Mumbai, July 19: Thousands of fans of Bollywood actor Rajesh Khanna turned out on the streets stretching from Bandra to VilleParle to pay their last respects to the film industry's first superstar on his way to the crematorium.
Rajesh Khanna's grandson Aarav gave the "mukhaagni" (lighted the pyre) at Pawan Hans crematorium in Ville Parle, which was closed to mediapersons.
Earlier, the funeral procession of Bollywood's first superstar Rajesh Khanna began this morning amidst light drizzle from his bungalow Ashirvad on Carter Road, Bandra.
With son-in-law and actor Akshay Kumar atop a flower-bedecked truck, Rajesh Khanna's body was kept inside a glass enclosure, with a huge portrait of Rajesh Khanna adorning the truck.
The funeral procession reached the Pawan Hans crematorium in Ville Parle, amidst tight police security and traffic restrictions on the normally busy arterial roads.
Wife Dimple Kapadia, daughter Twinkle and other Bollywood actors were present in the funeral procession.
Crowds gathered on the way to have a last glimpse of the departed actor.
With moist eyes and prayers on their lips, family and fans bid a tearful goodbye to Rajesh Khanna with thousands of admirers lining the streets to catch the last glimpse of India's first superstar.
The 69-year-old Bollywood actor was cremated as large number of admirers and people from the film fraternity united in grief at the demise of the man who created mass hysteria during his heydays.
The last rites were performed by Khanna's grandson Aarav, with father Akshay by his side.
As admirers paid glowing tributes to Khanna, who was fondly called ‘Kaka', there was chaos outside the Pawan Hans crematorium with hundreds of people converging there.
Many Bollywood personalities including Amitabh Bachchan, his son Abhishek, Manoj Kumar, Rani Mukherjee and Karan Johar turned up at the crematorium to pay their last respects.
Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan had to come out of their vehicle because of traffic jam, and walk several hundred metres to the Ville Parle crematorium, with hundreds of onlookers watching.
The Hindi film icon passed away at his residence ‘Aashirwad' yesterday. Although the cause of his death was not officially announced by the family, those close to the actor hinted at liver infection.
Earlier, the funeral procession of Khanna began from his bungalow, ‘Aashirwad' on Carter Road at around 10 AM with fans queuing up outside his home.
The body was taken to the crematorium in Juhu in an open truck, bedecked with white flowers.
The body of Khanna, resting in a glass coffin, was accompanied by son-in-law and actor Akshay Kumar, estranged wife Dimple Kapadia and his younger daughter Rinkie Khanna. The vehicle had huge black and white photographs of the actor on both its sides.
The crowd outside the crematorium was a reflection of Khanna's iconic status and cops were seen having a troubled time controlling fans, who had gathered in huge numbers on the road and the skywalk at Santa Cruz to bid adieu to the ‘King of Romance'.
