India’s first superstar, Rajesh Khanna, spent his final days not basking in fame but in quiet solitude. Despite a career filled with applause, his last moments revealed a man deeply introspective. He was heartbroken over dreams that never saw the light of day.
Lonely in stardom: The man behind the icon
As revealed in Gautam Chintamani’s biography ‘Dark Star: The Loneliness of Being Rajesh Khanna’, his inner world was far removed from the glitter of stardom. One of the most haunting discoveries after his death in 2012 was the presence of 64 unopened suitcases at his iconic Mumbai home, Aashirwaad , each filled with gifts he had collected during foreign trips, meant for friends and loved ones, but never delivered.
A complicated marriage; A silent, unspoken bond
His marriage to actress Dimple Kapadia was another chapter filled with both love and turbulence. He was married in 1973, when Dimple was just 16. The couple’s relationship quickly frayed. All of it happened due to the weight of fame, personal struggles, and Rajesh Khanna’s emotional volatility. They separated in the 1980s but never divorced. Despite the distance, Dimple stood by him during his final days, caring for him as he battled a long-term illness, reportedly cancer.
Poll
Which aspect of Rajesh Khanna’s legacy do you admire the most?
Aashirwaad was his temple; A museum that never happened
One of the greatest regrets of Rajesh Khanna’s life, as revealed by his late-life partner Anita Advani, was that he could never fulfill his dream of turning his beloved bungalow Aashirwaad into a museum. Offers of Rs 150 crore didn’t change his mind. The house wasn’t just real estate. It was a symbol of his legacy, his heart. Sadly, that dream died with him. The house was eventually demolished, leaving behind only memories and what-ifs.
