Comparison

Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan both have won the heart of millions and were considered crowd pullers during their peak period as Rajesh Khanna had ruled at Box office from 1969 to 1974 and Amitabh from mid 1975 to 90’s and even today he is one of the busiest and successful star-actor of Bollywood industry. Rajesh Khanna became a superstar after line of flops, Aakhri Khat, Raaz, Aurat, Baharon Ke Sapne, Seema (cameo), Badnaam Farishte and Srimanji both in (sp. App.) and Dil Daulat Duniya. It was Aaradhana which made him an overnight superstar and the movie was his first blockbuster of his career. Amitabh had also many failures initially, which comprised Saat Hindustani, Reshma Aur Shera, Parwana, Raaste Ka Pathar, Sanjog, Bandhe Haath, Bombay To Goa and Pyar Ki Kahani, but Zanjeer turned his destiny.

Both are best in their own way and both the superstars has hits to their credit, but Rajesh Khanna’s importance is much as he is the only superstar in the history of Bollywood who has delivered 15 consecutive solo hits, super hits and block buster’s from 1969 to 1971, during his superstardom of 4 years and hitherto no actor star before or after Rajesh Khanna has been able to break Khanna’s record, neither Bachchan, Kumar’s, Kapoor’s or Khans. Agreed, Amitabh has also many jubilees behind him, but majority of his films were masala multi-starrers and he cannot walk away with the entire credit. Vis-a Vis, Rajesh Khanna movies were story oriented with good script and lovely songs. Agreed, Rajesh Khanna had superstardom for 5 years and Amitabh is ruling since decades, but the height of popularity, euphoria and the kind of frenzy which Rajesh Khanna witnessed at his peak has never been seen before or after the superstar.

Hailing to Bachchan, the super success of Sholay followed by Chupke Chupke and Ram Balram also goes to Dharmendra. With Vinod Khanna, Amitabh was seen in major hits like Amar Akbar Anthony, Hera Pheri, Khoon Pasina, Parwarish and Muqaddar Ka Sikander. The only movies didn’t worked at the box office were Reshma Aur Shera and Zameer. Shashi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan worked in number of movies which were quite successful starting from Roti Kapda Aur Makan, Deewar, Trishul, Kabhi Kabhi, Silsila, Suhag, Kala Pathar and Shaan. The films failed badly were Imaan Dharam, Do Aur Do Paanch and Akeyla. Amitabh appeared with Shatrughan Sinha in umpteen movies, out of which Shaan, Dostana, Naseeb and Kala Pathar were pick of the lot as some of their earlier combination releases didn’t do well like Yaar Mera, Bombay to Goa and Raaste Ka Pathar. Amitabh’s Shakti film success was shared with thespian Dilip Kumar. Again with Sanjeev Kumar, Bachchan had to share screen in plenty of movies - Sholay, Silsila, Khuddar and Trishul. Moreover, the films foozled were Imaan Dharam and Faraar.

Amitabh Bachchcan had six Blockbusters in few years Roti Kapda Makan, Deewar, Sholay, Amar Akbar Anthony, Coolie and Muqaddar Ka Sikander, but all these films were multi-starrers. Hailing to Rajesh Khanna he delivered 4 solo blockbusters in just two years Aradhana, Do Raaste, Haathi Mere Saathi and Sachaa Jhutha which indicates the magic of superstar.

Rajesh Khanna has been coined as a superstar and Amitabh Bachchan as star of the Millennium. Both of them have their fan follower’s, who regularly keep on praising them and keeps on making comparisons among them. Both superstar and megastar are best in their own way and both of them have plus and minus quality. On one side, Rajesh Khanna was excellent in romance and tragedy, vice-versa Amitabh was superior in action and comedy. Both had foible and forte factors.

Hailing on personality front, Rajesh Khanna was good looking, charming and his million dollar smile fascinated one and all. Moreover, Rajesh Khanna was a trend-setter as whatever he wore became a trend like his half open sandals, black goggles and guru kurta. Rajesh Khanna was loved by people of all ages, especially women. His sparkling performance in films Aaradhana, Safar, Amar Prem, Haathi Mere Saathi, Dushman, Aap Ki Kasam, Roti and Avtaar did magic on cinegoers heart. Amitabh Bachchan’s plus points were his effective voice, height and angry young man image which consolidated his rising career. Who can forget an action sequence of Bombay to Goa? Where there is a fight sequence between Amitabh and Shatrughan Sinha in a hotel? Another important fight sequence of Zanjeer, where he combats with Pran with his legs was highlight of the film, Deewaar’s god down fight scene with multiple goons, followed by Trishul’s ambulance fight scene with M. B. Shetty and his gang, Amar Akbar Anthony’s interesting fight shot with Vinod Khanna, Kala Pathar’s mind-blowing action sequence with Shatrughan Sinha. Muqaddar Ka Sikander’s climax fight with Amjad Khan and Coolie’s film’s terrific action with Puneet Issar for which Big B could have lost his life.

