Rajesh Khanna was one of the biggest superstars of Bollywood; while he is still remembered with great honour and respect, his decline hit him hard.
Rajesh Khanna was one of the biggest superstars in the history of Indian cinema. From having done several blockbusters to gaining a devoted fan following, the actor had lived it all. However, despite his riches, he felt as if something was missing in his life, and he thought the reality show, Bigg Boss would fix that need.
The decline of his stardom immensely impacted Rajesh Khanna. The actor saw the status he had earned with blood, sweat and hardwork disappear. 'Kaka' could not cope with his dwindling fame, so he contemplated participating in today's most controversial reality show, Bigg Boss. While he seemed to have rejected the offer when he was first approached, he later reconsidered his decision and wanted to participate in the show.
Reflecting on the same, his alleged girlfriend, Anita Advani, recalled that period in his life and said that she was in shock when 'Kaka' expressed his willingness to be on the show. In a recent conversation with Mid-Day India, Anita revealed that Rajesh Khanna was offered Bigg Boss, and he was contemplating whether he should join the show or not. She stated:
"They were paying him a huge amount. They also went to Delhi to convince him, and he was contemplating whether he should or not. So, one night, he said, ‘I think if I go to Bigg Boss, I will become a better person'. I said, 'What?' I got the shock of my life. He and Bigg Boss? I said, 'No Kakaji, not at all. You have such an aura and personality, I don’t think you can fit there.'"
In the same conversation, she recalled that she had told the actor that contestants had to do chores during the show. Anita revealed that when she told Rajesh Khanna that they make participants wash dishes, he asked her if they would make him do the same. For the unversed, Anita participated in the show after Rajesh died in 2012. She was quoted as saying:
"I told him 'Vahan bartan manjwate hain. He said 'Mere se bhi manjwayenge?' I said 'Nahi, aapse toh shayad nahi. I told him, 'Vahan khana bhi nahi milta theek se. He said, 'Refugee hain kya?'"
According to an article by Rediff from the year 2012, journalist, Ali Peter John who was also a close friend of the late actor, Rajesh Khanna revealed that the show had indeed approached the latter. The article claimed that Bigg Boss makers had approached him to secure Rajesh Khanna's participation. He recalled that the channel was willing to pay Rajesh Rs. 3.5 crore per episode but the actor refused. However, he later changed his mind but unfortunately by then the makers had moved on. He stated:
"Once, the makers of Bigg Boss called me to fix a meeting with him; they wanted him in the Bigg Boss house. But he said, 'Nahin, nahin, Rajesh Khanna aise show thodi karega.'"
What are your thoughts on Anita Advani's revelation about Rajesh Khanna?
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