Amol Palekar Recalls Rajesh Khanna’s Arrogance: ‘He Belittled Me, It Was His Insecurity’
Actor-filmmaker Amol Palekar recently opened up about his difficult experience working with Bollywood’s first superstar, Rajesh Khanna, on the 1980 film Aanchal.
Actor-filmmaker Amol Palekar, best remembered for his relatable boy-next-door roles in 1970s Hindi cinema, recently opened up about his challenging experience working with superstar Rajesh Khanna. Known as the first true “superstar" of Bollywood, Khanna’s career witnessed a dramatic rise and an equally notable decline. According to Palekar, Khanna’s frustrations with his career’s downturn often led to unprofessional behavior on set. The two worked together on the 1980 film Aanchal.
In an interview with The Lallantop, Palekar candidly criticized Khanna’s conduct, saying, “No actor, especially a superstar like Rajesh Khanna, should belittle their co-stars. There is no need. You’ll be a superstar regardless. In our industry, they like to say things like, ‘Oh, he ate the scene up, he chewed out his co-star.’ I call these actors ‘cannibals.’ I’m not like them."
related stories
Recalling a particular incident, Palekar added, “I didn’t even have lines in our scene, I didn’t make a sound. And yet, he felt the need to show the world how superior he is to me. By belittling me, he’s not gaining stature, is he? I kept thinking about this, but I decided one thing in that moment. I would never let this happen to me. I will never do this to anyone else. Some actors go through such insecurities when they sense that their time is up."
The friction between Palekar and Khanna reportedly came to a head during the shooting of Aanchal. According to a News18 report, Palekar refused to film a scene where his character would be humiliated on screen while apologizing to Khanna’s character. Despite his objections, Khanna and the director conspired to shoot the scene in secret, during which Khanna allegedly kicked Palekar. This led to a serious fallout between the two actors.
Khanna’s alleged unprofessionalism wasn’t a one-off. Many contemporaries have spoken about his tardiness, arrogance, and competitive comments, particularly targeting actors like Amitabh Bachchan, whose rise coincided with Khanna’s decline.
Rajesh Khanna was Bollywood’s first superstar, a phenomenon unlike any before him. Dubbed the “King of Romance," he ruled the industry from the late 1960s to the early 1970s with a streak of 15 consecutive solo hits, including Aradhana, Anand, and Kati Patang. His charm, unique dialogue delivery, and emotive acting made him the darling of millions. He passed away in 2012.
- Location :
- First Published: