On the superstar’s sixth death anniversary, one of his biggest fans, Vilas Ghate recalls moments spent with his screen idol
Debarati Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; July 18, 2018)

Rajesh Khanna is often referred to as India’s first superstar. Such was his craze in the early seventies, that words like superstar and phenomenon were used to describe him. Needless to add, his fans continue to celebrate his life six years after he passed away on July 18, 2012. One such die-hard fan being Vilas Ghate, who’s also a collector of the iconic actor’s memorabilia. His sole aim in life is to create a museum on his idol. His devotion to Khanna is enhanced by his thorough knowledge of not only documented moments of his life, but also the unchronicled ones. For instance, not many are aware that the actor wore a kada made of African elephant hair. “In those days there weren’t any bans or restrictions on stuff like that,” says Vilas, who gives us more insights on the actor.

‘I WAS PRESENT AT THE SHOOT WHEN KAKAJI DELIVERED THE ICONIC ‘PUSHPA, I HATE TEARS’ DIALOGUE’
Vilas was all of 10 when his mamaji (maternal uncle) took him to watch Rajesh Khanna’s shooting. “Shakti Samanta’s cameraman, Robin Kar, was a friend of my mamaji. He would frequent Natraj Studios in Andheri, so one day he took me along to meet my idol. There was no looking back after that.” His eyes well up with tears as he recalls the shot he was a witness to that night. “It was around 7 pm. I saw Kakaji (as he was fondly called in the film industry) deliver the iconic ‘Pushpa, I hate tears’ dialogue from Amar Prem (1972), right in front of me.” In fact, there have been times when Kakaji, on seeing Vilas frequent his studio so often, would ask him sternly, “School se dandi maar ke toh nahi aaya?”

ON THE SETS OF AJANABEE
“I saw the shoot of the song, Bheegi Bheegi Raaton Mein from Ajanabee (1974). The entire shoot was completed in a day. Kakaji came at 10 am and by 4:30 pm it was done. The shot had raindrops falling on his shirt, so they had made three identical shirts like that. When one got wet, he’d wear another while the first was being ironed. He had a yellow Turkish towel that he used to wipe the water off his hair. He would throw it at me and I’d hold it till he whistled for it. The whole day went by like that.” Vilas was a teenager then — only 17 — and said that he had the time of his life watching the superstar in action.

‘I HAVE A MASSIVE COLLECTION OF MEMORABILIA’
Vilas has around 5,000 write-ups, paper cuttings, multiple LPs, CDs, over 60 books written on the superstar, rare autographed photographs, 80 autographed cards (some of which were given to him by Kakaji), the first circular poster of one of his films (Aradhana, 1969) and even his janam kundali. Vilas has 122 original CDs out of the 165 released films that Khanna starred in. His collection boasts of many firsts —the first autographed postcard of the film star, the first postage stamp on him and more.

AT HOME WITH KAKAJI
It was the first day of Diwali in 2008 when the late actor invited Vilas to his home for the first time. Vilas reminisces, “He invited my family and me to his other home in Lokhandwala, as there was some renovation work going on in Aashirwad. The time spent with him has been most memorable.”