Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan starrer Anand that released in 1971 is one of the classics of Indian cinema and it is one of those few movies which can be watched on a repeated mode despite the sad ending that it had.
The movie was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee but do you know that the movie was inspired by real-life characters? Yes, you read that right! The film was based on the friendship of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and actor Raj Kapoor. While Amitabh Bachchan in Anand represents Hrishikesh who was worried about his friend, Rajesh Khanna represented Raj Kapoor who used to spread happiness and positivity despite having a pulse problem.
In an interview which Hrishikesh gave in 1998, he said, “I got the idea to make this film after I became friends with Raj Kapoor. In fact, it is a kind of biography. I wrote Anand when Raj Kapoor was not well.”
He further added, “He (Raj Kapoor) was suffering from a pulse problem, but he still managed to smile and spread happiness around. I used to think if something happens to him, what will happen to me? We all were worried about him, and he would be smiling always. The same way Amitabh would worry, and Rajesh would brush it off.”
Raj Kapoor took his last breath on 2 June 1988 and Hrishikesh Mukherjee bid goodbye to this world on 27 Aug 2006.
