She totally hated playing those weak, weeping characters or being just a decorative glamour doll on screen. Even though she had to do glamorous roles in the very beginning of her career, she quickly took charge. She started picking those scripts where she could get challenging and strong characters. After that, Asha ji played roles that were really tough and completely female-centric. This actress had the power to carry a whole movie entirely on her own shoulders. We are talking about the evergreen and incredibly strong Asha Parekh. In an era when women were mostly given roles where they just brought glamour to the films, she played characters who were independent and made their own choices in a male-dominated cinema industry. This is exactly why everyone calls her the one and only true 'Hit Girl' of Hindi cinema. She delivered such a long streak of blockbuster movies that her name alone became a guarantee for a hit film.

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Asha Parekh Shares a Memory of Rajesh Khanna

Some time back, Asha ji came as a guest on the reality show Indian Idol, where she took a walk down memory lane. She shared some really beautiful old stories about her journey and about India's first superstar, Rajesh Khanna. Her words are enough to make anyone who loves old cinema feel a bit emotional. During the show, a contestant sang the timeless song 'Aaja Piya Tohe Pyaar Doon' from the movie 'Baharon Ke Sapne', and hearing it, took Asha ji right back to the old days. Asha ji also shared the story of when Rajesh Khanna was a completely new hero and came to the set for the very first time. She mentioned that people usually knew Rajesh Khanna for his mood and attitude, but actually, in the beginning, Rajesh Khanna was not like that at all. When they started shooting for this classic song 'Aaja Piya Tohe Pyaar Doon', it was actually Rajesh Khanna's very first day on the sets of that film. It was only the second movie of his career, so nobody in the film industry really knew who he was back then.

Remembering the superstar from his younger days, Asha ji said that Rajesh Khanna was a very quiet, shy, and hesitant kind of guy back then. He would not talk much to anyone on the set and was basically a complete introvert. He liked to stay in his own zone and would get a bit nervous around big stars. Since Asha ji was already a massive star at that time, Rajesh Khanna used to feel very conscious around her.

But things changed beautifully as time went by. After this film, they worked together on two or three more movies, and that initial hesitation completely vanished. They started talking more, opened up to each other, and became incredibly comfortable working together. Asha ji mentioned that because of working together, they began meeting more often and gradually built a wonderful friendship.

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The Day and Night Shifts and Some Funny Advice:

Back in the sixties and seventies, the craze for these stars was so much that actors had to work in multiple shifts for different films on the same day. Asha ji remembered the heavy workload of those days and shared a very light-hearted and funny memory. During that time, she was shooting for the blockbuster film 'Kati Patang' alongside Rajesh Khanna.
Her schedule was so tight that she would shoot for 'Kati Patang' from seven in the morning until two in the afternoon. The moment she finished there, she had to hop on to another set to shoot for the film 'Aan Milo Sajna' from two in the afternoon until ten at night. Running constantly from one set to another left both of them completely exhausted. On the other hand, Rajesh Khanna had become a top star and often used to come late to the shoots.
Right in the middle of this crazy, busy routine, Rajesh Khanna came up to Asha ji one day and gave her some hilarious advice. He walked up to her and said, Asha ji, why do you always arrive so early on the set? You should take it easy and come late, because I am definitely not going to show up before four in the evening. Hearing his honest and funny advice, Asha ji laughed and replied, "Well, it is good that you told me this. From now on even I will rest for an extra hour at home and then reach the set comfortably."

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Friendship That Went Beyond the Cameras:

Asha ji explained that her bond with Rajesh Khanna was not just about film sets or work. As time passed, they became real partners in each other's joys and sorrows. She mentioned that Rajesh Khanna would often sit down and share his deepest thoughts, his worries, and his happiness with her, and she would do the exact same thing with him. Their friendship lasted for years because it was built on pure trust and honesty.

By the way, the song 'Aaja Piya Tohe Pyaar Doon' that triggered all these memories is still considered an absolute gem of Indian music. It was beautifully sung by the nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar, composed by the legendary R D Burman, and the timeless lyrics were written by Majrooh Sultanpuri.

