From his first ever appearance in a cameo on Shree 420 at the ripe young age of three to his last film The Body, Rishi Kapoor had been captivating audiences across Indian cinema. The brilliant actor breathed his last today after a long battle with leukemia. He was 67 years old. Rishi is survived by his wife, Neetu Kapoor and kids Riddhima and Ranbir Kapoor. The actor has had an illustrious career spanning for five decades and he had made quite a name for himself as a Bollywood heartthrob in the 1980s. Yes, this is the very same man your mother secretly had a crush on growing up. So, let’s take a look at the life and times of a man who created a league of his own:
A Sparkling Debut
How many actors can brag about winning a National Film Award for their debut film? Rishi Kapoor surely could. The actor made an award winning entry with his debut film, Mera Naam Joker in the year 1970. Prior to this role, the actor had made a cameo appearance in the film Shree 420. He played the role of a little boy walking in the rain in the song Pyaar Hua, Ikrar Hua. However, it was the actor’s first debut as a lead that made him the talk of the town. Rishi bagged a lead role in the film opposite Dimple’s Kapadia’s character of Bobby. Bobby went on to become one of the greatest hits of that decade across the country and won Rishi his second Filmfare Award, only this time, for Lead Actor in a film. This proved that the actor had set the bar high for many others like him and the ball was rolling.
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The actor went on to have a successful stint in the 80s with critical hits like Laila Majnu, Prem Rog, Honeymoon and many more hits. His film Chandni, which also starred Sridevi as the lead, was a smash hit and he played the lead character of Rohit in the film. In Chandni, Rishi Kapoor played one of Sridevi’s character’s love interests and his chemistry with Sridevi was praised by all.
Rishi Kapoor is also fondly known for his role in the film Amar Akbar Anthony. The young actor starred beside Bollywood legends like Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna in the lead roles. The action comedy film was produced by veteran director, Manmohan Desai and written by famous Indo-Canadian scriptwriter, Kader Khan. Rishi was also famously known for starring in the song, Bachna Ae Haseeno, for his film, Hum Kisise Kum Naheen.
Rishi tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend, Neetu Singh, who coincidentally co-starred with him in 15 films. The pair was last seen together in Do Dooni Chaar. The young couple shared two children together, Riddhima Kapoor and later Ranbir Kapoor. Riddhima went on to become a fashion designer while Ranbir followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Hindi film industry.
Comeback Kid
After a magnitude of hits in the latter half of the 20th century, along with many falls too, the actor made a comeback in the early 2000s. Rishi Kapoor starred in many supporting character roles throughout the 2000s and even appeared in two British films, Don’t Stop Dreaming and Sambar Salsa. Rishi and his wife Neetu Singh were reunited on-screen in the film Do Dooni Chaar. The actor took on a villainous role in the movie Agneepath and was reunited with his brother, Randhir Kapoor, for the first time since 1980 in the film, Housefull 2.
Rishi Kapoor aka Chintu was later seen in the film 102 Not Out with his old pal, Amitabh Bachchan. His last few films before his untimely passing were Jhootha Kahin Ka and the Emraan Hashmi thriller film, The Body.
Remembered By Actors And Fans Alike
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The actor’s family remembers him as being jovial and keeping doctors entertained till his last few days. Rishi’s wife Neetu posted a message on her Instagram asking fans to “remember him with a smile and not tears.” in a statement. Many of Rishi’s fans and previous co-stars expressed their condolences over social media,
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Bitter Farewells
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2020 will go down as some of the harshest years in the history for Indian cinema goers. Along with the Coronavirus killing by the lakhs, to learn of the untimely demise of Bollywood legends like Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor is simply heart-wrenching. We urge everyone to stay indoor and stay safe. Let us know your thoughts on this article in the comment section below. Tell us which Rishi Kapoor film is your favorite.