Both Kaka and Bachchan have worked with numerable female co-stars, but it’s strange that some heroines had success with only Rajesh Khanna and particular ones had failed with Amitabh Bachchan, vice versa. Rekha and Amitabh pair was quite successful in movies Mr. Natwarlal, Khoon Pasina, Suhaag, Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Kasme Vaade (sp.), Silsila, Ganga Ki Saugandh, Ram Balram except Alaap and Do Anjaane which were par and below average. Rajesh Khanna also did couple of films with Rekha, but hardly any of their films can be compared with the success of AB and Rekha starrers. Among the lot, merely Namak Haram and Agar Tum Na Hote did above moderate business as the rest were below average or flops like Bhola Bhala, Aanchal, Asha Jyoti and unreleased comprise Waapsi. In Muqabla, Rajesh Khanna and Rekha appeared in a guest appearance for a qawwali number.

Like Rekha, Raakhi had also shared screen, mostly as a leading lady in many triumphant movies with Big B, such as Kabhi Kabhi, Kala Pathar, Trishul, Kasme Vaade, Shaan, Shakti, Bemisal, Barsaat Ki Ek Raat and Jurmana. With Rajesh Khanna Raakhi was seen in films Shahzada and Aanchal which were flops. The only hit was Daag: A Poem of Love. Waapsi, which starred Raakhi and Rekha opposite Rajesh Khanna, foozled to see the light of the day. One major movie Majnoon which was being made on the grand scale was shelved after song recording being composed by late Khayyam.

Mumtaz was very lucky for Rajesh Khanna as both did plenty of movies and all were hits-super hits, right from blockbuster Do Raaste and consecutive were Doli, Bandhan, Sachcha Jhutha, Dushman, Apna Desh, Aap Ki Kasam, Prem Kahani and lastly Aaina which was a flop. With Big B, Mumtaz was paired in O. P. Ralhan’s Bandhe Haath which was a failure, though movie was very good.

Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore success story began with Aaradhna, followed by Amar Prem, Safar, Aavishkar, Chhoti Bahu and Daag-A Poem of Love. In Badnaam Farishte and Naseeb they were in (sp. App.) Their pair foozled merely in Tyaag, Maalik and Raja Rani, as all the three movies were flops and Maalik was the 18th release film after Rajesh Khanna 17 consecutive hits-super hits and blockbusters and two multi-starrers Maryada and Andaz from 1969 to 1971. Whereas, Amitabh also worked with Sharmila Tagore, but their movies were never hits except, Man Mohan Desai’s Desh Premee which was a moderate success. Their other movies include Faraar, Mahesh Majrekar’s Virudh and Eklavya: The Royal Guard tanked at the box office. The last in the list is Parveen Babi with whom Amitabh Bachchan had delivered many hits. Initially, it was Majboor followed by Amar Akbar Anthony, Shaan, Kaalia and Khuddar. The only film bungled was Do Aur Do Paanch and below average Mahaan. Though there were some other movies in which Parveen Babi had worked, but she wasn’t paired with Bachchan like Suhaag, Kala Pathar, Namak Halal-Shashi Kapoor and Desh Premee- Navin Nischol. Rajesh Khanna appeared with Parveen Babi in a movie titled Chalta Purza, a flop. The other movie in which Parven Babi was cast with Rajesh Khanna was Ashanti which was a hit, but Parveen Babi was the leading lady opposite Mithun Chakraborty. Producer-director Pramod Chakraborty had cast Rajesh Khanna and Parveen Babi for Chamatkar in 70’s, but ill-starred, film wasn’t complete.

Though time and taste of audience had changed, consequently Rajesh Khanna too tried his hand at action films, but wasn’t successful as people liked him in tragedy and romantic films only. Undoubtedly, some of Rajesh Khanna’s action movies did good business, especially, Apna Desh, The Train, Ashanti, Chhaila Babu and Maqsad. The rest were par and above average like Humshakal, Phir Wahi Raat, Zamana, Dharam Kanta, Nasihat, Fifty Fifty, Dharam Aur Kanoon, Bandish, Shatru, Paapi Pet Ka Sawal Hai and Awaaz. However, numbers of his action films failed miserably were Goraa, Shehzada, Tinku, Maha Chor, Bhola Bhala, Mehbooba, Chalta Purza, Bandalbaaz, Chakravuhu, Red Rose, Jaanwar, Vijay, Insaaf Mein Karunga, Bewaafai, Ashiq Hoon Baharon Ka, Rupiya Dus Karod, Nishan, Rajput and Awam.

Though, Rajesh Khanna had taken a back seat with number of flops after 1975, notwithstanding, he was the highest paid actor with Amitabh Bachchan till 1987. Suddenly after a queue of flops, Rajesh Khanna had bounced back in 1983 with back to back three successful films which were Avtaar (blockbuster), Souten (super hit) and Agar Tum Na Hote (semi hit) and the other way round in the same year, Amitabh had 3 unsuccessful movies Nastik, Pukar and Mahan, but the super success of his last release of 1983, Coolie saved Amitabh’s fluctuating career. In 1984, once again a competition took place between both of them, during the release of Amitabh’s Inquilab and Rajesh Khanna’s Aaj Ka M.L.A. Ram Avtaar. Both the film’s had similar story lines and both were produced by reputed South banners. Though both the films were completed on time, but Inquilab won the battle as it was released first and after two months Aaj Ka M.L.A. Ram Avtaar hit the marquee, but unfortunately both the them bombed at Box office. However, on collection front, Inquilab was somehow better. Inquilab was full of action and Aaj Ka M.L.A. had emotions and comedy ingredients, though both movies were good.