Remembering Rajesh Khanna on his 83rd birth anniversary by revisiting his iconic movies on OTT

Rajesh Khanna, widely known as the first 'Superstar' of Indian cinema, would have turned 83 years old on December 29, if he had been alive. The legend took his last breath in 2012 at the age of 69 due to complications from cancer and prolonged illness. Throughout his four-decade career, Rajesh Khanna had given many blockbusters and superhits during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Today, on his 83rd birth anniversary, let's revisit some of his iconic cinemas with OTTplay Premium and remember his aura in the Indian film industry.

Rajesh Khanna's memorable movies:

Avtaar (1983)

Rajesh Khanna made a massive comeback with back-to-back two movies, Avtaar and Souten, in the same year, appearing in a mature elderly role, which was quite a risk factor for the legend. After his superstar phase waned, Khanna had tried to prove his acting depth beyond romance with Avtaar. The movie follows Avtaar Kishan, who works hard just to provide for his wife and two sons, only to be abandoned by them in his old days, leading to an emotional family drama about duty and sacrifice.

Haathi Mere Saathi (1971)

Rajesh Khanna was seen opposite Tanuja in this adventure drama. The story follows orphan Raju, whose life is saved by four elephants, forging an unbreakable bond. The four elephants become his family and partners in his street performances. But conflict arises when his wife fears for their child's safety, forcing Raju to choose between the elephants and his own family. Haathi Mere Saathi turned out to be a blockbuster and critically acclaimed movie.

Do Raaste (1969)

This movie was also a commercially successful Hindi drama where a middle-class family grapples with internal conflicts centered on the idealistic elder son Navendu (Balraj Sahni), who sacrifices for his step-siblings, especially his younger brother Satyen (Rajesh Khanna). But Satyen's modern wife (Bindu) creates problems in the family, forcing every member to follow their own paths in life. The movie explores family duty, greed, and tradition.

Kudrat (1981)

With R D Burman's music and Rajesh Khanna's superstar charisma, Kudrat turned out to be a critically acclaimed movie in the 80s. The story follows a young woman, Chandramukhi who visits Shimla and experiences vivid flashbacks from her past life as Paro, who was murdered. Rajesh Khanna appears as a lawyer who falls in love with Chandramukhi and helps her uncover the dark truth.

Aavishkar (1974)

This story follows a middle-aged couple, Amar and Mansi, who experience a gradual disillusionment in their love marriage after having a child. The pressure of work, earning money to feed the child, unspoken resentments and financial struggles put a huge distance between them. As Rajesh Khanna rose to fame as a romantic hero, Aavishkar opened a major path for him to explore his versatile acting skills. In this movie, his character is non-heroic, proving his depth beyond typical stardom and earning critical acclaim for his portrayal of a disillusioned husband.