Rajesh Khanna's birth anniversary: His films with Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hailed and revered as the "first superstar" of Hindi cinema, Rajesh Khanna continues to live on in the hearts of cinephiles even over a decade after his demise. An actor who charmed viewers through both lead and avuncular roles, Khanna's repertoire exemplifies his inimitable artistry and prowess in the craft. On his birth anniversary, we revisit his immortal collaborations with celebrated filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee.
'Anand' (1971)
Easily the defining film of Khanna's career, Anand has the ability to tug at your heartstrings upon each viewing, such is its effortless excellence and potential to draw you in. As the titular character, Khanna taught us, "Zindagi badi honi chahiye, lambi nahi (life should be big, not long)"—a maxim to hold dear to one's heart and forever live by. Anand co-starred Amitabh Bachchan.
'Bawarchi' (1972)
Didn't we all, at some point in our lives, want a friend and a confidante like Raghunandan (Khanna) from Bawarchi? In this supremely entering and timeless tale of a family gone awry, Khanna played the binding thread, their beating heart, who brought warring family members together through wit, humanity, and kindness. Interestingly, Govinda's Hero No. 1 (1997) drew its core idea from Bawarchi.
'Namak Haraam' (1973)
Besides Anand, Namak Haraam is the only other film to star the two towering cinematic figures, Khanna and Big B, together. Co-starring Rekha, Asrani, Raza Murad, AK Hangal, Om Shivpuri, and Durga Khote, Namak Haraam traces the story of two friends from diametrically different backgrounds, each being on the extreme end of the financial spectrum. Haven't watched it? Stream it on Amazon Prime Video.
'Naukri' (1978)
Naukri is worth watching simply because it features two mega movie stars from different generations—Khanna and "showman" Raj Kapoor. They may have enchanted different sets of audiences, but one thing is for certain—seeing them together on the silver screen can be termed one of the most momentous milestones of Hindi cinema. Tom Alter, Deven Varma, Jayshree T, Zaheera, and Hangal co-starred in the film.
