Flashback: Rajesh Khanna-Dimple Kapadia's love story

July 20, 2012

rajeshkapadia

New Delhi: If there was one person continuously guarding Rajesh Khanna's health during his last days, it was Dimple Kapadia. Though Dimple didn’t prefer to come into the limelight much, she remained the force behind Kaka.


Raj Kapoor discovered Dimple Kapadia at the age of 13 and signed her for ‘Bobby’. The film later went on to become a hit but Dimple (16) took a strange decision of marrying the then superstar Rajesh Khanna (31) before the release of ‘Bobby’. However, the stranger things were yet to come. Dimple left the film world to raise her children.


But as they say, the glamour world is the other name of ecstasy, the poster perfect family life of Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia started to disintegrate towards the later years of 1970s. Many think that Kaka’s inability to handle the superstar status was the prime reason behind the marital woes.

Rajesh Khanna had become one star who wasn’t ready to compromise on anything lesser than a superhit while the Hindi film industry had started to shift its focus towards the new supernova of Bollywood in the form of Amitabh Bachchan.


Rajesh Khanna hadn’t stopped giving hits but the angry young man was moving fast towards the superstar tag. Someone had to bear for the fierce competition between two towering stars, so Rajesh Khanna’s family life began to suffer.


On the other hand, Dimple had given birth to two daughters till then; Twinkle breathed her first in 1973 while Rinke was born in 1977.


At one point of time, Dimple decided to return to films. Khanna’s hectic schedule kept him away for most of the time and ultimately the couple found it apt to separate in 1982. Dimple said in an interview given to India Today in 1985, “The life and happiness in our house came to an end the day I and Rajesh got married.”


Rajesh Khanna and Dimple continued to live separately but they didn’t bother to complete the divorce proceedings. Dimple returned to films and Rajesh Khanna’s acting career came to a halt, before he was fetched into politics.


Time washed away the bitterness between the couple and the two started to appear together in parties in the beginning of 1990s. Dimple also campaigned for Khanna during the elections in 1992.


Though the stardom was gone but Rajesh Khanna was itching for a comeback. He decided to produce ‘Jai Shiv Shankar’ (1992) with him and Dimple in the lead, unfortunately the film didn’t work.


But the lost love had returned to Rajesh Khanna’s life. Dimple remained Khanna’s closest ally till his last days.



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News Network
January 2,2020

New Delhi, Jan 2: Hoping her cinematic voice can help bring about lasting change in how society perceives acid attack survivors, actor Deepika Padukone says her latest film Chhapaak should ideally be so impactful that there won't be need for another story on acid violence.

After all, cinema is in itself such a powerful medium, Deepika told news agency ahead of the release of the film, which is based on the life of acid attack survivor and activist Laxmi Agarwal.

The idea behind the social drama is to invoke empathy and understanding rather than paint women who have undergone the ordeal as victims, the actor, who has also produced the film, said in a telephonic interview from Mumbai.

"Beyond the gruesomeness, the violence and all of that, there is a story of the human spirit and hope. That's why we're telling the story," she said.

Deepika, 33, said it was a story that spoke to her and she felt pride in attaching herself to the project.

Chhapaak, directed by Meghna Gulzar and featuring Vikrant Massey, is the second mainstream film to focus on the subject after 2019 Malayalam movie Uyare starring Parvathy Thiruvothu.

"I hope we won't have to constantly tell stories on acid attack survivors for us to see change. I hope with our film we begin to see that change for ourselves as a society and for acid attack survivors.

"If we don't, then we've done something wrong as a society. Cinema in itself is such a powerful medium that hopefully just through this one film we will hopefully be able to see that kind of change and impact," Deepika said.

The actor said there was not much planning behind the decision to back the film financially.

"Sometimes certain films need a little more hand holding, a little more love and support. I felt like I would be adding a little more value as a producer.

"This is a film I'm very proud of, not just from the script point of view but even in terms of the story and its message," she said.

The film, which releases on January 10, will be Deepika's first release in two years and comes after her marriage to frequent co-star Ranveer Singh.

The actor said she used the time to creatively replenish herself.

"It was about finding a film worthy of putting out there. It's not that work at my end had stopped. I was constantly looking for scripts that challenged and excited me.

"I would look at it as time for creative fertility. It's important to nurture yourself. The work that goes on behind the scenes... most often we're constantly on a film set, but whether it's meeting with writers and directors, looking for scripts... That is also part of the creative process and that's what I've been doing."

The title Chhapaak instantly evokes the image of acid being splattered, and Deepika said the director wanted a word for the film's name that could also lend itself to a song.

"I think she said 'chhapaak', which is the sound of a splash, is something that could adapt or lend itself beautifully to a song. Perhaps, it also has to do with fluidity. So on one hand, liquid is known to take different forms, a liquid such as this (acid) can change someone's life forever," she said.

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News Network
January 8,2020

Jan 8: Bollywood star Deepika Padukone on Tuesday visited the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to express solidarity with the students who were attacked by a mob, but she did not address the crowd.

The actor reached the university campus at around 7.40 pm and attended a public meeting, called by JNU Teacher's Association and JNUSU in response to Sunday's attack on students and teachers by a masked mob armed with sticks and rods.

Deepika stood as former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar was raising azaadi slogans and left by the time current president Aishe Ghosh started speaking.

The actor's decision to not address the crowd prompted Ghosh to comment, "when you are in a position, you should speak up".

"There are many people in Bollywood who do not put forth their views when they are not be aired. They are considered role models. I appeal to them: Make inspiring films after something has happened but when you are in that position, also talk about the story that is currently happening," she said.

Later, Ghosh said that Deepika expressed solidarity with the JNU students.

Deepika is in the capital to promote her upcoming release, Meghna Gulzar-directed "Chhapaak".

On Monday, the 34-year-old actor told a news channel that she feels proud that people have come out and raised their voice without fear, in reference to the protests against the amended Citizenship Act, the National Register of Citizens and violence in JNU.

"I feel proud to see that we aren't scared to express ourselves... I think the fact that we are thinking about the country and its future.... Whatever may be our point of view, it's nice to see," Deepika told NDTV India.

"I feel proud about it that people are coming out -- be it on the streets or wherever they are -- they are raising their voice and expressing themselves as it is important. If we want to see a change in life and society, it is important that a point of view be put forward," she added.

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News Network
April 12,2020

Los Angeles, Apr 12: Pop star Rihanna has asked her fans, who are demanding her to release her new album soon, to back off as her prime focus right now is doing her bit in saving the world from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Grammy winner was one of the first Hollywood personalities who pledged support towards the relief efforts in fighting the COVID-19 outbreak.

Rihanna has been teasing new for quite some time now and eager admirers got an earful from her during an Instagram Live. Her last studio album was 'Anti' which was released in 2016.

Taking a swipe at US President Donald Trump, the Barbadian singer said, "If one of y'all ask me about the album one more time when I'm tryna save the world, unlike y'all president....on sight."

Rihanna's non-profit organisation Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey recently donated USD 2.1 million each to help victims of domestic violence in Los Angeles during the COVID-19 stay-at-home order.

Also CLF and and rapper Jay-Z's Shawn Carter Foundation donated USD 2 million to support undocumented workers, the incarcerated, homeless and elderly populations, and children of frontline healthcare workers in Los Angeles and New York City amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier, Rihanna, through CLF, also donated USD 5 million to support Direct Relief, Partners In Health, Feeding America, the International Rescue Committee and World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund as they continue to fight the pandemic in the US, the Caribbean and Africa.

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