Released 56 years ago, this blockbuster film ran in theatres for over 100 days, new actor became star, he is…, film is…
Rajesh Khanna started his career in the year 1966. But for three years, he did not get any big recognition. He appeared in about 6 to 7 films during this time. But did not get fame. Then, in the year 1969, he worked in the film Aradhana. After this film, his stars shone so much that he became an exemplary superstar in the industry.
The period from 1969 to 1975 proved to be very lucky for Rajesh Khanna. During this time, every film he touched became a hit. Kaka was the only actor who hit 15 consecutive solo hero films. It was difficult to even get tickets for his films. Aradhana, which came in 1969, did not leave the theatres for 100 days. This film not only made Rajesh Khanna a superstar but also gave him an everlasting identity in the industry.
Rajesh Khanna started his career with the 1966 film Aakhri Khat, which was directed by Basu Bhattacharya. The film received praise from critics, but it was not very successful at the box office. After this, Rajesh appeared in the 1967 romantic drama Raaz. Then he appeared in Baharon Ke Sapne (1967), Aurat (1967), Daulat Ke Dushman (1968), Ittefaq (1969), and the 1964 film Doraha. But this film could not give him any recognition. Occupied the theater for 100 days
The audience went to the theatres to watch this Rajesh Khanna film for 100 days. People liked this film so much that it became difficult to get tickets. Sharmila Tagore and Farida Jalal were also seen in the film along with Rajesh Khanna. The film broke many records at the box office. This film did not leave the theatres for 100 days. The iconic pair of Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore was also liked by the people.
The songs of the film are Mere Sapno Ki Rani, Roop Tera Mastana, Kora Kagaz Tha Yeh Mann Mera, and Chanda Hai Tu Mera Suraj Hai Tu. Not only the story of the film, but also the songs of this film were very hit. This film, directed by Shakti Samanta, did a business of 17 crores in that era.
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Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Mumtaz reveals Rajesh Khanna used to 'hit on my hips, touch his nose to mine': 'People used to say ‘they are having an affair''
Mumtaz reminisces about her close friendship with Rajesh Khanna, revealing how their playful on-set interactions sparked rumors of a romance. She recalls their initial meeting and the natural chemistry they developed while filming 15 movies together. Mumtaz acknowledges Rajesh Khanna's playful teasing and possessiveness, attributing it to their successful on-screen partnership and the era's dynamics. Bollywood has always been filled with on-screen romances that spark off-screen rumours. One of the most talked-about pairs from the 1970s, Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz , were often rumoured to be more than just co-stars. In a candid chat, Mumtaz opens up about their unique bond and the playful moments that fueled these rumours. Recalling her first meeting with Rajesh Khanna, Mumtaz told Radio Nasha that she didn't know him initially. When she learned she had to work with him, she jokingly thought she should first ask if he wanted to work with her. That's how she got her first film with him, Do Raaste. She described Rajesh Khanna as very kind, and they became good friends. She explained that working on 15 films with Rajesh Khanna helped them develop a natural chemistry. He would playfully tease her during shoots, like putting things on her face or getting physically close during songs. This closeness made people believe they were in a relationship, especially since their films were all hits, fueling the rumors. When asked if Rajesh Khanna was possessive about her, Mumtaz said that it's natural for any man to be possessive of his favorite woman. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 10년 묵은 "모공각화증" 홈케어 해결한 방법! 사과별 더 알아보기 Undo She also added that every hero tends to be possessive about their beautiful and favorite heroine. Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz were one of Hindi cinema's most beloved on-screen pairs in the 1970s. Their chemistry sparked many box-office hits and memorable performances in films like Do Raaste, Bandhan, Sachaa Jhutha, Dushmun, Aap Ki Kasam, and Roti. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Indian Express
18 hours ago
- Indian Express
The lost character in Satyajit Ray's Aranyer Din Ratri — the Kechki Forest Rest House
