Rajesh Khanna is called the first superstar of Hindi cinema and is known for his romantic image and songs. Not to mention, his tragic love stories or movies and child-like innocence on screen in films like ‘Anand’ which left a huge mark. But Khanna was largely a romantic hero and it explained why female fans were so crazy about him. He also believed the same as he had spoken about it largely in an interview many years ago.
The actor had spoken about the romantic heroes in Hindi cinema and how they are remembered more over decades.”It’s obvious when you look back, that the romantic heroes are those remembered today, and will always be remembered. In the 30s, there was PC Barua and KL Saigal. After that, we had Ashok Kumar saab and Dilip Kumar saab. Then to some extent, there was Dev Anand and by the 60s, it was my turn. There have been different kinds of romantic heroes, like Dilip Kumar, who had the image of a tragedian and a romantic hero,” he had said.
However, it’s difficult to maintain the romantic image and a lot of factors contribute to it, he said, further added, “But there have been some fortunate people, like me. In romance, it is difficult to create such an individual image.”
He also said, “If I have done it, it is only because music, romance, and everything else helped me. Whenever a romantic hero has been created on screen, he has become immortal.”
Khanna’s romantic on-screen pairing with Mumtaz and Sharmila Tagore were the most popular. That also led to rumours of Mumtaz and Sharmila’s cold war. While Mumtaz had admitted that actresses cannot be friends, she had said there was no issue between the two actresses. Although, Mumtaz said that all her films with Khanna were hits, while Tagore also had many flops with him.
The actor had spoken about the romantic heroes in Hindi cinema and how they are remembered more over decades.”It’s obvious when you look back, that the romantic heroes are those remembered today, and will always be remembered. In the 30s, there was PC Barua and KL Saigal. After that, we had Ashok Kumar saab and Dilip Kumar saab. Then to some extent, there was Dev Anand and by the 60s, it was my turn. There have been different kinds of romantic heroes, like Dilip Kumar, who had the image of a tragedian and a romantic hero,” he had said.
However, it’s difficult to maintain the romantic image and a lot of factors contribute to it, he said, further added, “But there have been some fortunate people, like me. In romance, it is difficult to create such an individual image.”
He also said, “If I have done it, it is only because music, romance, and everything else helped me. Whenever a romantic hero has been created on screen, he has become immortal.”
Khanna’s romantic on-screen pairing with Mumtaz and Sharmila Tagore were the most popular. That also led to rumours of Mumtaz and Sharmila’s cold war. While Mumtaz had admitted that actresses cannot be friends, she had said there was no issue between the two actresses. Although, Mumtaz said that all her films with Khanna were hits, while Tagore also had many flops with him.