'Rajesh Khanna couldn't face fading stardom, Amitabh Bachchan started doing character roles': Prem Chopra
Prem Chopra recalls how Rajesh Khanna would always be late and could have taken up great character roles when his stardom began to fade away.
Veteran actor Prem Chopra has said that Rajesh Khanna could not take it well when his stardom faded, and refused to switch to character roles - something Amitabh Bachchan did well in time and continues to rule the screen even today. Prem was talking to Bollywood Thikana when he recalled his younger days and opened up about some of his former colleagues. (Also read: When Rajesh Khanna revealed Dimple Kapadia was not letting them divorce)
Rajesh Khanna couldn't take his fading stardom
Prodded about a comparison between Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna, and their punctuality, Prem Chopra said, "Amitabh Bachchan was always an intelligent and punctual actor. Rajesh Khanna was also a great actor, but he got this habit of reaching late all the time. Not everyone would take it when he landed late on sets. Hours after everyone reached and got ready, he would reach the sets. The producers would even ask him to have lunch before the shot, but he made sure he completed the day's work."
Amitabh's choice of roles
Asked about Rajesh Khanna's unwillingness to take up roles other than those that could define him as a superstar, Prem Chopra said, "He continued the same style (as the time when he was a superstar) and those films did not work either. That is why he had to (suffer a downfall in his fame). He could not face that thing - where I was and where I am now.
"Amitabh Bachchan had this thing - he took up character roles and what great character roles did he get! I am sure Rajesh Khanna would have also gotten great character roles if he chose to take them up. Amitabh remains so busy even now - I am surprised he is much more busy than he was at a younger age." Prem added that Amitabh continues to work on TV, films and also remains active on social media.
Recalling his films with Rajesh Khanna, Prem Chopra said he was the superstar but distributors would also ask the makers 'Great that you have Rajesh Khanna, but do you have Prem Chopra in the film?'.
Rajesh Khanna's lack of punctuality
Asked about the rumours of Rajesh Khanna reaching late on sets, Prem told the YouTube channel that he did not have first hand information, but he had heard about it. The producer had hired a man to stay on the sets and get beaten up when Rajesh Khanna reached late, Prem said. He added that the producer would also ask the man 'Do we not pay you enough to come on time?' That was supposed to be a message for Rajesh Khanna and the star soon started reaching the sets on time.
Asked about his role in Upkar that Rajesh Khanna was originally supposed to do, Prem said that he was not the first choice for the role. He also recalled that producers did not want Rajesh to play the role as it had negative shades. Prem was then asked to do the role and he finally quit his job with a newspaper. During the interview, Prem also said that Manoj Kumar was returning from the special screening of Upkar when he wrote the basic story for Shaheed. The then prime minister, late Lal Bahadur Shastri watched Upkar and was so mesmerised by it that he asked Manoj Kumar to make similar films. Shaheed is said to be inspired by the former PM's famous slogan Jai Jawan Jai Kisan.
