Veteran actress Asha Parekh has shared a remarkable behind-the-scenes memory from the 1971 cult classic Kati Patang, revealing how a frenzied crowd of Rajesh Khanna fans resorted to pelting stones during the filming of the iconic song 'Jis Gali Mein Tera Ghar' at Nainital. The anecdote came to light during Parekh's recent appearance on the music reality show Indian Idol, where she and host Harsh Limbachiyaa recreated the beloved number.

What Happened at the Nainital Lake

Parekh recalled that the unit had travelled to Nainital to shoot the song at a lakeside location, where the scene required her and Rajesh Khanna to board a boat together. The moment Khanna arrived at the lake, an enormous crowd surged toward the spot. 'Such a huge crowd had gathered, such a huge crowd, that we couldn't even get onto the boat,' she said, describing the scene as completely overwhelming for the cast and crew.

Fans Turn Unruly After Missing Rajesh Khanna

The situation escalated sharply when the gathered fans realised they would not get a chance to meet the superstar. According to Parekh, the crowd began hurling stones at the shoot location. 'So many stones started coming at us that we were like, what is happening?' she recalled. The incident underscored the extraordinary — and at times dangerous — scale of Rajesh Khanna's popularity at the peak of his career in the early 1970s.

Director Shakti Samanta Calls Pack-Up, Brings in Police

Director Shakti Samanta immediately halted the shoot, deeming it unsafe to continue. 'Shooting could not happen like this, so we had to pack up that day,' Parekh said, quoting Samanta's decision on the spot. The song was eventually filmed only after a large police contingent was deployed to disperse the crowd and secure the location — an extraordinary measure that speaks to the law-and-order challenge Khanna's stardom posed for film units of that era.

The Legacy of Kati Patang

Kati Patang, directed by Shakti Samanta and released in 1971, remains one of Hindi cinema's most celebrated films. The movie, which starred Rajesh Khanna alongside Asha Parekh, wove together themes of love, sacrifice, identity, and redemption. It is widely regarded as a landmark in Khanna's career — the actor is often described as Bollywood's first superstar. The film's soundtrack, featuring evergreen tracks such as 'Yeh Shaam Mastani', 'Pyar Deewana Hota Hai', and 'Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai', continues to resonate with audiences more than 55 years after its release.

Parekh's recollection offers a rare first-hand window into the phenomenon that was Rajesh Khanna's fan frenzy — a cultural force that shaped how Bollywood managed public shoots for decades to come.