Satyajit Ray's classic Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest) is back in the news. Fifty-five years after its release, a restored 4K version of the movie was released at the Cannes Festival 2025 by Sharmila Tagore, Simi Garewal (the only two lead cast members still among us), and Wes Anderson. While reams have been written dissecting Ray, this movie, and its characters, the one character that has been all but forgotten is one that doesn't figure in the cast line up. This character is 'the forest bungalow', more specifically the Kechki Forest Rest House (FRH). Kechki was not just another 'filming location', a background prop. The FRH, and its environs, are integral parts of the story, the cinematography, and the overall mood of the film, an essential element of the film's proverbial soul. But unfortunately, unlike the film that became eternal and has now been restored, the Kechki of Aranyer Din Ratri exists no more. This is the story of Ray's Kechki and its demise. ****** On the western frontiers of the Chota Nagpur plateau, in Jharkhand, lies the Palamau Tiger Reserve. The rivers Koel and Auranga — slow-moving, shallow, always flanked by sandy beaches with the Sal forests forming their daaman (hem) — snake through its lush forests. The two sister rivers meet at the northernmost tip of the tiger reserve, birthing a vast sandy expanse that almost feels like a sea beach during summers. Here, at the fork of the two rivers, lay a quaint forest bungalow, constructed by the British more than a century ago. This was the Kechki Forest Rest House, named so after the nearby little village of Kechki. The campus consisted of the bungalow, a well, an outhouse-cum-chowkidar quarter, and a small parking shed. Behind the bungalow were the lovely forests of Kechki, to its front the sangam (confluence). As you looked out from the bungalow's verandah, the wide beige sandbars of Koel greeted you to your left, the paler sands of Auranga to your right, and an immense sandy beach of their confluence lay to your front. There were no walls, no boundaries, nothing separating this forest bungalow from its surroundings except for a few wooden poles that marked out the campus boundary. Ray chose this bungalow as the setting for his film Aranyer Din Ratri, based on the eponymously named novel by Sunil Gangopadhyay. The film, about four friends from Calcutta taking an unplanned break in the forest, begins with the lead male characters — Ashim (Soumitra Chatterjee), Sanjoy (Subhendu Chatterjee), Hari (Samit Bhanja) and Shekhar (Rabi Ghosh) arriving at the FRH. A significant chunk of Aranyer Din Ratri is set in and around the Kechki FRH – from philosophical discussions between the leads to the quiet romance between Ashim and Aparna (Sharmila Tagore), from building up Hari's dalliance with Duli (Simi Garewal) to the hilarious scenes of Shekhar bathing at the well as well as their later amusing encounter with a Forest Range Officer. And then of course there was the iconic memory game – a scene Wes Anderson confessed to have 'stolen' from for his film Asteroid City – played by the lead characters sitting on the beach which, in my estimation, was shot somewhere on the dry sandy bed of the Koel to the left of the FRH. The film begins with the protagonists' white ambassador rolling into Kechki. 'Persons intending to use F.R.H. must have permission of D.F.O. Daltonganj', Ashim reads aloud the rickety signboard outside the campus gate. Decades after the film was shot, in 1991, my father would go on to become the Divisional Forest Officer (D.F.O.) Daltonganj under whose jurisdiction the bungalow fell. An old-world field officer who spent more days in the forests than at his residence, various forest bungalows spread across the tiger reserve were his usual abode. Sometimes, we would join him too. Occasionally, that was at Kechki. While I had no idea who Ray was, or anything about a movie being shot here, even as a kid I vividly remember standing at the verandah and being overawed by the humongous sandy stretch that lay in front of me as the two rivers embraced. I remember picnics on the beach under the shade of the planted eucalyptus trees (a staple plantation tree for almost all FRHs in this part of India), much like the game sequence shown in the film. In 1998, we moved out of Palamau and I would not go back for over a decade. Then, with my father again becoming the Field Director of the Tiger Reserve in 2011, I returned to Palamau. One of the first things I did was to finally watch Aranyer Din Ratri. I was riveted and fascinated seeing Kechki, and Palamau, through Ray's lens. With great excitement, I immediately drove down to Kechki. What I saw, however, made my heart sink and a surge of anger boil over. Some officer in the preceding decade had ordered the construction of a hideous, tall concrete wall around the FRH campus. The view of the river and the beach from the bungalow