Rajesh Khanna's stardom: Asha Parekh recalls 200 fans mobbing dubbing studio
Synopsis
Asha Parekh's first-person account on Indian Idol puts flesh on the legend: 200–300 fans storming a tiny dubbing studio just to see Rajesh Khanna, a white car returning smeared in lipstick, and a Mumbai garden that has carried his name unofficially for fifty years. No archive clip captures the madness quite like an eyewitness saying she only ever saw it matched — once — by Dev Anand.
Key Takeaways
Asha Parekh revealed on Indian Idol that nearly 200–300 female fans stormed a dubbing theatre during the recording of 'Mere Sapnon Ki Rani' .
Parekh said she witnessed comparable fan frenzy for only one other actor — Dev Anand , with girls fainting for both stars.
Singer Vishal Dadlani shared that a garden in Santacruz, Mumbai is still called 'Rajesh Khanna Garden' by locals, roughly fifty years after Khanna simply cut its inauguration ribbon.
Dadlani also noted that Khanna's white car reportedly returned covered in red lipstick marks after public outings.
Rajesh Khanna , widely regarded as Bollywood's first superstar, passed away in 2012 after a career of over six decades.
Legendary actress Asha Parekh has recalled the extraordinary fan frenzy surrounding Rajesh Khanna during the making of 'Mere Sapnon Ki Rani', describing how nearly 200–300 female fans stormed a small dubbing theatre just to catch a glimpse of Bollywood's first superstar. The revelation came during her appearance on the upcoming episode of Indian Idol, where she spoke with host Harsh Limbachiyaa.
The Dubbing Theatre Incident
Parekh recounted the scene vividly: 'We had gone to the dubbing theatre for Mere Sapnon Ki Rani. It was a small theatre, and around 200–300 girls rushed inside. The moment they saw Rajesh Khanna, everyone went crazy.' The memory underlines just how electric Khanna's public presence was at the peak of his career in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Comparing Khanna's Craze to Dev Anand
Parekh placed Khanna's fan following in rare company, noting she had witnessed a comparable mania for only one other actor — Dev Anand. 'Girls would faint for him too,' she said. 'I heard that people used to kiss Rajesh Khanna's car, and some even married his photographs.' The comparison to Dev Anand, himself one of Hindi cinema's most beloved stars, speaks to the singular cultural moment Khanna represented.
Vishal Dadlani on the 'Rajesh Khanna Garden' Legend
Singer Vishal Dadlani, also present on the episode, shared a striking anecdote about a garden in Santacruz, Mumbai. According to Dadlani, the spot — which has no official name — is still universally known as 'Rajesh Khanna Garden' because Khanna once inaugurated it by cutting a ribbon. 'You could ask any shopkeeper or rickshaw driver, and they would take you there,' Dadlani said. 'It must have been around fifty years ago, and even today, people still call that place Rajesh Khanna Garden. That is what true stardom means.'
Dadlani also corroborated Parekh's account of the car frenzy: 'His white car would return completely covered in red lipstick marks. That was the level of madness people had for him.'
Rajesh Khanna: Bollywood's First Superstar
Rajesh Khanna, who passed away in 2012 after a career spanning over six decades, is widely regarded as Hindi cinema's first superstar. His iconic filmography includes Anand, Aradhana, Kati Patang, Amar Prem, Haathi Mere Saathi, and Safar. He was married to actress Dimple Kapadia, and the couple are parents to actress-turned-author Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna.
The episode, set to air soon, offers a rare first-person account of a pop-culture phenomenon that defined a generation of Indian cinema.
Point of View
But Parekh's account on Indian Idol is a reminder that his stardom was sociologically distinct — mass, physical, and bordering on devotional in a way Indian cinema had not seen before and has rarely seen since. What is striking is the Santacruz garden detail: fifty years of informal renaming by ordinary Mumbaikars is a more durable monument than any official honour. The comparison to Dev Anand is also telling — both stars operated before the age of manufactured celebrity, which makes the organic scale of their followings all the more remarkable. Indian Idol's choice to anchor an episode in this oral history is shrewd; it taps a nostalgia market that streaming platforms have consistently underestimated.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Asha Parekh reveal about Rajesh Khanna on Indian Idol?
Asha Parekh recalled that during the dubbing of 'Mere Sapnon Ki Rani', around 200–300 female fans stormed a small dubbing theatre just to see Rajesh Khanna, with everyone going 'crazy' the moment they spotted him. She said the only comparable fan frenzy she had witnessed was for Dev Anand.
What is the 'Rajesh Khanna Garden' story shared by Vishal Dadlani?
Singer Vishal Dadlani described a garden in Santacruz, Mumbai, that locals have called 'Rajesh Khanna Garden' for roughly fifty years, even though it has no official name. Khanna had simply inaugurated the spot by cutting a ribbon once, and the name stuck permanently in public memory.
Why is Rajesh Khanna called Bollywood's first superstar?
Rajesh Khanna is regarded as Hindi cinema's first superstar because of the unprecedented mass adulation he inspired in the late 1960s and early 1970s — fans kissing his car, marrying his photographs, and fainting at his appearances. His back-to-back hits including Aradhana, Anand, and Kati Patang set box-office records that defined a new scale of stardom.
Which films is Rajesh Khanna best remembered for?
Rajesh Khanna's most celebrated films include Anand, Aradhana, Kati Patang, Amar Prem, Haathi Mere Saathi, and Safar. He acted across a career spanning over six decades before his death in 2012.
Who are Rajesh Khanna's family members?
Rajesh Khanna was married to actress Dimple Kapadia. The couple have two daughters — actress-turned-author Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna.
