The films that followed Aakhri Khat, like Baharon Ke Sapne (1967), Raaz (1967) and Aurat (1967) were inconsequential too. The turning point was Shakti Samanta’s Aradhna (1969) co-starring Sharmila Tagore. It caused a frenzy of sorts among the audiences all over. On its heel came Raj Khosla’s Do Raaste (1969). The two films ran almost simultaneously for 50 weeks. A spate of hits followed: Safar, Sachcha Jhutha, Bandhan, Anand, Aan Milo Sajna and Kati Patang during 1970-71. His casual boy-next-door charm bowled over audiences in a big way. He was a competent actor too, who could be playful, romantic or tragic with effortless grace. He was very impressive in films like Ittefaq (1969), Safar (1970), Khamoshi (1969), Anand (1971), Bawarchi (1972), Daag (1973) and Amar Prem (1973). Prem Nagar (1974) and Aap Ki Kasam (1974) also won him accolades. In 1972, however, Khanna hit a bad patch. He had a string of seven flops. But he surmounted the slump with Yash Chopra’s Daag, D.Rama Naidu’s Prem Nagar and Manmohan Desai’s Roti. However, by now his style and mannerisms had begun to look too jaded and out of sync with the times. Instead of working at reinventing himself, an insecure Khanna chose to ride roughshod. With those who had played a crucial role in his rise to superstardom. Khanna’s reckless behaivour and unprofessional attitude led to his sudden decline in the mid 70s. His run in with writers Salim-Javed, who were on a high as writers, led to the duo turning against him to back an emerging star, Amitabh Bachchan full steam. Even Manmohan Desai and Yash Chopra who were close to Khanna were cheesed off by his high handedness. Desai who had made Sachcha Jhoota and Roti with Khanna and Chopra, who had made Ittefaq with him and literally pulled him out of a slump in 1974 with Daag now latched on to Bachchan. So did Ramesh Sippy who had made a blockbuster Andaz (1971) with Khanna and Hrishikesh Mukherjee who had made Anand, Bawarchi and Namak Haram (1973) with him. By this time Khanna realized his folly, it was too late. Bachchan has blasted his way in. He still had his supportes. But films with old regulars like Shakti Samanta (Ajnabi -1974, Mehbooba-1976, Anurodh-1977) and Hrishikesh Mukherjee (Naukri-1978) didn’t work at the box-office.

Though Amardeep (1979) and Thodisi Bewafayi (1980) brought Rajesh Khanna some reprieve, it was the triple success of Agar Tum Na Hote (1983), Avtaar (1983) and Souten (1983) that proved to be the last strong flickers in a dying flame. In the 1990s with his film career all but over, Rajesh Khanna entered politics and even served a stint as Member of Parliament with the Congress - I Party. He made an undistinguished comeback of sorts in Rishi Kapoor's Aa Ab Laut Chalein in 1999, but the magic wasn’t there anymore.