Meet the chocolate boy of the '70s, who made his first screen presence at the age of three and went on to become synonymous with romance.
Bollywood heroes' enigmatic personalities become their USP, and one such actor who was hailed for his good looks was Rishi Kapoor. He was the OG chocolate boy of Bollywood and would sweep girls off their feet with his charm. With films like Bobby, Khel Khel Mein, Saagar, Prem Rog, Kabhi Kabhie, Karz, and Chandni, Rishi Kapoor created a huge fanbase.
It was believed that Rishi’s stardom was such that girls used to write love letters to him with their blood. While Rishi was every girl’s crush, he lost his heart to the gorgeous Neetu Kapoor. Neetu was just 14 when she started dating Rishi Kapoor. They tied the knot on January 22, 1980, and became proud parents to two kids, Riddhima Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor.
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Born into the affluent Kapoor family, Rishi Kapoor was the son of Showman, Raj Kapoor and his wife, Krishna Raj Kapoor. Rishi was just three when he made a cameo appearance in his father’s film, Shree 420. His debut role in Mera Naam Joker won him the National Film Award for Best Child Artist.
It was the 1973 teen romantic film, Bobby, with which Rishi Kapoor made his Bollywood debut as a leading hero. With the success of Bobby, Rishi became a sensation overnight. His female fans would wait outside the studio for hours just to get a glimpse of their crush. In a career spanning 50 years, Rishi was the youngest superstar of India.
It was during the making of the film, Kabhi Kabhie that Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh fell in love. It was not love at first sight; rather, the two were good friends before falling in love. Rishi and Neetu had a big fat Punjabi wedding in 1980. Since it was one of the biggest events, the entire film industry was invited.
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In a 2003 throwback interview with Rediff.com, Neetu Kapoor had talked about her grand wedding with Rishi Kapoor. Recalling a funny story from her wedding, Neetu revealed:
“There were so many gatecrashers at the reception. The security men let them in thinking they were guests. Later, we found stones in the gift boxes. I fainted at my wedding and so did my husband [Rishi Kapoor]. My lehenga was too heavy. Plus, there were too many people. It was too much for me to handle. My husband fainted because he couldn't take the crowd. He fainted just before he was to climb on the ghodi."
It was in 2017 when Rishi Kapoor’s autobiography, Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored, was released. Rishi Kapoor, in his book, revealed exactly when his wife, Neetu Kapoor had conceived their son, Ranbir Kapoor. Recalling the special moment of their life, he had written:
“If I remember right, Neetu conceived Ranbir during this time, (the shooting of Prem Rog) when we were picturizing ‘Meri kismet mein tu nahi hai shayad’. It makes the song even more special for us.”
Rishi Kapoor too often talked about his equation with Ranbir and wished they could be friendlier with each other. In 2014, Ranbir Kapoor moved out of his family home and started living on his own. Talking about the emotional moment in a conversation with Mumbai Mirror, Rishi revealed that Ranbir’s decision affected him and Neetu Kapoor.
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In the same conversation, Rishi Kapoor also addressed how he screwed up his relationship with Ranbir despite Neetu warning him. Talking about the same, he stated:
“My father gave me space when I moved out after marriage and I give Ranbir his space too when he decided to move out and share a home with his girlfriend. In this house, he had one room: how could that be enough for a 33-year-old boy? I know I’ve screwed up my relationship with Ranbir even though my wife kept telling me about what I was doing. It’s now too late to change it; both of us will not be able to adjust to the change. It’s like there’s this glass wall, we can see each other, we can talk, but that’s it. He doesn’t live with us anymore, which is also a very big setback to Neetu and me.”
In 2018, Rishi Kapoor was diagnosed with leukaemia and went to New York for treatment. In 2019, the actor returned to India after his treatment. On April 29, 2020, the actor was hospitalized after he complained about difficulty in breathing. On April 30, 2020, the 68-year-old actor bid adieu and left for his heavenly abode, leaving a huge vacuum in the lives of friends, fans and family.
In an interview with News 18, Neetu Kapoor revealed how Ranbir Kapoor misses his father a lot. Revealing that he still has Rishi Kapoor's picture as his screensaver, the doting mother shared:
"Ranbir misses him a lot. His mobile screensaver still has Rishi’s photo. There are days when I see tears in his eyes but he stays strong."
Rishi Kapoor became synonymous with romance in Indian cinema with his charming personality. His unparalleled fame, talent and performances have left an indelible mark for generations to come.
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