Bollywood’s first superstar Rajesh Khanna’s Funeral was held in Mumbai’s Vile Parle area. The last rites, Lighting of Funeral Pyre was performed by Rajesh Khanna’s grandson Aarav, with his father Akshay Kumar by his side. Mr Rajesh Khanna died at home in Mumbai on Wednesday (July 18, 2012). He was 69 and had been battling cancer.
Akshay Kumar With Son Aarav Bhatia at Rajesh Khanna’s Funeral, Akshay Kumar accompanied his son Aarav and lit Father-in-Law’s funeral pyre
Rajesh Khanna’s Grandson Aarav Performs Last Rites, Lights Granddad’s Funeral Pyre.
Rajesh Khanna’s Grandson Aarav Bhatia Lit Rajesh Khanna’s Funeral Pyre
The cremation was a private affair and the assembled press were asked by Akshay Kumar not to film the ceremony. Mr Khanna’s body was taken to the cremation ground in a glass casket to allow his fans, thousands of whom lined Mumbai’s roads, to pay their last respects.
Bollywood celebrities were largely absent from the funeral procession, with the sole exception of Karan Johar. Bollywood personalities including Amitabh Bachchan, his son Abhishek, Manoj Kumar, Rani Mukherjee turned up at the crematorium to pay their last respects. Yesterday, the Bachchans, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and others from the film fraternity visited Rajesh Khanna’s Bangalow. Akshay Kumar and Mr Rajesh Khanna’s other son-in-law Sameer Saran oversaw funeral arrangements.
Mr Rajesh Khanna’s estranged wife and veteran actress Dimple Kapadia was accompanied by her younger daughter Rinkie Khanna and her husband Samir Saran and SIL Akshay Kumar. Elder daughter Twinkle Khanna, who is pregnant with her second child and has been advised by doctors to rest, was not in evidence. Dimple Kapadia separated from Mr Khanna in 1984, after 11 years of marriage, but never actually divorced.
The once Bollywood heartthrob will always be remembered for his style, charm and disarming smile. Born as Jatin Khanna, the legend will live on in the hearts of millions of this fans through eternal love songs like ‘Aacha Toh Hum Chalte Hai’, ‘Zindagi Ka Safar’ and ‘Mere Sapno Ki Rani’ among others.
Rajesh Khanna borrowed a phrase from the film fraternity that served him so well for 25 years to say his final goodbye yesterday. His last words are reported to have been – “time up ho gaya, pack up.”
