Did You Know Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan Helped Rajesh Khanna Buy His Dream Home?

Prolific lyricist Javed Akhtar recently recalled the bizarre story of how the evergreen star Rajesh Khanna was able to purchase a posh bungalow at Carter Road in Bandra, Mumbai. It was Javed Akhtar and Salman Khan’s father Salim, who played a major role in the story, which also led them to fill their pockets with cash. During an interaction with Arbaaz Khan, Javed Akhtar travelled down memory lane and stated that the incident took place in 1960-70 when Rajesh Khanna was shooting for Andaz.

Apparently, the makers of the film were stuck with the second half of the movie. By that time Rajesh Khanna, Javed Akhtar, and Salim Khan had become great friends in the industry. Rajesh Khanna asked them to work on the film’s script and his reason wasn’t related to making the film a massive hit at the box office. Seemingly, Rajesh Khanna invited the writer duo because he wanted to work in the movie to earn money.

The late actor wished to purchase a house worth Rs 4.5 lakh in Mumbai. The producer had given Rajesh Khanna a sum of Rs 2.5 lakh, which he couldn’t return nor leave the film. Seemingly, the iconic star was afraid that he might lose the film due to the second half. He requested the writer duo to fix it so that everything works out well by the end of the day.

Javed Akhtar remembered reading the script with Salim, post which they kept two conditions in front of the makers. The two assured that their hero will remain the same, and the elephants in distress will also get rescued but everything except that will be altered.

Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan presented what they wrote to the film’s production team and they happened to have liked it. Javed Akhtar claimed that it was a fun experience and that they joked around most of the time during the writing sessions. But eventually, Rajesh Khanna’s casting in the film was saved and the hero also made sure that the writer duo get their share of the hard work. The two who were paid only Rs 750 per film, this time earned Rs 10,000 in total.

Helmed by Ramesh Sippy, the movie also starred Shammi Kapoor, Hema Malini, and Simi Garewal in key roles. Andaz also features Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana, one of the best-known yodelling songs by Kishore Kumar.

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