BOMBAY SUPERSTAR
I always knew about the existence of a BBC documentary about Rajesh Khanna but could only watch it yesterday, ironically one day prior to the great superstar's death anniversary. Let me make it clear that this blog entry isn't about Khanna...it is about the 49.54 minutes long documentary called 'Bombay Superstar'. It was part of the BBC2's Man Alive series which ran from 1965 to 1981. This episode was presented by documentary maker and author Jack Pizzey and was aired in 1973.
The documentary is available on youtube. It is converted from a VHS so quality is not very good but watchable nevertheless.
Here is the link: Bombay Superstar
I don't understand why but the film starts with Shashi Kapoor and it is not clear what he is saying. Then there is 1.23 minutes long video montage of hindi film trailers and clippings. Again, I do not understand the purpose of it. And now the actual documentary "Bombay Superstar" begins. The documentary maker and the people behind it are either misinformed or careless. This becomes clear at the very beginning of the film when the narrator says that in India, one film is released every day. Yes, you read it correct..every day!!! Without being too harsh on the BBC reporter, he not only seems but even sounds like Jack out of the box who knows virtually little about the Bombay film industry why else would BBC air the documentary without rectifying the obvious errors like one hindi film is released daily in Bombay just as they exaggerate that stars are so popular that they don't even have their name on the posters or billboards. Surprising nobody told BBC or their journo that Rajesh Khanna was back then known as The Phenomenon and Not just a Superstar. Also, in the entire film the maker speaks to only two fans, two girls smitten by their beloved star. And that too only one question asked, "why do you want to see Rajesh Khanna?". And that's about it for a fan's perspective of the superstar. Then it is shown that Rajesh Khanna did not keep appointment for an interview with the BBC team for five times. Well that is true but even when Jack Pizzey did get an audience with Khanna, all he could extract from the superstar is 4 minutes and 8 seconds long conversation. I say not good for a 49.58 minutes long film and certainly not good for a BBC journalist because a good documentary maker should be able to present the subject in detail. It is very clear that Pizzey has not succeeded in making Khanna talk much. Also, the Mumtaz-Devyani Chaubal tiff was unnecessary and out of context as the documentary is about Rajesh Khanna. I am not trying to review this documentary but it could have been much better.
I fail to understand the purpose of this documentary as it neither shows the story of a boy who made it big after winning a talent hunt contest nor it depicts the phenomenon called Rajesh Khanna. Anything that the film captured is the beginning of the end of a Superstar, that too very superficially. But all said and done keeping in mind this documentary was shot in 1973 when Khanna was still at his peak and the tsunami of flops was yet to virtually drown Khanna's career. This documentary does have a lot of nostalgia and is worth viewing once even almost 40 plus years down the line. The film contains Khanna's wedding footage as well. His wedding to Dimple Kapadia that stunned the country. The film also has some masala served by Devyani Chaubal, the feisty journalist of the '70s. The documentary ends with Khanna looking out of his bedroom window at the gathered crowd of fans and then lighting a cigarette. God Give Eternal Peace to Rajesh Khanna the Bombay Superstar!!!
