Amol Palekar on Rajesh Khanna’s insecurities: “No actor should belittle co-stars”

Amol Palekar, the veteran actor and filmmaker known for his iconic roles in 1970s Hindi cinema, recently opened up about his difficult experience working alongside Rajesh Khanna. Palekar reflected on the unpleasant encounters during their collaboration on the 1980 film Aanchal, shedding light on Rajesh Khanna’s insecurities and his behavior on set.

In an interview with The Lallantop, Amol Palekar criticized Rajesh Khanna for belittling co-stars, emphasizing that no superstar should feel the need to demean others. “No actor, especially a superstar like Rajesh Khanna, should belittle their co-stars. There is no need. You’ll be a superstar regardless,” he stated.


Amol Palekar also referred to an industry culture where actors often try to outshine others by “chewing up” scenes and disregarding fellow actors, which he labeled as a “cannibal” mindset.


Amol Palekar shared that even without having any lines in their scene, Rajesh Khanna felt the need to assert his superiority by belittling him. “By belittling me, he’s not gaining stature, is he? I decided that moment would be a turning point for me. I would never let this happen to me, and I would never do this to anyone else,” Palekar said. He attributed this mindset to the insecurities actors sometimes face when they sense their time in the spotlight is dwindling.



Adding to the incident’s gravity, reports suggest there was a scene where Palekar refused to perform a moment that would show his character being humiliated. Despite his protests, Khanna and the director allegedly went behind his back to film the scene. During this moment, Khanna reportedly kicked Palekar, escalating their animosity and creating a lasting rift on set.

Rajesh Khanna, once a dominant figure in the Hindi film industry, experienced a notable decline in fame before he died in 2012. His later years were marked by professional struggles and personal challenges, as evidenced by accounts from colleagues and ex-wife Dimple Kapadia. Rajesh Khanna’s once dominant status led to frustration and an apparent unwillingness to collaborate with fellow actors.