Mumbai, July 18: The first superstar of Bollywood Rajesh Khanna passed away this afternoon in his home Ashirvad in Mumbai, in the presence of his relatives and family friends. He was 69.
Khanna's estranged wife Dimple Kapadia, son-in-law actor Akshay Kumar and daughter Twinkle were present by the bedside of the actor, who reportedly died of suspected cancer in the kidney and liver.
Rajesh Khanna was discharged only yesterday from Mumbai's Lilawati Hospital, after doctors told his family members that nothing more could be done.
As news of Rajesh Khanna's death spread, news channels in India played the famous last scene of his tragedy film Anand, in which co-actor Amitabh Bachchan played the role of Babu Moshai, and Khanna played the main role with the eponymous name.
The first star in Bollywood to score 15 consequent superhits Rajesh Khanna was the darling of his fans from 1969 till 1975, when the 'angry young man' Amitabh Bachchan took over.
Rajesh Khanna married fresh debutante actress Dimple Kapadia, but the two later separated. Khanna joined the Congress Party and was elected its MP from New Delhi, but later he left politics.
Rajesh Khanna, who was ailing for sometime, had been in and out of hospital since April this year. He was discharged from Lilavati Hospital two days back.
Khanna is survived by wife Dimple Kapadia and daughters Twinkle and Rinkle.
Scores of fans gathered outside his ‘Aashirwad' home on Carter Road in Bandra today following the news. A large number of policemen was deployed outside his bungalow as friends and relatives were called in to have a last glimpse of the actor.
Khanna's big solo superhits include “Aradhana”, “Haathi Mere Saathi”, “Anand” and “Amar Prem”.
