Gulshan Grover, popularly known as Bollywood’s ‘Bad Man’, may have terrorised heroes on screen, but off-screen, he was once terrified of one particular superstar—the legendary Rajesh Khanna. In a recent interview, Gulshan opened up about working with Khanna, calling it a major milestone in his career. He also revealed the reason behind their initially awkward equation, which stemmed from his close friendship with Sanjay Dutt. Gulshan shared how he landed his breakthrough role in Avtaar and why he was apprehensive about how Khanna would treat him on set, given Sanjay’s vocal opinions about the superstar at the time.
Gulshan Grover shares his awkward equation with Rajesh Khanna
In a recent chat with ETimes, Gulshan Grover took a walk down memory lane, sharing how he bagged his breakthrough role in the 1983 film, Avtaar. At one point, he recalled his awkward equation with Rajesh Khanna, who was then dating the glamorous actress, Tina Munim.
Back in the 1980s, Rajesh Khanna’s love life was one of the most burning topics in the industry. During the time Avtaar was being shot, the superstar was dating Tina Munim, one of the most desirable actresses of that era, and their relationship used to often make the headlines. Meanwhile, Gulshan was also good friends with Sanjay Dutt, which made things difficult for him due to Dutt’s strong opinions about Rajesh Khanna. Speaking with ETimes, the actor shared:
“I was a little wary of Rajesh Khanna Ji, but surprisingly, he was very nice to me because I was Sanjay Dutt’s friend. And Tina Munim had started seeing Rajesh Khanna at that time. Sanjay Dutt, in his typical ways, was very vocal about Rajesh Khanna. I hoped that he didn’t hold this against me.”
Despite his close bond with Sanjay Dutt, Gulshan revealed how Rajesh Khanna, despite his larger-than-life stature, greeted him with unexpected warmth. Recalling how his initial worry was soon calmed by the superstar’s cordiality, Gulshan revealed:
“But Rajesh Khanna was extremely warm to me.”
About Rajesh Khanna and Tina Munim’s relationship
Rajesh Khanna and Tina Munim were considered a remarkable on-screen pair, thanks to their undeniable chemistry. However, their bond reportedly extended beyond the silver screen, sparking rumours of a real-life romance. Despite their growing closeness, their relationship was kept under wraps, as Rajesh Khanna was still married to Dimple Kapadia at the time.
Rajesh married Dimple when she was sixteen, but their marriage soon became turbulent, largely due to his alleged relationship with Tina Munim. At the time, she was a budding actress, and after working with Rajesh Khanna in over eleven films, she started falling head over heels in love with him. It was during the 80s when the stories of Rajesh Khanna and Tina’s romance started doing rounds across the industry. That was allegedly the last straw in Rajesh and Dimple’s relationship, which eventually fell apart, and the two parted ways in 1984, but they never divorced. In an interview with India Today back in 1985, Dimple addressed her fallout with the superstar, saying:
“The life and happiness in our house came to an end the day I and Rajesh got married.”
What do you think about Gulshan Grover’s revelations?
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