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Though actor Rajeev Khandelwal initially did a few television gigs, it was Balaji Telefilms’ soap opera Kahiin to Hoga that catapulted him to fame and gave him his first major break. Over the two years (2003-05) he worked on the show, Khandelwal’s popularity soared and both he and his character, Sujal Garewal, became household names.
The actor recently opened up about how the show transformed his life, earning him acclaim from even Bollywood veterans, including legendary actor Rajesh Khanna, whose words of appreciation still resonate with him. Recalling a party after the premiere of Kahiin to Hoga, attended by seasoned actors like Saira Banu, Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor, Khandelwal described the experience as “unreal.” “Neetuji came to me and said, ‘I really love you. You are so adorable.’ Then I met Chintuji (Rishi Kapoor). After that, I met Reena Roy. She caught hold of my cheeks and said, ‘You are this generation’s Kaka (Khanna’s nickname). Your name is also RK.’ Then she informed me that Kaka was also present at the party. I wanted to meet him, but I didn’t want to also,” he recalled during a chat with Radio Nasha Official.
“That was the first time I met Rajesh Khanna. He looked up, and Reenaji introduced me to him. I was like, ‘Why are you embarrassing me? He must not have seen the show.’ Kaka looked at me for a few seconds and then said, ‘You know what’s the difference between you and me? You are a better actor than me.’ I still don’t know why he said that. I am sure he didn’t know who I was. Maybe it was just out of humility,” Khandelwal added.
Khandelwal also remembered meeting Saira Banu that night, who introduced him to Dilip Kumar. “She took me to Yusuf saab. He looked at me and said, ‘Bhai, I want to give you some advice…’ But then someone interrupted him, and that conversation was broken. After that, Sairaji invited me over to their house many times. I, however, did not get the opportunity to interact with Dilip saab after that.”
Khandelwal, who made his Bollywood debut in director Raj Kumar Gupta’s action film Aamir (2008), also shared an encounter with Mithun Chakraborty. “I was at a restaurant. I was under the impression that he wouldn’t know me. But as soon as he noticed, dada called me over and said, ‘You will go far ahead (in your career).’”
He further recounted meeting Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar at a function marking politician Praful Patel’s father’s 100th birth anniversary. “During the dance performance, I made a mistake. So, I was embarrassed, so I walked away and sat outside. Then I saw Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar walking towards me. They introduced themselves, and Karan said his mother was a big fan of me. Shah Rukh also said sweet things, ” Khandelwal, who was last seen in the web series Showtime, said.
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