had now been blocked. I remember asking Abba if the wall could be pulled down. He sighed and said, 'Raza, in Indian bureaucracy, it is much easier to construct something, anything, no matter how useless, than have something pulled down. Unless the courts instruct, such an action will be immediately flagged, and unfortunately, aesthetics and historical legacy are not an explanation that an average auditor will accept.' I remember being rather miffed at him for this answer. Nonetheless, I took solace in the fact that, barring the wall, at least the bungalow, the campus and the sangam were still largely as I remembered, and largely as Ray had picturised. There were a few minor changes — couple of rear bathroom doors had been bricked up, the old hand-drawn fan shown in the film had been replaced by a regular fan, a heavy concrete lid covered the well where Rabi Ghosh's character would often bathe, the chowkidar's outhouse had collapsed — but nothing too drastic. That was 2012. ***** Abba was transferred out in 2014, and with that, my permanent stay at Palamau came to an end. Yet, I would keep returning to Palamau. Then, in early 2015, I was informed of something that absolutely gutted me. 'Kechki FRH has been 'renovated' by the tiger reserve management', I was told. I knew what 'renovation' meant as far as heritage FRHs go, even though I desperately hoped to be wrong. Unfortunately, as the photos of the 'renovated' FRH came through, I jostled between feelings of heartbreak, despair and extreme anger. The bungalow had been completely defaced and disfigured under the guise of 'modernising' and 'upgrading' it. The old facade had been entirely altered making the FRH unrecognisable. The charming old sloping clay-tiled roof had been done away with, the verandah pillars redesigned. The chuna textured walls had been painted over in the most gaudy colours imaginable, while a ghastly floor-to-ceiling iron mesh had been put around all the verandahs. Old windows and doors had been replaced or blocked. Tacky shiny tiles had been laid over the old graceful cement floor, while the alignment of rooms and passageways picturised in the film had been changed. The antique wooden furniture had been discarded to be replaced by cheap plastic and plywood. Shimmering faux wood panelling had been installed haphazardly. If this was not enough, the walls around the FRH had been raised even higher, akin to prison walls. It was as if the planners had decided that under no circumstances should the river or the beaches be visible from the FRH. The old chowkidar quarter was gone, a random concrete shed had been built next to the old well. A horrendously massive concrete 'watch tower', resembling a prison guard-post, constructed just beyond the wall, towered over the bungalow. The separation of the bungalow from its surroundings was absolute. Kechki had become unrecognisable. Over the next decade, even as I returned to Palamau every year, I deliberately gave Kechki a miss. Then, in 2023, having made my peace with the mindless destruction of heritage and aesthetics, I decided to go back to Kechki one more time. As I drove down the same road that forms the opening sequence of the film, eventually opening up to the FRH campus, I sighed in disbelief! Just as I thought things couldn't get worse, there it was — even more mindless construction inside and around the FRH campus. Disused generator rooms, abandoned canteen, dilapidated toilets units — more defacing, more concretisation. I stepped inside the bungalow. It was crumbling and decaying, despite all the 'renovation' in the past, since no officer visited it anymore. Here I saw screengrabs from Aranyer Din Ratri hung up in one of the passageways. Looking at them, I chuckled in disgust. We had defaced and destroyed Ray's Kechki, and now had the audacity to promote this grotesque monstrosity created over its corpse as a celebration of his legacy. I walked out to the beach. More concretisation — gazebos, cement benches, random sheds. I wondered what drives this 'saundariyakaran' (beautification) mania that has gripped all government agencies across India, this mindless urge to 'beautify' what is already beautiful – from old heritage buildings to waterfalls, lakes to river banks. Why does the idea of 'beautification' or 'development' of a site or building always mean stripping away its simplicity – the very simplicity that made that place or building beautiful – and swarming it with thoughtless concretisation with utter disregard for history and heritage, legacy and aesthetics? Neither Ray's film nor the innate heritage value of the old Kechki FRH could save it from its doom. As my spirits dipped pondering over these thoughts, the sun began dipping too. I