Rajesh Khanna often called Bollywood’s first superstar lived a life most could only dream of. His charm style and on-screen magic made him the heartbeat of millions. But as his stardom slowly dimmed his personality also shifted. People close to him noticed his changing moods especially after he started drinking when anger and irritation would often take over. In a conversation with Meri Saheli Anita Advani who was believed to be his companion in his later years shared candid details. She said “I started living with him in 2000. At that time he was very calm but after a few drinks he would become aggressive and angry.” Was his anger about his career? According to Anita Rajesh Khanna’s short temper had little to do with his fading career. She explained “I don’t think it was frustration about his career but he used to get irritated over small things. If someone said something he would get angry quickly. At that time he was just venting because he had too much inside him.” She added that the pressure of once being at the very top left him restless. “The kind of stardom he saw nobody else has ever seen. But when you come down from that height it’s natural to feel frustrated and angry.” Did he ever become violent? Anita clarified that despite his temper Rajesh Khanna never physically harmed her. “Psychologically he just needed an outlet to express everything. He would say ‘If I don’t fight with you then who will I fight with?’ Sometimes he got upset over small things like me saying his room was dirty. He would reply ‘Yes I am dirty only you are clean.’ He never hurt me physically though sometimes in jest he would tap me lightly. But he was never violent.” How intense were their fights? Their relationship was filled with frequent arguments. Anita admitted “We fought a lot and I can’t even count how many times. I used to write a diary and it felt like I only wrote about our fights. Many times I ran away to my sister’s house and refused to answer his calls.” But Rajesh Khanna had his own way of making peace. Anita revealed “He would send someone from his staff with a big hamper and a small note. I would return everything without opening it. After a few days when he came to convince me I would forgive him and go back. I missed him too.” The man behind the superstar The image Anita Advani paints is of a man torn between his past glory and present reality — someone who carried the weight of his fame long after the lights dimmed. Her words show that behind the superstar there was a deeply human Rajesh Khanna: vulnerable flawed but also longing for love and connection.