Rajesh Khanna is the original superstar of Hindi cinema, a phenomenon whose popularity has reached extraordinary heights. Admirers famously wrote him letters in blood, performed symbolic marriages with his photographs, and gathered outside his bungalow for hours hoping to catch a glimpse of him. However, according to Anita Advani, the man behind the legendary image carries deep emotional scars that existed long before stardom. He believes that his childhood experiences, broken relationships, and repeated betrayals by those he trusted gradually made him unable to trust the people around him.Anita reflects on how Khanna’s experiences have changed her outlook on life.He said on the ‘Meri Saheli’ podcast, “He suspects everything. If you ask me psychologically, I think he lost trust in people. First, he was adopted. Then relationships betrayed him. Friends in the industry he shared a close bond with Rajesh Khanna in the last decade of his life, saying that the perception that Khanna became increasingly lonely and difficult in his later years, suggesting that few people are true1942, the legendary actor was adopted by his childless relatives, Chunnilal and Leelawati Khanna, who raised him while they also betrayed him. Even those he helped and became successful eventually turned against him. He suspects everything.”Anita, who has long claimed that she shared an intimate relationship with Rajesh Khanna for the last decade of her life, alleged that many individuals took advantage of the actor’s generosity and goodwill.“Many people took advantage of him. During political campaigns, he would go wherever he was asked, but the people in between would pocket the money. Kakaji himself did not bring any money.”He also discussed the widespread perception that Khanna had become increasingly reclusive and difficult in his later years, suggesting that few people truly understood the circumstances that influenced his personality.“People asked why there were so many changes in his personality, why he became difficult. His life itself started on a complicated note. He was adopted, and when he found out, it was a big shock for him.”Born as Jatin Khanna in 1942, the legendary actor was adopted by his childless relatives, Chunnilal and Leelawati Khanna, who raised him as their son. Anita believes that discovering the truth about her adoption had a profound emotional impact on her.“He was not close to his biological sisters or family. Once his sister came to meet him and she asked, ‘Who is he?’ There isn’t much of an emotional connection. “Rajesh Khanna’s journey to superstardom remains one of the most remarkable stories in Hindi cinema. After the success of Aradhana in 1969, he delivered an unprecedented run of 15 consecutive hit films, cementing his status as the country’s first true superstar. At the height of his fame, producers lined up outside his house with autograph sums, while his devoted fans expressed an almost unparalleled level of admiration.
