Before Rajesh Khanna, Anand was originally offered to Raj Kapoor. After his refusal, he approached his star brother.
Rajesh Khanna, also known as Bollywood's Kaka, and the First Superstar of Bollywood, has kept his fans captivated by his performance in blockbusters such as Aradhana, Kati Patang, Haathi Mere Saathi, and Amar Prem. However, one character played by him left an unforgettable impression on the audience's minds. The heartthrob of Indian cinema, made millions cry with a performance as Anand Sehgal in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Anand.
In the 1971 blockbuster drama, Rajesh played the titular character, a lively, carefree person who believes in living every moment and battles lymphosarcoma of the intestine, with a smile. In his final days, Anand meets a no-nonsense Dr Banerjee (Amitabh Bachchan) and teaches him the true meaning of life. Rajesh's acting chops and his dialogues are still afresh among fans. Today, we can't imagine anyone else playing Anand, but interestingly, he was not the first choice for the film.
Anand was originally considered with...
Raj Kapoor. Yes as per the media reports, director Hrishi Da envisioned Anand by keeping Raj Kapoor in his thoughts. However, the actor and filmmaker rejected the film due to health issues. Hrishikesh understood Raj's condition and was okay with his rejection. After Raj, the director approached his brother, Shashi Kapoor for the titular role. Shashi read the script, and he did not find it particularly appealing. Thus, he declined the film. However, Hrishikesh dedicated this film to his close friend, Raj, who used to lovingly address him as 'Babu Moshay'. Reportedly, Hrishikesh wrote this film, when Raj was terminally ill.
After facing rejection from the Kapoors, Hrishikesh approached Rajesh with the film, and he agreed to headline the film. Released on March 12, 1971, Anand met with favourable responses from critics and the masses. The movie became a blockbuster and won several awards, including Filmfare Best Actor for Rajesh. Anand is loosely based on Akira Kurosawa's Ikru (1952), and it was also remade in Malayalam, with the name Chitrashalabham (1998).
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 "Rajesh Khanna in Anand")
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