In a revealing account from the annals of Bollywood’s golden era, the legendary Rajesh Khanna’s comments on Amitabh Bachchan’s punctuality have been brought into light through a new book. The occasion marking Khanna’s birth anniversary in 2023 has been colored with reflections on an era when the superstar was at the zenith of his career and Bachchan was the emerging talent in the Indian cinema.
Rajesh Khanna, often referred to as Bollywood’s first superstar, once took a sly dig at Amitabh Bachchan’s strict adherence to punctuality. Khanna, with his characteristic flamboyance, likened Bachchan’s time-consciousness to that of a clerical attribute, as unveiled in the book “Excellence – The Amitabh Bachchan Way” by Virender Kapoor. This commentary arose during a time when Bachchan was laying the groundwork for his illustrious career.
It was a stark contrast in dispositions, where Rajesh Khanna was notorious for his whims and idiosyncrasies, making grand entrances well past the appointed hour on set, a stark contrast to Bachchan’s renowned professionalism and punctuality. These traits did not go unnoticed, as Bachchan’s discipline and professionalism received commendation across the film community.
The book illustrates Khanna’s attitude toward the structured routine, where he boasted, “I am not a clerk, but an artist.” He relished in the freedom his moods granted him and appeared to reject the conventional restraints of scheduling. The then-burgeoning star Amitabh Bachchan, on the contrary, found himself in the public eye, progressively gathering acclaim for his work ethic and acting prowess.
However, irrespective of the criticism, Bachchan maintained a demeanor of respect toward Khanna. His admiration for the latter’s body of work was profound, expressing astonishment at Khanna’s incredible tally of 153 films by 1991, which included an impressive streak of box office successes.
Bachchan, notably humble, credited much of his own success to his collaborations with Khanna, which included critically acclaimed films. Despite internalizing disparagement for his looks and harboring doubts about securing lead roles, Bachchan found himself in awe of Rajesh Khanna’s charm and success, even expressing his wonderment at Khanna’s appealing photogenic quality in a candid reflection.
But as destiny would have it, the “Angry Young Man” title, which eventually became synonymous with Bachchan, was indicative of a shift in the industry’s leading icon. The camaraderie shared by the two leading actors, however, transcended competitive spirit on the sets of iconic films such as “Anand” and “Namak Haraam”. The duo maintained a professional relationship devoid of rivalry or clashes of ego.
Amitabh Bachchan, originally from Kolkata’s burgeoning film scene, drew inspiration from Rajesh Khanna. His recollections of working with Khanna are sentimental, describing the experience as a dream materializing into reality. This admiration was, interestingly, mutual to some extent. After viewing Bachchan’s stirring performance in “Namak Haraam”, Khanna had a poignant realization of the changing guard and predicted Bachchan’s imminent rise to superstardom.
On commemorating Rajesh Khanna’s birth anniversary, tales of his caprices and Bachchan’s emergence as an icon enliven the legacy of Bollywood’s illustrious past. “Excellence – The Amitabh Bachchan Way”, released to mark Bachchan’s 75th birthday by Rupa Publications, narrates the journey and ethos of the man who would redefine the contours of Indian cinema, despite the sneers and the skepticism of the times.
