Bollywood superstar who once had 17 hits in 3 years, had to wait in line to go to public toilet, slept on floor of temple, when his films failed

Once, he was Bollywood’s most beloved superstar, delivering more than 17 consecutive hits in three years such as Kati Patang, Anand, Andaz, Khamoshi etc. However, as meteoric his rise to success was, Rajesh Khanna’s downfall was as steep. Despite enjoying unprecedented success from 1969-1975, his career almost came to a standstill with numerous flops and only an occasional hit such as Aap Ki Kasam and Roti in the late 70s and early 80s.

Rajesh Khanna, once infamous for his larger-than-life star behaviour, surprised everyone during the making of Avtaar by shedding every trace of celebrity privilege. For the Mohan Kumar–directed family drama, which also featured Shabana Azmi, the actor chose to live exactly like the rest of the unit. He walked barefoot to a nearby temple, slept on the floor instead of demanding special arrangements, and followed the same daily routine as the crew.

Recalling those days in a conversation with Radio Nasha, Shabana Azmi shared that Khanna, fondly addressed as Kaka, willingly stood in line for the bathroom carrying a simple steel container or dabba. She pointed out that at that stage of his career, the actor could no longer assert his superstar status and had to adapt to the reality around him.


Avtaar also marked a crucial turning point in Khanna’s on-screen image. For the first time, he consciously stepped away from his trademark romantic persona and experimented with his appearance. He portrayed Avataar Kishan, an ageing middle-class man who is the father of grown-up children, a role far removed from the lover-boy image that once defined him. The risk paid off commercially, as the film emerged as a solid success and reportedly earned more than Rs 8 crore at the box office.

However, according to his biographer Yasser Usman in the book Rajesh Khanna: The Untold Story of India’s First Superstar, the actor struggled with self-reflection during his career decline. Usman noted that Khanna often held others responsible when his films underperformed. Veteran writer Salim Khan, quoted in the book, observed that Khanna failed to examine his own choices and instead believed external forces were conspiring against him.

In the later years, Khanna made repeated attempts to reinvent himself, but none yielded results. His final effort to reclaim leading-man status came with the 2008 erotic drama Wafa: A Deadly Love Story, which failed disastrously and left many admirers disillusioned. Rajesh Khanna passed away in 2012 at the age of 69, leaving behind a legacy marked by unmatched stardom, vulnerability, and contradiction.