walked out to the riverbank through the unsightly iron gate. The last fading slivers of light shimmered over the waters of the two rivers. I gazed out towards a particular face of the beach, almost precisely the spot picturised being gazed upon by Ray's protagonists from the bungalow. The banal 'I Love New York' rip-off logo — an eyesore from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, plastered everywhere from waterfalls to petrol pumps to dusty town squares – read '# Kechki Sangam' with a heart emoticon. I sighed just as the combined waters of Koel and Auranga quenched the sun. ****** At the beginning of this year, a friend sent me a video of the newly inaugurated 'Kechki Sangam Eco Retreat'. The Forest Department had built some more at Kechki — a row of villa-style double-storied cottages, along with a new restaurant, more gazebos, concrete sit-outs, numerous lamp posts, bonfire pits, a manicured tiled nature trail, and so on. And of course, more fencing and new walls. Pushed behind this new tourist facility, the old forest bungalow now lay relegated to the margins, dated, decrepit, forlorn, forgotten. Scrolling through the videos and photos, I wondered if my thought process and views were as dated and decrepit as the bungalow itself. Will those tourists visiting this place care what existed before, anyway? Those visiting Kechki for the first time, or even those who perhaps come here on a casual visit after watching Ray's film, will, in all likelihood, go back perfectly content and happy. Only those who knew what Kechki once was might, perhaps, just perhaps, mourn its loss. And who am I to pass judgments anyway, on what is simple and quaint and what is concretised and monstrous, on what is beautiful and what is ugly? And what is the point of mourning a place, a memory, all over again when it was lost a long time ago anyway? Nonetheless, even as these doubts swirled around in my head, I was sure of one thing — neither Ray, nor any of those associated with Aranyer Din Ratri would recognise Kechki anymore. Ray's Kechki, the Kechki of my childhood, was dead. And in that moment, I knew that I would never go back to Kechki again. The writer is a conservationist, wildlife historian and works with Wildlife Conservation Trust, Mumbai
NDTV
a day ago
- NDTV
Moushumi Chatterjee On What Made Amitabh Bachchan Different From Rajesh Khanna
New Delhi: Rajesh Khanna is often hailed as the "First Superstar Of India", and ruled Hindi Cinema in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Veteran actress Moushumi Chatterjee recently got candid in a conversation with Filmfare, where she spoke about the stark contrast between Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan, the latter also began to gain popularity in the 1970s. Moushumi Chatterjee shared how Amitabh Bachchan never let stardom get to his head. Unlike Rajesh Khanna, Big B stayed grounded. What Moushumi Chatterjee recently spoke about the difference between superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna. She told Filmfare, "He (Rajesh Khanna) was a spoilt brat. He was a star, he had that stardom which neither Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, nor Dev Anand had seen. Maybe for a short term, but I had witnessed it. Maintaining a mental balance is very difficult when you're such a big celebrity and you know you'll turn sand to gold when you touch it. So tantrum comes out." Further elaborating on how Amitabh Bachchan never over-hyped his success, Moushumi Chatterjee added, " Bolte hai naa ek unpadh gunda aur padhe likhe gunda mein bohot farak hota hai. Unke gesture, behaviour, choice of words. I have never seen Amitabh with chamchas. Never seen anybody around him. But I used to see it with Rajesh. Kaka needed that attention, pampering. So, he played his life role the way he wanted. It's sad that he just fell hard after seeing that high." About Moushumi Chatterjee Veteran actress Moushumi Chatterjee was a big name in the film industry in the 70s. One of the highest-paid actresses in that era, she had worked with Rajesh Khanna and Big B in several films, which the audience loved. Some of her most memorable performances include Manzil, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan, and Benaam. Moushumi Chatterjee Films With Amitabh Bachchan And Rajesh Khanna Some of her best films with Amitabh Bachchan include Roti, Kapada, Aur Makaan, Benaam, Manzil, and Piku. Some of her projects with Rajesh Khanna include Prem Bandhan, Ghar Parivaar, Anuraag. In A Nutshell Moushumi Chatterjee opened up about what made Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan different from each other. She also spoke about how each of the superstars dealt with their stardom.
