Shehzada were huge hits at the box office. Shehzada elevated Surinder Kapoor's production house to A grade level(Anil Kapoor's father).Khanna had 35 Golden Jubilee hits in 1967-1975 period and 35 more Golden Jubilee hits in 1979-1991 period. In 1976-78, he had 7 critically acclaimed films which flopped at the box office(especially Tyaag, Mehbooba, Chakaravyuha, Naukri, Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein  though flopped have excellent performances by Khanna and were unfortunate flops.
Even directors of these films accepted this fact) and had 2 more flops which was panned by critics in 76-78 and the 4 commercial hits of 76-78 were Chhaila Babu, Anurodh,Mahachor and Karm. To say that after Namak Haram, Khanna's career went downhill is rubbish, as Aap Ki Kasam, Roti, Prem Kahani, Prem Nagar all came only after Namak Haram.
In 1979, he had Punjabi hit film Til Til Dalekha and Amardeep in Hindi as hits, with which he bounced back. Media does not highlight the solo hit movies of Khanna of 80's properly - Aanchal, Phir Wohi Raat, Bandish , Kudrat,  Dard ,Dhanwan, Prem Bandhan,Fiffty Fiffty,Ashanti,Souten,Avatar,Agar Tum Na Hote,Awaaz, Angaarey,Naya Kadam, Hum Dono,Akhir Kyun, Babu, Bewafai,Adhikar, Shatru, Anokha Rishta, Nasihat, Amrit, Awaam etc..and multi star hits like Rajput, Maqsad , Zamana, Dharm Aur Qanoon  etc....he had 22 silver jubliee hits in 1966-1991 period and 73 Golden jubliee hits in 1966-1991(3 golden jubliee hits in 76-78 period).
Khanna remained a favorite with producers throughout his career. Films like Redrose and Aaj Ka MLA Ram Avtar though flopped were critically acclaimed and Khanna has performed well even in them. Infact every producer has repeated Khanna in their films atleast 3 times...in his career, at different times with author backed role for Khanna eg- BR Chopra had 3 hits with Khanna (Ittefaq -1969, Karm in 1977, Awam in 1987) same goes the case with D Rama Naidu, Shakti Samanta, Yash Chopra, Narinder Bedi, K. Raghavendra Rao, Narayana Rao Dasari, J.Om Prakash, Mohan Kumar etc...So story of big producers shying away from approaching Khanna is a fiction and Khanna has minimum of 4 films releasing every year from 1970-1991.
Another highlight of Khanna's career was" his record in 1985 - 8 superhits off the 11 released as the lead hero" and in year 1985 he also made special appearance in Aar Par(a flop) and had unreleased film Bayen Hath Ka Khel, which had its musical release in 1985. Also his 15 consecutive solo superhits was in period 1969-1971 - and the name of 15 films are Aradhana, Doli, Bandhan,Ittefaq ,Do Raaste , Khamoshi, Safar,The Train ,Kati Patang,Sachaa Jhutha ,Aan Milo Sajna , Mehboob Ki Mehendi,Dushmun ,Anand ,Haathi Mere Saathi.
The 2 hero films like Andaz,Maryada were blockbusters too but not included in 15 consecutive solo superhits and same goes with Choti Bahu, Shehzada and Mere Jeevan Saathi which were given tag of superhits but were released in 1972 after special appearance made by Khanna in Badnaam Farishte had flopped so not inlcuded in calculation of 15 solo superhits.
Khanna was awarded Filmfare Special award in 1991 for having starred in 101 films as the solo lead hero and just 21 two hero films in short span of 25 years.By 2011, he now holds record for actor with most number of author backed lead hero films - 106 solo hero films and only 22 two hero films . Khanna has done 163 feature films and 17 short films (so his total film tally comes to 180 in 40 years as told by Khanna in IIFA awards).

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