‘Anand’ to ‘Aradhana’, a look at Rajesh Khanna’s iconic films on his death anniversary

Rajesh Khanna, who is considered the first superstar of Indian cinema, passed away on July 18, 2012. Famously known as the 'Kaka' of Hindi cinema, Khanna enthralled audiences with his versatile acting skills. His popularity and craze during his time were unmatched. He not only gave impactful dialogues and performances but built a strong emotional connection with his audience.

His memories and remarkable contribution to Indian cinema are still alive in our hearts. During his career span, the actor worked in almost 150 films and left a legacy behind him.

On the veteran actor's death anniversary today, let’s look top remarkable performances in movies of all time.

1. Anand

A 1971 film of Kaka that gave impactful dialogues that conveyed the message, “Death is just a moment." Khanna portrayed Anand, who suffers from lymphosarcoma of the intestine, a rare kind of cancer. Despite knowing that he would not live for more than six months, he maintains a cheery demeanour and strives to make everyone around him happy. The film also starred Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role. This cult classic was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and the hit dialogues were penned by the Gulzar, who also received the Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue. Khanna's dialogue 'Babumoshai zindagi badi honi chahiye lambi nahi' from the film remains unforgettable.

2. Aradhana

A movie with a story that takes the audience on an emotional rollercoaster. Helmed by Shakti Samanta, the romantic drama film starred Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in the lead roles and was among the blockbuster hit films of the year. The film gave us super-hit tracks like 'Mere Sapno Ki Rani', 'Roop Tera Mastaana' and 'Kora kaagaz tha yeh man mera'. The theme of the movie was based on the 1946 film 'To Each His Own'.

3. Kati Patang

Who doesn't remember the evergreen song 'Pyaar Diwana Hota Hai' by legendary singer Kishore Kumar? The super-hit track was from a romantic musical drama film starring Khanna and veteran star Asha Parekh in the lead roles. Not only this song but 'Yeh Shaam Mastani', and 'Yeh jo mohabbat hai' were also part of Shakti Samanta’s directorial.

4. Amar Prem

One of the iconic movies of all time, which gave the memorable dialogue 'Pushpa, I hate tears', 'Amar Prem' is the 1972 romantic drama which co-starred veteran actor Sharmila Tagore with Khanna in the lead. The dialogue which is still engraved in people's minds and souls was written by screenwriter Ramesh Pant. Directed by Shakti Samanta which was an official Hindi remake of the Bengali film 'Nishi Padma'.

5. Haathi Mere Saathi

The film showcased the beautiful relationship between a man and an elephant and also starred Tanuja and Madan Puri in the lead roles. M A Thirumugham directed the film and it ranks among Rajesh Khanna's biggest hits of his career.