http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120719/jsp/bihar/story_15743802.jsp#.UAgcS2Ee5GY

Citizens salute lively Andaz of down-to-earth superstar

AMIT BHELARI

Rajesh Khanna at GD Mishra's residence during his first visit to Bihar in 1993 Woh shaam kuchh ajib thi. On the evening of February 28, 1993, superstar Rajesh Khanna was at the New Patliputra Colony home of Sunil Dutt Mishra, son of former IAS officer late GD Mishra. Yeah shaam bhi ajib hai. On July 18, 2012, Sunil just had fond memories of the visit. Khanna was in the town for the first time that spring evening to dedicate a road named after the late bureaucrat. The superstar burnt out on Wednesday morning, but his glory never will. Anand will remain alive in every Patnaite's heart. Recalling Khanna's maiden safar (visit) to the state capital, Sunil said: "Khanna came to inaugurate the road after my father's name in 1993. The whole area was jam-packed. People just wanted to have a glimpse of the star, then a Member of Parliament from New Delhi. He came to Patna following a request from my brother-in-law Sumit Mishra. Thereafter, he became very close to our family and kept on visiting our house." Meera Mishra, Sunil's mother-in-law and Sumit's mother, also has fond memories ofBabu. "Khanna was like our family member. He used to meet me both in Patna and New Delhi. I still remember the day when he visited this house second time in the year 2000 and asked me to prepare peas puri and vegetable of ladies finger. He was so down-to-earth that he used to sit on a pidha (small stool) and eat his meal. Despite repeated requests to sit at the dining table, he refused," said Meera (68), who stays with Sunil. She said: "He used to sit in our house and crack jokes. I still remember the way he used to sit in this same room where you are sitting now. Resting his legs on the table and holding a cigarette in his right hand, he used to give his famous pose with inclined head. I just can't forget it." For Sunil's wife, Meenal (42), clicking picture with the Avtaar in 2004 during Khanna's third visit to Mishras' house is a frozen moment. "I met him several times earlier. But I was still very excited to meet him and still adore the photograph I have with him. He was fond of chocolate ice cream and I had ordered it in advance. When I offered him the ice cream, he blessed me," said Meenal. Citing an example of Khanna's simplicity, she said: "I still remember the (chatthi) post-birth ritual of my son in Delhi was a day after he lost the election in 1996. Despite the defeat, he came down and spent almost three hours with us." Daughter of Sunil, Trishla Mishra (21), was very young when Khanna last visited their house. But she still remembers the Rajputused to call her bitiya. "Whenever the star used to visit our house, I used to request him to pose in different ways. Four years ago, I met him in New Delhi," said Trishla. Sunil's brother-in-law, Sumit, was nearest to Khanna of all in the family. "Khanna called my brother-in-law Sumit in Delhi on June 21 at 1.30am and asked him to visit his house in Mumbai. Few hours later, Sumit flew down to Mumbai and visited Khanna at his house — Aashirwad in Bandra." Sunil said: "As Sumit entered the house, he saw Dimple sitting beside the star. Rajeshji asked her to leave him alone as he wanted to speak to Sumit for a while. When she left the room, Kaka asked Sumit to light his favourite cigarette Dunhill. After two to three puffs, he started coughing and threw away the cigarette. That was the time when Sumit suggested Dimpleji to take him to hospital and on June 23 the star was admitted to Lilavati Hospital." That was the last time he smoked. He had given up drinking long back, claimed Sunil. Actor Sanjay Mishra, another brother-in-law of Sunil and famous for his comedy roles, said: "When I was struggling in Mumbai, the famous punch line about him — Upar aaka aur niche Kaka — was my source of inspiration." Sunil said Khanna was a great human being. Besides the Mishra family, several other Patnaites recalled Khanna's visits to the city and his films. P.C. Mishra, a resident of GD Mishra Path, said: "It was the happiest moment of my life when he visited our colony for the first time to inaugurate this lane." Khanna visited Patna the last time on February 17, 2005. He went to Mangal Talab in the Patna City area to campaign for a Congress candidate contesting the Assembly elections.