Flashback: Rajesh Khanna-Dimple Kapadia's love story

New Delhi: If there was one person continuously guarding Rajesh Khanna's health during his last days, it was Dimple Kapadia. Though Dimple didn’t prefer to come into the limelight much, she remained the force behind Kaka.

Raj Kapoor discovered Dimple Kapadia at the age of 13 and signed her for ‘Bobby’. The film later went on to become a hit but Dimple (16) took a strange decision of marrying the then superstar Rajesh Khanna (31) before the release of ‘Bobby’. However, the stranger things were yet to come. Dimple left the film world to raise her children.

But as they say, the glamour world is the other name of ecstasy, the poster perfect family life of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia started to disintegrate towards the later years of 1970s. Many think that Kaka’s inability to handle the superstar status was the prime reason behind the marital woes.

Braving the rain, thousand of fans gathered at Bollywood's first superstar Rajesh Khanna's home to be part of their icon's funeral procession.
Fans hold a photograph of Bollywood superstar Rajesh Khanna during his funeral in Mumbai, July 19, 2012.(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Actress Dimple Kapadia, the wife of late Bollywood superstar Rajesh Khanna, left, along with her daughter Rinke Khanna, second from left and son-in-law, actor Akshay Kumar, background left, pay their respects during Khanna's funeral in Mumbai.
His body, in a transparent casket, was placed on a mini-truck decorated with white flowers.
Amitabh Bachchan who worked with Rajesh Khanna in many films was also seen at his funeral. He was accompanied by his son Abhishek.
Filmmaker and Akshay Kumar's close friend Sajid Khan.
Rajesh Khanna fans outside the Vile Parle cremetorium.
Akshay Kumar was with Rajesh Khanna when he made his last public appearance on June 20, 2012.
While talking to the media after Rajesh Khanna's demise Akshay said, "He has gone to a nice and heavenly place, we are happy about that. I hope everybody who is watching this can just say a small little prayer for him."
Teary eyed Akshay Kumar with Rajesh Khanna's body.
Bollywood actor Akshay Kuamr during his father-in-law Rajesh Khanna's funeral.
Rajesh Khanna was last seen in a TV commercial for Havells fans earlier this year.
The legend's final journey started around 10 a.m. from his residence Aashirwad in Bandra.
Filmmaker Karan Johar surrounded with policemen at the funeral.
Rajesh Khanna's wife Dimple with her younger daughter Rinkie.
Rajesh Khanna's fans during his funeral procession in Mumbai.
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, center and his son actor Abhishek Bachchan, center right, walk through a sea of fans and mourners to attend the funeral of Rajesh Khanna in Mumbai, July 19, 2012.
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, center and his son actor Abhishek Bachchan, center right, walk through a sea of fans and mourners to attend the funeral of Rajesh Khanna in Mumbai, July 19, 2012.
Akshay Kumar with his son Aarav during the funeral.
Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan trying to make it to the crematorium.
Bollywood actor Raj Babbar at the funeral.
The procession started from his Bandra residence and went through Carter Road, Turner Road and SV Road before reaching the crematorium.
The original plan was to have a longer procession, but due to rain it was kept short, but it didn't deter his fans, who gathered in huge numbers.
The crush of fans at the venue led to a stampede-like situation.
A smiling poster of Rajesh Khanna adorns the hearse as people throng the funeral procession.
People brave the downpour to pay their last homage to the star.
The frenzy was perhaps just what the Bollywood's first superstar had been missing all these years.
Eager fans jostle for a last look at the star.
Police trying to control the crowd during the funeral procession in Mumbai.
Police had to resort to lathicharge as the situation was going out of control.
Fans surround the mini-truck carrying Rajesh Khanna's body.
A sea of fans turned up for the funeral of Rajesh Khanna.
Family members accompany the body of Bollywood superstar Rajesh Khanna in a truck during his funeral in Mumbai.
A police officer tries to control the crowd with a stick during the funeral of Bollywood superstar Rajesh Khanna in Mumbai.
Actress Dimple Kapadia, left, grieves during the funeral of her husband Bollywood superstar Rajesh Khanna in Mumbai.

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$Flashback: Rajesh Khanna-Dimple\'s love story$

If there was one person continuously guarding Rajesh Khanna\'s health during his last days, it was Dimple Kapadia.

Rajesh Khanna had become one star who wasn’t ready to compromise on anything lesser than a superhit while the Hindi film industry had started to shift its focus towards the new supernova of Bollywood in the form of Amitabh Bachchan.

Rajesh Khanna hadn’t stopped giving hits but the angry young man was moving fast towards the superstar tag. Someone had to bear for the fierce competition between two towering stars, so Rajesh Khanna’s family life began to suffer.

On the other hand, Dimple had given birth to two daughters till then; Twinkle breathed her first in 1973 while Rinke was born in 1977.

At one point of time, Dimple decided to return to films. Khanna’s hectic schedule kept him away for most of the time and ultimately the couple found it apt to separate in 1982. Dimple said in an interview given to India Today in 1985, “The life and happiness in our house came to an end the day I and Rajesh got married.”

Rajesh Khanna and Dimple continued to live separately but they didn’t bother to complete the divorce proceedings. Dimple returned to films and Rajesh Khanna’s acting career came to a halt, before he was fetched into politics.

Time washed away the bitterness between the couple and the two started to appear together in parties in the beginning of 1990s. Dimple also campaigned for Khanna during the elections in 1992.

Though the stardom was gone but Rajesh Khanna was itching for a comeback. He decided to produce ‘Jai Shiv Shankar’ (1992) with him and Dimple in the lead, unfortunately the film didn’t work.

But the lost love had returned to Rajesh Khanna’s life. Dimple remained Khanna’s closest ally till his last days.