Veteran actor Tej Sapru has opened up a couple of memorable incident involving Rajesh Khanna, revealing that the Hindi cinema legend as soon as unexpectedly abused him on a movie set. He additionally clarified that Rajesh later apologised and made amends. Talking on The Rediff Podcast, Sapru described Khanna as a person of contradictions, somebody who might be conceited on the peak of his stardom, but one of the beneficiant individuals he had ever identified.
Sapru, whose profession spans greater than 4 many years and over 300 movies, mentioned the episode left him deeply damage due to the immense respect he had at all times held for India’s first famous person.
‘Rajesh Khanna had conceitedness, however he was additionally extremely beneficiant’
Speaking about Rajesh Khanna’s character, Sapru mentioned fame usually modifications not solely stars but in addition the individuals round them.
“Rajesh Khanna had conceitedness. It occurs if you’re on the peak of your profession. Greater than you, it’s usually the individuals round you whose heads get turned. That occurs. However on the similar time, I’ve by no means seen a extra beneficiant man than him.”
Sapru then recalled an incident from the shoot of considered one of their movies in Kashmir.
“There was an incident once we had been working collectively. I all of the sudden heard somebody abusing me from behind. I circled and noticed that it was Kaka ji (Rajesh Khanna).”
With out revealing precisely what led to the outburst, Sapru mentioned Khanna was with one of many movie’s actresses when the incident occurred.
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‘I used to be very upset’
The actor admitted the incident affected him deeply as a result of he had at all times admired Rajesh Khanna and revered him as a senior.
Explaining why the incident upset him a lot, Sapru added, “His first movie was with Sapru saab (my father D.Okay. Sapru). I’ve immense respect for him. Not only for him—for anybody senior to me or anybody who has labored with my father. Whether or not they’re a much bigger actor or a smaller one, I by no means sit on a chair till they’re seated. Even after giving him a lot respect, I don’t know what occurred that he abused me from behind. I used to be very upset.”
‘Hey, tall boy… overlook it’
The next day, the crew was taking pictures a chase sequence within the snow. Nonetheless upset over yesterday’s incident, Sapru intentionally selected to not greet the famous person.
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“That was the primary day I didn’t want him. I sat on my chair with one leg crossed over the opposite.”
After the shot, Rajesh Khanna walked as much as him.
“He got here as much as me and mentioned, ‘Hey, tall boy… overlook it.’”
Sapru replied, “Sir, you abused me with none motive. You had been the one who had advised me we had been simply having enjoyable.”
In keeping with the actor, Khanna instantly tried to patch issues up.
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“He mentioned, ‘It occurred. Neglect it. Come.’ Then he requested me to come back to his lodge with him.”
‘He knew he had made a mistake’
Though Sapru was staying at a unique lodge, he accepted Khanna’s invitation after ending work.
“I advised him, ‘Sir, I’ll come to your lodge. I’m staying someplace else. I often clean up within the night as a result of I don’t actually have a correct washroom in my room.’ From there, he took me alongside, and we spent the entire night time consuming and consuming collectively. He realised that what he had mentioned was incorrect.”
Sapru mentioned the incident by no means affected their relationship. In reality, after Rajesh Khanna’s profession slowed down, he made it some extent to go to the actor often.
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“When his downfall got here, he had an workplace in Khar. If not each week, then not less than as soon as each 10 days, I might go and meet him. His favorite whisky on the time was Pink Label, and I at all times took a bottle with me.”
‘His downfall got here earlier due to that conceitedness’
Wanting again at Rajesh Khanna’s profession, Sapru mentioned he believed the famous person’s conceitedness could have contributed to his decline, particularly compared with contemporaries like Dharmendra and Jeetendra.
“I believe his downfall got here earlier due to that conceitedness, particularly when in comparison with Dharam ji (Dharmendra) and Jeetu ji (Jeetendra). That’s how I felt.”
Regardless of that statement, Sapru was emphatic that no different actor has loved the type of stardom Rajesh Khanna did.
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“However as a star, I’ve by no means seen anybody with the type of following he had.”
Rajesh Khanna on being known as conceited
Rajesh Khanna’s perceived conceitedness has lengthy been a part of conversations round his superstardom. In 1973, BBC journalist Jack Pizzey documented his makes an attempt to interview the actor within the documentary Bombay Famous person. Recounting his expertise, Pizzey described Khanna as having “the arrogance of Napoleon”.
Nonetheless, Rajesh Khanna himself rejected the perception that he was conceited throughout an look on Aap Ki Adalat in 1994.
Responding to the criticism, he mentioned, “Had I been conceited, our viewers, who lifted me from an actor to a star after which to a famous person, would have by no means made me any of those. The general public is aware of all the pieces, each in and out. Nothing might be hidden from them. I’m not worthy of being cherished by such a giant crowd. Respect, fame, affection and want don’t final on this world. The place I stand immediately, another person stood yesterday.”
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He continued, “Human beings are those that can settle for their errors. An individual who realises their mistake has a giant coronary heart. Those that suppose they aren’t doing something incorrect and are on the suitable path—on the trail that God has put us on, the place we are going to discover His love—will cross by way of fortunately. Very hardly ever will we stay unhappy; solely generally do the winds blow that manner.”
