- Rajesh Khanna's health declined rapidly in the final year before his 2012 death at age 69
- Anita Advani claimed Rajesh Khanna emotionally prepared for death and "manifested" it
- Rajesh Khanna wanted his bungalow Aashirvaad preserved as a museum for 100 years
Rajesh Khanna died on July 18, 2012, at the age of 69. On Rajesh Khanna's 14th death anniversary, here's a look back at what his alleged girlfriend, Anita Advani, had shared about the legendary actor's final days.
'He Melted Away In One Year'
In a past interview, Anita recalled how Rajesh Khanna's health deteriorated in the last year of his life and claimed that he had emotionally prepared himself for death.
Speaking on the YouTube channel of Avanti Films, Anita had said, "He melted away in one year. I couldn't see him like that. He would cry all day long." When asked if she believed the actor had manifested his own death, she replied, "He invited it, manifested it."
Anita also revealed that she would often argue with Rajesh Khanna whenever he spoke negatively, as she did not want him to lose hope.
She further spoke about the late actor's iconic bungalow, Aashirvaad, and said it was his dream to preserve it as a museum. "It was his wish that the house be converted into a museum," she said.
Recalling one of his decisions regarding the property, Anita added, "He had an offer of Rs 150 crore when he was not keeping well, but he refused to sell it. He said, 'I want to turn this into a museum'. He wanted that museum to go on for 100 years." Speaking about the bungalow's demolition after his death, she said, "When the house was demolished, I died along with it."
Background
In an earlier interview with Rediff in 2013, Anita had also spoken about the actor's final months. She had said that about a year before his death, his wife Dimple Kapadia and daughters, Twinkle Khanna and Rinke Khanna, started visiting him regularly.
"They would spend a couple of hours there. If I was out, they would call me and ask me when I would be returning so that they could leave. When they came, I took care of them. I would tell them where his things were kept. Dimple didn't even know who all came to the house to see him. I would tell her, and we were like friends. I was happy that his family had come to him. It was difficult for one person to take a decision since he was sick, so I would consult with them too. I was very scared that his health was deteriorating. Anju Mahendroo (Rajesh's ex-girlfriend) would also sit with him once in a while. We bonded very well," she had said.
She had also recalled the severity of his illness, saying, "The doctors had told us that he could go any time. He had become very weak, he had started hallucinating, and couldn't understand things."
