Top 10 movies of the legendary Rajesh Khanna
The enigmatic actor churned out hit after hits in his heydays. His persona and charisma propelled him to become the first ever super star of Indian movies. Delivering 15 back to back hit films was nothing less than magical. It was the time when Bollywood believed that all it needed for a movie to be a hit, was his presence.
As we walk down the memory lane with Kaka, colorful glimpses from many films of the yester years crowd the mind. Great performances, enchanting stories, charisma and ever green melodious songs still haunt the mind. It is a tough task to point out the top ten of Kaka as the competition is simply too fierce. However, here goes our personal list of ten best movies from the legend called Rajesh Khanna.
Anand
It is a movie
hailed by both the critics and fans alike. The movie enjoys a cult status among
the Hindi movie buffs. Rajesh Khanna plays the role of a terminally ill person
who lives the life to the fullest. The movie was a battle of acting pros
between Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan. Kaka won the battle hands down with
his style. Who can forget ‘Babumoshai’ in the lips of Rajesh Khanna. The
hrishikes Mukherjee directed film released in 1971 and went on to become a mega
hit at the box office.
Amar Prem
This classic was
directed by Shakti Samanta and released in the year 1972. The story was based
on the novel ‘Nishipadma’ by eminent Bengali writer Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay.
Sharmila Tagore played his love interest in the film. ‘Chingaari Koi Bhadke’ is
an unforgettable song from ‘Amar Prem’. It was composed by Ananad Bkshi and
sung by Kishore Kumar.
Bawarchi
The 1972 movie ‘Bawarchi’
was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and is one of the memorable movies of
Rajesh Khanna. He plays the role of a cook named Raghu who is hired in a
household. The story is all about how Raghu wins the hearts of all in the
family and brings back laughter. The twist in the tale is an interesting aspect
of the story. Jaya Bhaduri worked with him in the film.
Namak Haraam
The movie
released in the year 1973. Hrishikesh Mukherjee directed the film. It tells the
story of trade unionism and the hardships of labor class. Rajesh Khanna plays
the role of Somu, a poor slum dweller while Amitabh Bachchan plays the role of
rich and affluent industrialist’s son, Vicky. The songs such as 'Nadiya se
dariya', 'Diye Jalte Hai' and 'Main Shayar Badnaam' in the lips of Rajesh
Khanna are melodies that are still immensely popular. The songs are sung by
none other than the great Kishore Kumar himself.
Haathi Mere Saathi
One of the most
fun filled movies of Rajesh Khanna, this was specially a super hit with the
children. It had the biggest collection from box office in the year 1971. The M
A Thirumugham directed movie is also one of the biggest hits in Rajesh Khanna’s
illustrious career.
Aradhana
Shakti Samanta
directed the movie and it released in 1969. Sharmila Tagore was the lead
actress in the movie. It was given the best film of year title by Filmfare
Awards. The movie marked the rise of Rajesh Khanna. Dialouges and scenes from
the movie have already found their places in the pages of Bollywood folklore. Mere
Sapno Ki Rani and Roop Tera Mastana are songs
from the film that lives on even today.
Ittefaq
This Yash Chopra
directed film released in the year 1969. Rajesh Khanna plays the role of a
painter who is accussed of killing his wife. He breaks out from a mental asylum
and seeks refuge in a woman’s house. The entire story takes place in the
backdrop of a stormy night. This was one of the earlier movies in the career of
Rajesh Khanna. His acting in the film was highly praised by the critics.
Kati Patang
The movie was a
blockbuster of the year 1970. It tells the story of a runaway bride who
promised her dying friend that she will take up her identity and look after the
infant child. What follows is an intriguing plot with lots of humor, suspense
and romance. The heroine of the film was Asha Parekh.
Avishkaar
The movie ‘Avishkaar’
was directed by Basu Bhattacharya and released in theatres in the year 1974.
The movie successfully depicted the story of a married disgruntled couple that
was once madly in love with each other. The chemistry between the lead pair of
Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore was excellent. It helped the movie to become
a major box office success.
Avtaar
This 1983 movie
was a big hit even with its unusual plot theme. Rajesh Khanna plays an aged man in the movie who is neglected by his children and eventually thrown out of the
house. The movie tells the story of his fight against the injustice and how he
wins in the end.
