“Rajesh Khanna’s Grand Gestures: Gifted Bungalows, Cars to Friends & Partied Till Dawn, Says Raza Murad”
"Why Rajesh Khanna Was Always Late? Raza Murad Reveals His Party Lifestyle"
Veteran actor Raza Murad reminisces about Rajesh Khanna‘s tendency to report late on sets owing to his late-night parties but brings out the philanthropic side of the superstar, who gave bungalows and cars as gifts to friends.
April 1, 2025 – Belated Bollywood icon Rajesh Khanna, also popularly addressed as Kaka, was nearly as well known for his superstar status as for being late. Numerous co-actors have spoken about his loose approach to timekeeping, and recently, ageing actor Raza Murad, in an interview, revealed all about Khanna‘s lavish way of life.
Talking to ANI, Raja Murad shared that one had to be prepared mentally for Rajesh Khanna‘s late arrivals on the set. “You had to be prepared mentally that he won‘t arrive on time. His lifestyle was such that post-pack-up, there would be a party at his residence daily. But he had a big heart. He was a very big-hearted man when it came to treating his friends. “ He has given his friends bungalows and cars,” Murad explained.
Night-Long Parties and Late Starts
Murad reminisced about how each night after work, Khanna would hold parties at home, which lasted till morning. “Each and every day, there was a ‘mehfil‘ in his house, and his friends used to visit. They could come whenever they pleased, but they could only go when he allowed.“. Parties would go on all night, dinner was served at 5 am, and he would sleep at 6 am, waking up around 1-2 pm before arriving on set by 3-4 pm,” he recounted.
Rajesh Khanna‘s chronic lateness used to cause delays on movie sets. Veteran actor Prem Chopra, in a previous interview with Bollywood Bubble, said, “People were very fond of him because he was a very nice actor, but there was something about him that some didn‘t like. If it was a 9 am shift, he would show up at 12-12:30 pm.”
Yet Khanna‘s charm meant that resentment never lingered long. Chopra remembered the way the mood would change on the arrival of the superstar. “Everyone would be ready and in his absence they would complain of his being late. But when he came, the very same people would say, ‘Come sir, shall we start after lunch?’ and he would say, ‘Let us do it now,'” he remembered.
Sharmila Tagore‘s Take on Khanna‘s Punctuality
Iconic actress Sharmila Tagore, who shared a hit on-screen jodi with Rajesh Khanna, also spoke about his tardiness in reaching work. In the audiobook Rajesh Khanna: Ek Tanha Sitara, she revealed, “Mujh par Kaka ki jo baat asar karti thi, vo thi unke kaam par der pahunchne ki aadat. Kyunki 9 baje ki shift ke liye Kaka kabhi bhi 12 baje se pehle nahi pahuchte the.“. Iss liye maine anya abhinetaon ke saath kaam karne ka faisla kiya, bawajood iske ki humari jodi bohot safal hui thi.” (One thing that affected me the most about Kaka was his non-punctual attitude. For a 9 am shift, Kaka never reached before 12 pm. And that’s why I decided to work with other actors despite knowing that our pairing was quite successful.)
Though Rajesh Khanna‘s unpunctuality perhaps frustrated co-stars, his great generosity and warmth of heart created a lasting legacy. As Bollywood‘s first-ever superstar, both his on-screen work and the larger-than-life persona remain well-remembered.
