Rajesh Khanna who had special soft corner for the poor in his heart

Rajesh Khanna – The first and original Superstar

If we say that Rajesh Khanna was a phenomenon of Indian films and an actor unparalleled it is because Khanna’s popularity as a first  and original superstar of India never got diluted even after his downfall from Mount Everest as he often used to tell his fans and Media, that he is the one who actually fell down from the highest peak of Himalayas and therefore is not worried of any further damage. Kaka used to say: the way I have seen the peak of superstardom era and the worst, I have no regrets in life to lament upon.

The speciality about Kaka was that even after entering politics and having been exposed to the electorates of New Delhi parliamentary constituency walking down the streets in the scorching heat and meet every individual poor and rich, his popularity never diminished and people of all generations longed to have his desperate glimpse even during the nineties when was contesting from New Delhi. For them ( people of all generations) Kaka was still a superstar).

After being MP for five years and thereafter losing next time Kaka was always in demand in Delhi as well as nationally.

What is most heartening to know about his popularity was that even those hailing from the lowest ebb of the society, the jhuggi dwellers longed for his darshan and get photos clicked with him not to speak of the women, girls and youngsters hailing from the middle class and the upper middle class who were to his ardent fans.

There are numerous instances to prove this point. Chetan Gaur, Goldie  who was then working with Vipin Oberoi the proprietor of The Treat, eatery in Chanakyapuri diplomatic area and known to Kaka as well says that once i.e. in the year 2011 while Kaka was in Delhi at his Sarvapriya Vihar house in South Delhi, he was asked by Vipin Oberoi to deliver the night meal to Rajesh Khanna at his Sarva Priya Vihar residence.

It was around 9.00 PM. While going to deliver the meals probably delicious nonveg items to Kaka’s residence, Chetan Gaur,s felt dizzy and preferred to go home than to deliver the meals to Kakaji. While going to his house at Sarojini Nagar, a local barber at hutments near Scindia Potteries, Sarojini Nagar, met him on the way.

Since Chaman Nai as he was known, was too much interested to meet Rajesh Khanna since long, Chetan wanted to oblige him and he phoned to Khanna from there saying  Kakaji, my physical condition is too bad. Can you do me a favor: Kaka replied, what is it?

He said: one Chaman, is too interested to meet you and has been requesting me since long. He is your die-hard fan. He wants to see you and if you allow him to come to your place I can send your Khana (nonvegetarian meals) to you, through him. He further added but sir he is a barber. Hope you don’t mind.

Kaka immediately said: what’s wrong in that. After all, he is a human being. Hope he is not a dog or a cat. What’s wrong in that? Send him.

Chetan was too relieved. He asked Chaman, the Barber, to go and deliver the foodstuff to Rajesh Khanna at his Sarvapriya Vihar residence. He willingly agreed, jubilantly,  and delivered the food at his house.

When Chaman reached Sarva Priya Vihar, Kaka was desperately waiting for him at the gate of his house. Chaman, on seeing Kakaji, touched his feet and delivered him the foodstuff. It was the dream come true for Chaman, the Barber, to have had Super Star Rajesh Khanna’s glimpse and that too from so near, the star he had been watching on screen over the years. He was so overwhelmed. According to Chetan Gaur: Kaka called him inside the house, offered him cold water, tea despite his saying no, hesitatingly and then on Chaman nai’s demand Kaka agreed to have a photograph clicked with him.

Those days people seldom had mobiles but Kaka had one camera and he asked his servant to get a picture clicked with Chaman Barber. On seeing Kaka’s such a generous behavior Chaman nai was so impressed that he asked Kaka if he could bring his family tomorrow for a group family pic with him, to which Kaka agreed after some reluctance.

Next day Chetan Gaur aka  Goldie came to Kaka’s place along with Chaman Nai’s family living in a jhuggi cluster in Sangam Vihar and get the group photos clicked with Kaka’s ashirvaad on the family’s head. While seeing him off Kaka gave him 500 Rupees to which he refused but the superstar of yesteryear put the money in his pocket. Such was Rajesh Khanna’s kind and compassionate attitude towards the poor and the economically deprived.

Similarly, when Kaka went to Lucknow to campaign for one of the Congress candidates, while going in the huge public meeting, Kaka was desperately surrounded by his large fans.

He had to literally make his way by struggling hard and physically fighting with the hysterical crowd. The police personals deployed there also couldn’t control the huge crowd.

Some were striving hard to shake hand with Kaka while others desperately wanted to have his glimpse. Kaka’s kurta was literally in shambles. Kaka had to forcibly keep his hands intact. When Kaka was making his way out in the crowd some girls literally put his finger in their mouth and bit him hard. When Kaka went on the stage, blood was oozing out of his fingers.  The organizers brought some Dettol and antiseptic and cotton and gave Kaka the first aid. This reminds one of the incidents of Kaka’s superstardom era when his white Chevrolet Impala used to be full of pink and red lipstick marks over it by the college girls who not finding Kaka would kiss his Impala.

This was Kaka’s charisma which no star would have ever witnessed. So desperate and furious love for him by his fans, especially the girls still while he was a septuagenarian. When Kaka came back to Delhi he narrated the incident.  This speaks of the hard fact that while even in politics the charm for legendary Kaka was as fresh in the minds of his fans as was during the days of his superstardom.

Sunil Negi, Former Media Advisor to Rajesh Khanna