This is my sixteenth entry for Jez Braithwaite’s Fan Of Challenge. I’m a fan of Bollywood film actor and director Rishi Kapoor. Rishi Raj Kapoor (4 September 1952 – 30 April 2020) was an Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood. Born into the Kapoor family, he made his debut, as an adolescent, in his father Raj Kapoor’s film Mera Naam Joker (1970), for which he won the National Film Award for Best Child Artist. As an adult, his first lead role was opposite Dimple Kapadia in the teen romance Bobby (1973), which won him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor.
Between 1973 and 2000, Kapoor starred as the romantic lead in 92 films. Some of his notable films during this period include Khel Khel Mein (1975), Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Karz (1980), and Chandni (1989). Since the 2000s, he played character roles to critical acclaim in such films as Love Aaj Kal (2009), Agneepath (2012), and Mulk (2018). For his performance in Do Dooni Chaar (2010), he won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor, and for his role in Kapoor & Sons (2016), he won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was honoured with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. His final film appearance was in The Body (2019).
Kapoor often collaborated with his wife, actress Neetu Singh, with whom he had two children, including Ranbir Kapoor. He died of leukemia on 30 April 2020, aged 67.
Rishi Raj Kapoor was born in Bombay, India and his family belongs to the Hindu-Punjabi community. Being part of the Kapoor Bollywood dynasty, he was the second son of legendary actor-director Raj Kapoor and Krishna Raj Kapoor (née Malhotra). Likewise, his family encompasses a successful line of actors, including brothers, Randhir and Rajiv Kapoor; grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor; maternal uncles Prem, Rajendra, and Narendra Nath, as well as Prem Chopra; and paternal uncles Shashi and Shammi Kapoor. Rishi Kapoor’s two sisters, on the other hand, include late Ritu Nanda, who was an insurance agent, and Rima Jain. The Kapoor family also had an ancestral house by the name, ‘Kapoor Haveli’ located in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Kapoor attended Campion School, Mumbai and Mayo College, Ajmer.
Kapoor married actress Neetu Singh, who he had worked with in several films, in 1980. The couple had two children— son, actor Ranbir Kapoor, and daughter, Riddhima Kapoor Sahani.
Kapoor’s autobiography Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored, was released on 15 January 2017. Kapoor wrote the book along with Meena Iyer, and the title was published under Harper Collins. Kapoor’s comments on being a “beef-eating Hindu” became controversial.
Kapoor was known to make controversial socio-political comments. In March 2016, he criticized the Nehru–Gandhi family over naming of roads, buildings and national assets in the name of Gandhi and Nehru. In September 2017, he again took on the Gandhi family by slamming Rahul Gandhi over dynastic politics. In March 2020, he expressed anger and criticized the Indian Judiciary with the “Tareekh Pe Tareekh” dialogue of his film Damini over the delay in execution of the four perpetrators who were convicted in the Nirbhaya case due to loopholes in the laws. The convicts were finally executed on 20th March at 5:30 am in Tihar Jail after it was deferred thrice.
Kapoor was diagnosed with leukemia in 2018 and went to New York City for treatment. After a successful treatment for over a year, Kapoor returned to India on 26 September 2019. Kapoor was admitted to Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai on 29 April 2020 after he had some breathing difficulties. He died on 30 April 2020 from leukemia. His death came less than 24 hours after Irrfan Khan, another well-regarded actor and his co-star from D-Day, died of complications from colon infection.
Films
2014 Kaanchi Subhash Ghai
Hitesh Bhatia’s Sharmaji Namkeen (2020), co-starring Juhi Chawla, was under production at the time of Kapoor’s death.
Director
Neetu Singh formed a pair with her boyfriend and then husband Rishi Kapoor in 12 films of which Khel Khel Mein (1975), Rafoo Chakkar (1975), Kabhie Kabhie (1976), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Duniya Meri Jeb Mein (1979) and their guest appearance in Pati Patni Aur Woh (1978) were successful. The other films; Zehreela Insaan (1974), Zinda Dil (1975), Doosara Aadmi (1977), Anjane Mein (1978), Jhoota Kahin Ka (1979) and Dhan Daulat (1980) unfortunately were box office failures. Neetu Singh Kapoor made her comeback in 2009, appearing opposite her husband in the film Love Aaj Kal, and has since appeared in Do Dooni Chaar (2010), Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012), and Besharam (2013). Singh and Kapoor were awarded “Best Lifetime Jodi” (best couple) at the 2011 Zee Cine Awards ceremony. In the movie Besharam they acted as the parents of their son Ranbir Kapoor.
- 1970 – Bengal Film Journalists’ Association Awards: Special Award, and National Film Award for Mera Naam Joker
- 1974 – Filmfare Award for Best Actor for Bobby
- 2008 – Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2009 – Honoured by Russian Government for contribution to cinema
- 2010 – Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards: Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Love Aaj Kal
- 2011 – Zee Cine Awards: Best Lifetime Jodi along with Neetu Singh
- 2011 – Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for Do Dooni Chaar
- 2013 – The Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA), Best Actor in a Negative Role for Agneepath
- 2017 – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Kapoor & Sons
- 2017 – Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Male for Kapoor & Sons
- 2017 – Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role for Kapoor & Sons
Here’s a link to Jez’s blog
Blue Sky Backdrop — Fan Of… #65
Pictures
The Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore felicitating the Actor Rishi Kapoor, Rathore at the inauguration of the BRICS Film Festival, in New Delhi on September 02, 2016…The Minister of State for External Affairs, General (Retd.) V.K. Singh is also seen..
The Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Shri Prakash Javadekar presenting the Giants Award to Shri Rishi Kapoor for films field, at the 44th Giants Day Celebration, in Mumbai on September 17, 2016.
An amazing love story has sadly ended Thursday morning in India. May Rishi Kapoor’s beautiful soul Rest In Peace!
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