That comedian actor of the 60-70s, who used to make people laugh; In real life he was in need of every penny, who is he?

We are talking about actor Rajendra Nath. In the 60s and 70s, he used to spread laughter in every other film with Shammi Kapoor. He used to create the magic of his comedy in dozens of superhit films like ‘Phir Wahi Dil Laya Hoon’, ‘Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai’ and ‘Teesri Manzil’. But how did the condition of this brilliant artist, who ruled millions of hearts, become such in the last days of his life that he became dependent on every penny. Let us know about them.

Rajendra Nath was born on June 8, 1931 in Peshawar. His father held a high position in the police department and was later transferred to Rewa in Madhya Pradesh. The family already had connections with acting. His elder brother Premnath was considered a seasoned Bollywood actor and his sister Krishna was married to Raj Kapoor. However, Rajendra Nath wanted to become a doctor or lawyer. Fate brought him to Mumbai. Because of his elder brother Premnath, he got a chance to work in theater and his acting career started from Prithvi Theatre.

The actor had struggled a lot in the initial days. The role of ‘Popat Lal’ in Shammi Kapoor’s films ‘Dil Deke Dekho’ and ‘Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai’ made him a star overnight. After this, Rajendra Nath became a necessity in every big film.

In the 1970s, Rajendra Nath decided to try his hand at film production apart from acting. He announced a big project named ‘Gate Crashers’, in which the then famous couple Randhir Kapoor and Neetu Singh were cast in the lead roles. However, Rajendra Nath had no practical experience in film making. Due to his lack of understanding of the intricacies of film production, his colleagues and co-workers took advantage of his naivety. The economic situation started deteriorating and the budget became completely out of control. The situation became so bad that the shooting of ‘Gate Crashers’ had to be stopped after just 10 days. This film was never completed, but this incomplete project wiped out Rajendra Nath’s years of earnings.

Rajendra Nath was a very honest and simple person at heart. He lent money to many people without any paperwork. People took advantage of his honesty. When difficult times came, no one returned their money. By the 1980s, the mood of Bollywood cinema had changed. The era of ‘Angry Young Man’ and action films had come. Work stopped coming and the debt burden increased.

The situation became such that the person who once lived in luxurious cars and bungalows, had to sell his house and even his savings. In the last phase of his life, he had to live in a very simple and ordinary environment with his family. The person whose mere gesture would bring applause in the theatre. He was completely alone in his last days. Illness and financial crisis had broken him from within. Ultimately, this great artist died of a heart attack on 13 February 2008 at the age of 76.