Bollywood actress, Moushumi Chatterjee cemented herself in the hearts of fans in the 70s and 80s with her memorable performances in films such as Angoor, Anuraag, Benaam, and Manzil, among others. The actress is best known for sharing the screen with industry legends like Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan. Recently, Moushumi looked back over her many collaborations with the two veteran actors and made some candid revelations about them, including how the late Rajesh had a huge ego.
Moushumi Chatterjee says Rajesh Khanna rightfully had a massive ego due to his success
Moushumi Chatterjee recently appeared for an interview with Anandabazar Patrika. During the interview, she reminisced about her early years in Bollywood, working alongside industry greats like Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna. The actress candidly revealed that yesteryear superstar, Rajesh Khanna had a massive ego. However, in the same beat, Moushumi defended the actor and said he had earned his ego rightfully through his unmatched success.
For the uninitiated, Rajesh Khanna was Bollywood’s first superstar. Not only that, the actor went on to give 17 consecutive hits, a record that remains unbeaten even to this day. Moushumi, speaking to Anandabazar Patrika in Bengali, stated that it was quite expected for Rajesh’s success to go to his head, saying:
“During our time, one hero who was an egoist was Rajesh Khanna. And rightfully so. He gave so many hits. How can he stay away from success getting into his head?”
Moushumi’s comment on her Prem Bandhan co-star came a year after she opened up about visiting him during his last days. In an interview with Lehren Retro in 2023, Moushumi recounted paying Rajesh a visit with her younger daughter. Recalling the actor’s heartwarming words to her daughter, she poignantly said:
“Today, he is no more. I went to see him also in his last stage. He was praising me in front of my younger daughter. He said to her, ‘Your maa was mad but we were all scared of her. She doesn’t believe in any nonsense.'”
More on Rajesh Khanna, Bollywood’s first superstar who delivered back-to-back hits
Actor Rajesh Khanna made his Bollywood debut in 1966 with the film, Aakhri Khat. The actor quickly gained a strong fan following and cemented himself as the industry’s first superstar. Rajesh ruled the Hindi film industry in the late 1960s and early 1970s, amassing an impressive streak of 17 consecutive hits. Several of these blockbuster films, including Aradhana, Doli, Bandhan, Ittefaq, Do Raaste, Khamoshi, Safar, The Train, Kati Patang, Sachaa Jhutha, Mehboob Ki Mehendi, Maryada, Aan Milo Sajna, Choti Bahu, Haathi Mere Saathi, Andaz, and Anand have become classics in the modern era. Moushumi Chatterjee collaborated with the iconic actor on multiple projects, but they starred opposite each other in only one film, Prem Bandhan.
Moushumi Chatterjee reveals stardom changed Amitabh Bachchan, and it wasn’t for the better
In the interview with Anandbazar Patrika, Moushumi Chatterjee also shared her views on her frequent collaborator, Amitabh Bachchan. The actress lauded Big B’s hard work and dedication, noting that he had achieved stardom after much struggle. However, she added that his success had definitely impacted him. In Moushumi’s words:
“Amitabh Bachchan struggled a lot and became big after a lot of hard work. But I won’t say he became big for the better. When you receive so much, you behave very differently. You won’t even think about helping others.”
Moushumi also shed some light on Amitabh’s reserved and quiet behaviour on set. The actress recalled that Amitabh’s brother, Ajitabh would always arrange for a car to pick up the actor from the sets. Further noting that he frequently kept to himself, Moushumi said that Amitabh would generally sit alone and have lunch with the hairdresser.
What do you think about Moushumi Chatterjee’s revelations?
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