What would you say about Rajesh Khanna the ‘phenomenon’ who died?
That every woman out there felt she was his ‘sapnon ki rani’ and he, her
‘sapnon ka rajkumar’; that when he drawled ‘Pushpa..I hate tears..’,
women stopped bawling; that he was the heart throb of millions and me…
The year was 1970-71. I was all of 10. A teenage boy, a friend of my neighbour would stand under the lamp post opposite our gate every evening with a guitar and belt out precisely the first two lines of ‘Roop tera mastana’. It didn’t take much sense to figure out my elder sister was the object of his attention. It was spoken in hushed tones that it was a ‘dirty’ song and that his intentions were not at all honourable. Thus arrived the film Aradhana to the southern town of Tirunelveli, a good one or two years after its release in tinsel town. I couldn’t grasp what all the fuss was about and personally preferred ‘mere sapnon ki rani’ over this song that seemed to have some suggestive overtones to it. Did I get to see the movie- not yet.
Year 1973. I get to hear the full story of Araadhana and Andaz from my schoolmate Malini- a city girl who had migrated from Madras to the villgae of Sivaganga. My sister studying in Madras goes on and on about Do Raste-the first hindi movie she had seen. A fan is born…just fed on the frenzy of family and friends. It wasn’t until my twenties did I actually get to watch his films- if you discount the songs in Chitrahaar- but when I did ultimately, I fell hook, line and sinker forever to the onscreen charm of Rajesh Khanna. In fact my initiation into hindi language, hindi films and hindi film songs were all a logical fallout of this RK fixation.
I never was a crazy fan who got herself married to his photograph or one who cried her eyes out when he married Dimple- I was way too young for such mania when he rode the crest of fame. But an ardent fan of his persona on 35mm, I was, am and always will be. His style was so predictable-the slanted nod of the head, the crinkling of the eyes, the wink, the smile.. yet so endearing to many and me. I had once even demanded of my husband to wink at me the way RK did in his songs- such silly but quaint nonsense! Will make a good story to share by the fireside…
His innate charm coupled with the music of RD Burman and the voice of Kishore Kumar belong to the realm of timeless movie magic. You can’t think of RK without his songs. If you have doubts whether subtlety is the essence of romance, just sample these-
‘Kya hai barosa….’ -Mere sapnon ki rani from Araadhana
O mere dil ke chain- from Mere Jeevan Saathi
Yoon hi tum mujse- from Sachaa Jhutha
Tum chale jaao nahin toh…- Aap ki kasam.
In my opinion, ‘o mere dil ke chain’ is the ultimate in romance. Watch it on Youtube if you haven’t already. Tanuja is draped in a chiffon saree and RK in a semi suit. The song is completely shot indoors with just doors, sofa and curtains as props. No skin show, no exotic location to ‘suggest’ romance- if anything the set is too spartan and prosaic. Actually throughout the span of 4.20 minutes of song, they do not even touch each other. But what you have is a couple in love and how they scorch the air! In two specific places in the song-one when RK looks at Tanuja in the light of a lit-match and another during the musical interlude before the final stanza when RK peers into her eyes and casually lifts his eyebrows and chin as if to suggest a kiss- and Tanuja lowers her love laden eyes in modesty, unable to hold her gaze. So sensuous, so decent and so electric! Till date I maintain the most romantic gesture of hubby dear is getting the crooner in a five star hotel in Calcutta to sing this song for me- a good 10 years into our marriage. Romance! Thy name is Rajesh Khanna!
The year was 1970-71. I was all of 10. A teenage boy, a friend of my neighbour would stand under the lamp post opposite our gate every evening with a guitar and belt out precisely the first two lines of ‘Roop tera mastana’. It didn’t take much sense to figure out my elder sister was the object of his attention. It was spoken in hushed tones that it was a ‘dirty’ song and that his intentions were not at all honourable. Thus arrived the film Aradhana to the southern town of Tirunelveli, a good one or two years after its release in tinsel town. I couldn’t grasp what all the fuss was about and personally preferred ‘mere sapnon ki rani’ over this song that seemed to have some suggestive overtones to it. Did I get to see the movie- not yet.
Year 1973. I get to hear the full story of Araadhana and Andaz from my schoolmate Malini- a city girl who had migrated from Madras to the villgae of Sivaganga. My sister studying in Madras goes on and on about Do Raste-the first hindi movie she had seen. A fan is born…just fed on the frenzy of family and friends. It wasn’t until my twenties did I actually get to watch his films- if you discount the songs in Chitrahaar- but when I did ultimately, I fell hook, line and sinker forever to the onscreen charm of Rajesh Khanna. In fact my initiation into hindi language, hindi films and hindi film songs were all a logical fallout of this RK fixation.
I never was a crazy fan who got herself married to his photograph or one who cried her eyes out when he married Dimple- I was way too young for such mania when he rode the crest of fame. But an ardent fan of his persona on 35mm, I was, am and always will be. His style was so predictable-the slanted nod of the head, the crinkling of the eyes, the wink, the smile.. yet so endearing to many and me. I had once even demanded of my husband to wink at me the way RK did in his songs- such silly but quaint nonsense! Will make a good story to share by the fireside…
His innate charm coupled with the music of RD Burman and the voice of Kishore Kumar belong to the realm of timeless movie magic. You can’t think of RK without his songs. If you have doubts whether subtlety is the essence of romance, just sample these-
‘Kya hai barosa….’ -Mere sapnon ki rani from Araadhana
O mere dil ke chain- from Mere Jeevan Saathi
Yoon hi tum mujse- from Sachaa Jhutha
Tum chale jaao nahin toh…- Aap ki kasam.
In my opinion, ‘o mere dil ke chain’ is the ultimate in romance. Watch it on Youtube if you haven’t already. Tanuja is draped in a chiffon saree and RK in a semi suit. The song is completely shot indoors with just doors, sofa and curtains as props. No skin show, no exotic location to ‘suggest’ romance- if anything the set is too spartan and prosaic. Actually throughout the span of 4.20 minutes of song, they do not even touch each other. But what you have is a couple in love and how they scorch the air! In two specific places in the song-one when RK looks at Tanuja in the light of a lit-match and another during the musical interlude before the final stanza when RK peers into her eyes and casually lifts his eyebrows and chin as if to suggest a kiss- and Tanuja lowers her love laden eyes in modesty, unable to hold her gaze. So sensuous, so decent and so electric! Till date I maintain the most romantic gesture of hubby dear is getting the crooner in a five star hotel in Calcutta to sing this song for me- a good 10 years into our marriage. Romance! Thy name is Rajesh Khanna!
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