A behind-the-scenes incident from the sets of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s classic Bawarchi has resurfaced after former child actor Raju Shrestha, popularly known as Master Raju, recalled a heated argument between Jaya Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna.
Speaking in an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Master Raju claimed that the disagreement took place during the shooting of the 1972 film and was linked to remarks made about Amitabh Bachchan, who was then an upcoming actor in the industry. “There was an argument and the shooting had also stopped… That fight was regarding Amitabh Bachchan,” Raju said. He further stated, “Rajesh Khanna said something against Amitabh Bachchan to Jaya ji and that’s when they fought and the shooting was halted.”
According to Master Raju, Jaya stood her ground and defended Amitabh, who would later go on to become one of Indian cinema’s biggest stars and also her husband. The former child actor suggested that Khanna’s remarks may have stemmed from insecurity and ego, as Amitabh’s rise in the early 1970s was gradually reshaping Bollywood’s power dynamics.
Master Raju also spoke about Rajesh Khanna’s strong personality and recalled another anecdote involving Khanna’s equation with Akshay Kumar, his son in law. He claimed that Khanna once refused to go downstairs to meet Akshay, saying, “Main uska sasur hoon, woh aayega mere paas, main kyun jaoon? (I am his father-in-law, he will come to me, why should I go?)”
Calling him Bollywood’s first true superstar, Master Raju said Khanna had seen unmatched fame during his peak years. However, he claimed that once the actor started facing a rough patch at the box office, his behaviour reportedly changed. According to him, Rajesh Khanna became more isolated over time and preferred staying indoors for long hours. He added that during this phase, alcohol also became a frequent presence in the superstar’s life.
Also Read: Jaya Bachchan wins legal shield for personality rights in Delhi High Court
More Pages: Bawarchi Box Office Collection
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