Dark Star: The Loneliness of Being Rajesh Khanna by Gautam Chintamani is a compelling biography of Indian cinema?s first true superstar. Charting the dizzying rise and dramatic fall of Rajesh Khanna, the book explores how a young actor went from being the most adored man in the country to a lonely figure eclipsed by his own legend. With 17 consecutive blockbuster hits starting from Aradhana (1969), Khanna was not just a star?he was a cultural phenomenon. Fans worshipped him, hysteria followed him, and the term ?superstar? was coined in his honour. Yet within a few short years, the magic faded. Chintamani delves into the emotional and professional unravelling of a man unable to escape the shadow of his past glory. Drawing on interviews, media accounts, and critical insights, Dark Star examines the contradictions of fame, the fragility of stardom, and the loneliness that often lies beneath the glamour. Even decades after his last hit, Rajesh Khanna remains the benchmark against which Bollywood stardom is measured. This is the story of a man who changed the film industry forever?and paid the price for it.