‘Rajesh Khanna would show up at 12 for 9 am shift, fawning makers will then call for lunch’: Prem Chopra

Prem Chopra said that the crew would be very critical of the star in his absence but would change their tone as soon as he arrived. “Everyone would be ready and in his absence, they would say ‘look how everyone is ready and waiting for him’ (said with disdain)  but when he would arrive, they would say ‘Come sir, should we start after lunch?’ He would say ‘let’s do it now’,” he shared.

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In an earlier interview with News 18, Prem Chopra said that Rajesh Khanna was “misunderstood” and could not make an “adjustment” after he lost his stardom. “He was a little misunderstood man. He was a very nice emotional fellow. He had his own problems, I don’t know what those were but then when he lost his superstardom he could not make an adjustment,” he said.

Speaking on Timeout With Ankit Podcast, Chopra elaborated further and said, “He was a very competent actor, and that’s why he survived for such a long time. But adjustment is very important in this profession. When his superstardom started diminishing, they brought in Amitabh Bachchan. He couldn’t come to terms that after being a superstar he’d have to do character roles.”