Rajesh Khanna's Reluctance to Aradhana: The Film That Made Him a Superstar

• Rajesh Khanna, Bollywood's first superstar, initially hesitated to star in the 1969 film 'Aradhana'.
• He felt 'Aradhana' was a heroine-centric film, but was bound by a 12-film contract with United Producers after winning the Filmfare Talent Contest in 1965.
• Director Shakti Samanta, after seeing Rajesh Khanna's work in 'Baharon Ke Sapne', decided to cast him.
• Despite Khanna's reluctance, the film became a massive success, catapulting him to unprecedented superstardom.
• The iconic song 'Mere Sapnon Ki Rani' faced a last-minute cancellation by Sharmila Tagore, leading to creative solutions for its filming.

Why It Matters: Rajesh Khanna's reluctant role in 'Aradhana' unexpectedly launched him into superstardom.