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From a Child Artist to the Ultimate Superstar:

Born on October second, 1942, Asha Parekh started her acting journey at a very young age as a child artist under the screen name Baby Asha Parekh. That movie was 'Maa' (1952). After this, she played child artist roles in many other films like Aasman (1952), Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1953), Baap Beti (1954), Dhobi Doctor (1954), Ayodhyapati (1956), Aasha (1956), and Ustaad (1956). Her biggest break as a leading lady came with the famous director Nasir Hussain's film 'Dil Deke Dekho', which released in the year nineteen-fifty-nine. The massive success of this movie made her an overnight star. After that, she went on to star opposite the biggest icons of that era like Shammi Kapoor, Dev Anand, Dharmendra, Jeetendra, and Rajesh Khanna, giving back-to-back hits like 'Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai', 'Teesri Manzil', 'Baharon Ke Sapne', and 'Kati Patang'.

Her Childhood memories say that Asha Parekh wanted to be a doctor, but after witnessing a train accident, she could not bear seeing blood everywhere. So she changed her mind.

Asha Parekh has some deeply memorable films to her credit, including Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961), Bharosa (1963), Ziddi (1964), Mere Sanam (1965), Teesri Manzil (1966), Love in Tokyo (1966), Do Badan (1966), Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966), Upkar (1967), Kanyadaan (1968), Shikar (1968), Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke (1969), Sajan (1969), Kati Patang (1970), Aan Milo Sajna (1970), Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971), Caravan (1971), Samadhi (1972), Heera (1973), Udhar Ka Sindur (1976), Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978), and Kaalia (1981).

Asha ji was not just about a pretty face or great dancing skills; she proved her mettle in serious, dramatic roles too. Her deep and emotional performance in movies like 'Do Badan', 'Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki', and 'Udhar Ka Sindur' is still remembered today, and it even won her the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.

The Skill Behind the Camera and Her Helping Hand:

When the nineteen-nineties arrived, and good roles for veteran actresses became rare, Asha ji did not just sit at home or sign useless movies. She decided to step behind the camera and took charge as a director and producer for television shows. Her show 'Kora Kagaz' (1998-2002) became a massive hit during those days and received a lot of love from both audiences and critics. She made several other serials too, like Palash ke Phool (1989-1990), Baaje Payal, and Dal Mein Kaala (1998-1999).

Apart from making shows, she also became the first-ever female chairperson of the Cine and TV Artistes Association, which is known as CINTAA. While holding this position, she fought hard for the rights, pension, and healthcare benefits of veteran retired actors and small technicians who work behind the scenes in the film industry. Between 1998 and 2001, she also became the first woman to be appointed as the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

After completely stepping away from the film world, she dedicated her entire life to humanitarian work. Even today, she manages a charitable hospital and works constantly to help underprivileged women and children.

For her incredible and lifelong contribution to Indian cinema and culture, the Government of India honored her with the country's highest film honor, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, in the year twenty-twenty-two. She also won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, and she was honored with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. Her autobiography, 'The Hit Girl', was published in 2017. Asha ji's journey proves that she was not just a 'Hit Girl' on the silver screen but she is a true champion in real life as well.

FAQs

Who were Asha Parekh and Rajesh Khanna?

Asha Parekh and Rajesh Khanna were iconic Bollywood stars known for their on-screen chemistry and deep off-screen friendship.

How many films did Asha Parekh and Rajesh Khanna do?

They worked together in 4 hit films: Baharon Ke Sapne, Kati Patang, Aan Milo Sajna & Dharm Aur Qanoon.

What was special about Asha Parekh & Rajesh Khanna's friendship?

Their bond went beyond films - they shared personal joys, sorrows and trusted each other like true friends.

Why was Rajesh Khanna shy with Asha Parekh?

In the early days, Rajesh Khanna was introverted and reserved while shooting with senior Asha Parekh.

Did Asha Parekh and Rajesh Khanna stay friends till the end?

Yes, their friendship lasted nearly six decades with mutual respect and emotional support.

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