Some Facts About RAJESH KHANNA - TOI

On his wedding day More Pics

A textbook prescribed by the Bombay University contained an essay, 'The Charisma of Rajesh Khanna'

 
Born Jatin Khanna, he was adopted. His foster parents were relatives.
Rajesh Khanna will always be the original 'Superstar' of Bollywood. In fact not many people are aware that the word was coined especially for Kaka (as he was referred to then) by Devyani Chaubal, the editor of a popular film magazine.
He changed his name from Jatin to Rajesh because it was considered too business-like for Bollywood. There is no confirmation on who gave him his screen name but sources reveal that it was either his uncle KK Talwar or film producer GP Sippy.
Khanna is credited with giving Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar their first chance to become screenplay writers by offering them work in Haathi Mere Saathi.
Kishore Kumar sang most of his songs. So much so, that it was almost impossible to see them as separate identities.
He was a finalist in the 1965 All India Talent Contest organised by United Producers and Filmfare, topping over 10,000 contestants.
He made his entry into Bollywood by participating and winning a talent contest, which he landed after beating actor Vinod Mehra.
During the peak of his career he would be mobbed during public appearances. There was so much mob hysteria surrounding the actor, with female fans making a beeline for him, kissing his car, leaving lipstick marks and cheering and chanting his name. He also received a lot of letters written in blood from female fans.
He had 15 consecutive solo superhits between 1969 to 1971, which is still an unbroken record in Indian film history
He was a Member of Parliament for the Congress Party, from the New Delhi constituency, where he won the 1992 by-election, retaining his seat until the 1996 election. When Khanna was an MP he worked full time as a politician and did not accept new acting assignements.
In recent days, he bought land in Shirdi along with some foreign investors for a religious resort.