Rajesh Khanna was born as Jatin Khanna on 29 December 1942 in Amritsar, Punjab, British India, now Punjab, India. He was raised in Mumbai by his foster parents, Chunnilal and Leelavati Khanna. During his school and college years, he developed an interest in acting and participated in theatre and stage performances.
His breakthrough came after he won the All India Talent Contest organised by United Producers and Filmfare in the mid-1960s. He made his film debut with Aakhri Khat (1966), directed by Chetan Anand.
Rajesh Khanna's career reached extraordinary heights with Aradhana (1969). The success of the film established him as a major Bollywood star. Between 1969 and 1971, he delivered a remarkable run of 15 consecutive commercially successful solo films, a record that became central to his legendary superstar status.
He went on to give memorable performances in films such as Anand, Amar Prem, Kati Patang, Haathi Mere Saathi, Safar, Bawarchi, Daag, and Namak Haraam. His collaborations with leading actresses, especially Sharmila Tagore, Asha Parekh, Mumtaz, and Sharmila Tagore, became an important part of his romantic-star image.
Apart from acting, Rajesh Khanna worked as a film producer and politician. He represented the New Delhi constituency in the Lok Sabha from 1992 to 1996 as a member of the Indian National Congress. He received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 and was posthumously awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2013.
Rajesh Khanna died on 18 July 2012 in Mumbai at the age of 69 after battling cancer.