When Rajesh Khanna allegedly rejected Bigg Boss' Rs 3.5 crore per episode offer, asked, "merese bhi bartan manjwayenge kya?"

When Rajesh Khanna allegedly rejected Bigg Boss' 3.5 crore per episode offer, asked, "merese bhi bartan manjwayenge kya?"

As Salman Khan’s Bigg Boss 19 is currently entertaining the viewers, a fond throwback about the original superstar, Rajesh Khanna, has resurfaced, one that perfectly captures his wit, pride, and old-school charm.

Years before reality television became the juggernaut it is today, the late Rajesh Khanna was reportedly offered an eye-watering Rs 3.5 crore per episode to join Bigg Boss. The story was shared by actor Anita Advani, who was closely associated with Khanna and once claimed that they were “privately married.”

Speaking to mid-day years ago, Anita recalled how the makers of Bigg Boss went all out to convince the Anand star. “They were paying him a huge amount. They also went to Delhi to convince him. He was contemplating whether he should or not,” she said.

According to her, Khanna gave the idea some thought, even surprising her with his brief moment of introspection. “One night, he said, ‘If I go to Bigg Boss, I will become a better person.’ I got the shock of my life,” she revealed. “I said, ‘No, Kaka ji. You have such an aura. I don’t think you can suit or fit there.’ I said, ‘Wahan bartan manjwate hain (They make people wash dishes there).’”

And then came the line that still makes fans smile. “He said, ‘Achcha mere se bhi manjwayenge?’ (Will they make me wash dishes too?). I said, ‘Khaana bhi nahi milta theek se.’ He said, ‘Refugee hain kya?’” Anita recalled, laughing.

The humorous exchange was pure Rajesh Khanna, witty, self-aware, and never afraid to poke fun at himself or the absurdities of fame. For a man who had once redefined stardom in Indian cinema, the idea of being locked up in a house for TRPs clearly didn’t appeal.

Anita later went on to participate in Bigg Boss Season 7, long after Khanna’s passing. “I spoke quite a bit, but it was all edited,” she said about her own stint. When asked if she was close to Salman Khan, the show’s longtime host, she added, “Salman’s family is like my family. I still meet them on and off.”

Rajesh Khanna, who passed away on July 18, 2012, was India’s first true superstar, the man who could make traffic stop outside theatres and fans faint at his sight. With over 150 films to his credit, including classics like Aradhana, Anand, Amar Prem, Kati Patang and Haathi Mere Saathi, he left behind a cinematic legacy that few have matched.

His immortal dialogue, “Babumoshai, zindagi badi honi chahiye, lambi nahi,” from Anand, continues to define his philosophy, life should be meaningful, not merely long.