In a romantic vein

When late actor Rajesh Khanna was officially bestowed with the title of ‘The First Superstar of Indian cinema’ during the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award ceremony in 2013, Kaka’s fans unanimously rejoiced in the glory of the moment.

Amongst the many ardent fans of the ‘superstar’, who welcomed the ‘much-deserved’ title, there was one who brimmed with overwhelming emotions —RJ-turned-actor Himansh Kohli, who is all set to light up the big screen with his film — Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai (slated for a release on March 3). Wondering why? Well, his phenomenal acting skills aside, as Kohli puts it, Khanna was the first one to spark the acting bug in him, “I was merely three years old when I first met Rajesh Khanna. Although I was way too young back then, to have any concrete recollections of the grand moment, I have plenty of pictures with Kaka! My parents tell me that Rajeshji put a mala around my neck and said to them — Bada pyara ladka hai, isse actor banao.” “Coming from a superstar, it (Khanna’s comment) meant a great deal to my parents. They took his direction as an order from the God of cinema. That is the day they decided that their son will become an actor one day!” he adds.

Inspiring touch

As for the ‘inspiration’ seeping into his persona for all to see, the self-proclaimed Rajesh Khanna fan, shares, “I would like to believe it is there! As I see it, Rajesh Khanna was and will always be the true king of romance. So, whenever I have to shoot for a romantic sequence, I watch the beautiful song picturised on Kaka — Mere Sapno Ki Rani. One of the most admirable things about him is how he would easily converse with the viewers, without speaking as much as a word. He is one of the very few actors who had it in them to beautifully express so many feelings with just their eyes.”

Romcom fan

His admiration for Rajesh Khanna apart, there is another thing that this young actor is madly in love with — romcoms (romantic-comedy genre). “Romcom is the best genre. It offers the perfect mix of fun, romance and comedy, which in itself ensures that viewers have a good time,” he says. —Manika Ahuja