Claim: Rajesh Khanna earned the most money as an actor from 1970 to 1987.

Rajesh Khanna -LRB- born Jatin Khanna ; 29 December 1942 -- 18 July 2012 -RRB- was an Indian actor , film producer and politician who is known for his work in Hindi cinema . He was referred to as the `` first superstar '' and the `` original superstar '' of Indian cinema . He starred in 15 consecutive solo hit films in the period 1969 to 1971 , still an unbroken record .   He made his debut in 1966 with Aakhri Khat . Through his career he appeared in more than 168 feature films and 12 short films . He received the Filmfare Best Actor Award three times and the BFJA Awards for Best Actor -LRB- Hindi -RRB- four times . In 1991 , he was awarded the Filmfare Special Award and in 2005 , he received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award . He was the highest paid Indian actor from 1970 to 1987 where Amitabh Bachchan shared the same tag with Khanna from 1980 to 1987 .   He was also a Lok Sabha member of the Indian National Congress from New Delhi -LRB- Lok Sabha constituency -RRB- from 1992 to 1996 .   He married Dimple Kapadia in March 1973 , eight months before her debut film Bobby was released and had two daughters from the marriage . Their elder daughter Twinkle Khanna is married to actor Akshay Kumar , while they also have a younger daughter Rinke Khanna .   After being critically ill , Khanna died on 18 July 2012 .  Khanna has been posthumously awarded India 's third highest civilian honour Padma Bhushan . On 30 April 2013 he was officially bestowed with the title The First Superstar of Indian cinema at Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Awards He has also been honored with a stamp and statue of his likeness , and a road being renamed in his honor .