Rajesh Khanna, the actor who taught us the important lesson of ‘Zindagi Badi Honi Chahiya Lambi Nahi’ was loved not just throughout the nation but also internationally. Known as the very first Superstar of the showbiz world of Bollywood, Rajesh Khanna essayed his roles in such a manner that he became a darling of the masses and critics alike. He is one of those marvelous actors who delivered more cult classics than any star ever did. Fondly known as Kaka, he left behind an epic legacy of films that make us cry, laugh, and hmm on its songs at the same time. To honor the first superstar of Bollywood, here is a list of the top 10 movies of legendary Bollywood actor Rajesh Khanna that made us go la la.
1. Anand: Helmed and co-written by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Anand was more a life lesson than a prime source of entertainment. The story of the movie exhibits the life of an ill man (Rajesh Khanna) who wants to live every moment of his life till he takes his last moment.
2. Avataar: Another Bollywood classic that captures the iconic performance of Rajesh Khanna. Avtaar Krishen (Rajesh Khanna) is a poor factory worker who lives with his wife Radha (Shabana Azmi) and his two sons. Avtaar gets injured while working and becomes crippled, but is compensated for it.
3. Itefaq: The reprised version of the British film Signpost to Murder, captures Rajesh Khanna portraying Dilip Roy who is sent to a mental hospital for killing his wife. The movie was the perfect example of a classic cinematic marvel. From songs to story-telling every aspect of this movie was truly fantastic.
4. Aradhana: Paired with Sharmila Tagore and directed by Shakti Samanta, this movie bagged the best film trophy at the Filmfare Awards. It gave us songs like Roop Tera Mastana and Mere Sapno Ki Rani.
5. Haathi Mera Saathi: This is that one movie that effortlessly portrayed the relation of an elephant and his friend. The entertainer ranks high among the biggest ever hits of Rajesh Khanna’s career and was directed by MA Thirumugham.
6. Kati Patang: Directed by Shakti Samanta, Kati Patang was the second among the nine movies Samanta and Rakesh Khanna teamed in, that took the acting quotient of the Bollywood industry a notch higher.
7. Amar Prem: The film was directed by Shakti Samanta and is based on the story Nishipadma by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. The film had Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in the lead and was considered ahead of its time. The thought-provoking song Chingaari Koi Bhadke written by Anand Bakshi and sung by Kishore Kumar is one of the highlights of this classic.
8. Namak Haram: Diye Jalte Hai, Phool Khilte Hai, Nadiya se dariya, Dariye se Sagar and Main Shayar Badnaam are the best way to describe the emotion of this cult classic. Perfectly picturized by Hrishikesh Mukherjee this movie exhibited the power of rendering.
9. Daag: Yash Chopra’s Daag paired Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in the adaptation of Thomas hardy novel, The Mayor of Casterbridge. Rajesh Khanna impressed the audience with his performance and the film was a super hit.
10. Bawarachi: Bawarachi is one of the classic comedies of Bollywood that changed the whole genre of the industry. The story of the movie talks about a cook named Raghu who takes on every challenge to reunite the family in which he works.
