Archive · 27 Aug 2026

Anand’s Making Marked Rajesh Khanna’s Superstar Era Before Bachchan’s Rise

Anand’s Making Marked Rajesh Khanna’s Superstar Era Before Bachchan’s Rise

Anand is a film about a cheerful man who knows he will die soon.

He decides to make his remaining time meaningful and bring happiness to others.

Director Hrishikesh Mukherjee based the character partly on his friend Raj Kapoor.

Rajesh Khanna played Anand while he was one of India’s biggest stars.

Amitabh Bachchan played the doctor who becomes Anand’s close friend.

The film was made very quickly because Khanna was working on many movies.

Some distributors wanted Anand to survive, but Mukherjee believed the story required his death.

The audience learns from the beginning that Anand is already dead, so the film focuses on how he lived.

Its final message is that a joyful way of living can continue to inspire people after death.

Sources