It was mid 1955, on the sets of Raj Kapoor's popular film Shree 420, at the iconic R.K. Studios in Chembur in Mumbai. A cute two-and-a-half-year-old toddler, with chubby cheeks, was the cynosure of all eyes. The famous song, Pyar Huha Ikrar Hua, was being picturised. A scene in the fag end of the song required the young children of Raj Kapoor to galumph through a street in raincoats. While Randhir and Ritu Kapoor were geared up for the shot, little Rishi was unconcerned. The onus, then, was on actor Nargis to convince Rishi. She offered him a chocolate, and Rishi gladly agreed to walk alongside his siblings, and the song ends.
Fifteen years later, in 1970, the 18-year-old Rishi received the National Award for his role in his father's film Mera Naam Joker. Thereafter, in 1973, the 21-year-old played the lead role in the romantic-drama Bobby, which was again directed by Raj Kapoor. This time, to launch his son as a hero. Thus began the journey of Rishi as a prominent mainstream actor in the Hindi film industry with the gentle air of an imperishable youngster. The song Main Shayar to Nahi in Bobby made an entire young generation—born around the time India got independence, with long hair, loose pants and long-sleeve shirts—find joy and relief in an otherwise disorderly decade. While the socio-political climate of 1970s saw Amitabh Bachchan play the role of the angry Indian, Rishi, who was 10 years younger to Bachchan, took over the task of portraying the lover boy in most of his films of that time. In some of the films like Kabhie Kabhie, Coolie, Amar Akbar Antony and Naseeb, Rishi willingly, and happily, played second fiddle to Bachchan.
Said Rishi in his memoir Khullam Khulla, "I must admit that in those days there was an unspoken undercurrent of tension between Amitabh Bachchan and me. We never sat down to sort it out and luckily the strain evaporated on its own. It was only after we did Amar Akbar Anthony that the two of us got friendly with each other.... Directors and writers unfailingly reserved their strongest, pivotal roles for Amitabh Bachchan. And it wasn’t just me. Shashi Kapoor, Shatrughan Sinha, Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna faced it, too.
ALSO READ: ‘Mein shayar toh nahi’: A playlist for Rishi Kapoor, Bollywood’s evergreen romantic
"Amitabh is undeniably a superb actor, immensely talented and, at the time, the number one star who ruled the box-office. He was an action hero, the angry young man. So, roles were written for him. Although we may have been smaller stars, we were not lesser actors. Yet, the rest of us had to constantly measure up to him."
In the 1980s, Rishi broke his chocolate boy image with films such as Karz and Ek Chaddar Maili Si. His father died in 1988, while working on his last directorial film, Heena, which was later completed by Rishi and Randhir. It was Yash Chopra's Chandini in 1989 that earned Rishi one of the biggest hits of his career. Sridevi, the lady superstar of that time, acted opposite Rishi and the film had some mesmerising song-and-dance tracks.
The early 1990s saw Rishi experiment in light-hearted roles, with films like Bol Radha Bol and Shreemaan Aashique. By the mid 1990s, the dominance of the three Khans at the box office had begun, and the likes of Rishi, Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor had to take a backseat. Though Anil continued to portray the roles of a hero for some more years, Rishi made a gradual shift towards character roles. Towards the end of that decade Rishi made his directorial debut with Aa Ab Laut Chalein, in 1998, which was Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's second Bollywood film.
Said Nivedita Basu, TV producer in Mumbai, to THE WEEK, "Rishi is forever Bobby in my heart. I used to love him so much in the young, bubbly roles. Never saw him age in my eyes."
Post 2000, Rishi portrayed memorable character roles in films like Hum Tum (2004), Fanaa (2006) and Love Aaj Kal (2009). In Agneepath (2011), Rishi was lauded for portraying a negative character for the first time. In Student of the Year (2012), Rishi played a gay character. His portrayal of Dawood Ibrahim in D-Day (2013) sent shivers down the spine. Kapoor & Sons (2016) was yet another feather in his illustrious cap. It was hilarious watching him appear as Amitabh Bachchan’s 76-year old son in 102 Not Out (2018). Rishi's performance in Mulk (2018), where he played a Muslim lawyer, won him further recognition and is said to be one of his best roles ever.
Like his films, his tweets were also special. Rishi used Twitter to share anecdotes, trivia, and, if needed, even warnings! He quit Twitter twice after being trolled, but he was never vengeful and returned soon.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Rishi Kapoor listens to song by hospital staff
When actor Vinod Khanna passed away in 2017, Rishi criticised prominent celebrities for not attending Khanna's funeral. "Shameful. Not one actor of this generation attended Khanna's funeral.... Must learn to respect," read his tweet.
When there was a delay in the hanging of the Nirbhaya rapists, Rishi, like most Indians, got agitated, and expressed the same on Twitter. After they were hanged, Rishi tweeted, "Jaisi karni waisi bharni. Let this set an example not only in India but world over. Punishment for rape is by death. You have to respect womanhood. Shame on the people who delayed the execution. Jai Hind!”.
Last month, Rishi welcomed the decision by the Union government to go on a lockdown to prevent coronavirus from spreading, even as he shared funny lockdown memes on his Twitter page. His last tweet, posted on April 2, a week into the lockdown, was an appeal to people not to attack medical workers and the police.
Said Anand Kumar, Bollywood filmmaker, to THE WEEK, “Rishi Kapoor is a cinematic institution and an epitome of versatility. His legacy lives on through the amazing work he has done over so many years. Personally, I don’t think there is anybody as good as him in the Kapoor family.”
A passionate actor, full of life, Rishi was always keen on the progress of the nation.
Alia Bhatt, on April 30, aptly described Rishi in an emotional note. She wrote, “What can I say. About this beautiful man…who brought so much love and goodness into my life. Today, everyone speaks of the legend that is Rishi Kapoor…and though I’ve known him like that all my life…for the past two years I’ve known him as a friend, a fellow Chinese food lover, a total cinema lover, a fighter, a leader, a beautiful storyteller, an extremely passionate tweeter and a father!”
Your legacy will live on for generations to come, India's first chocolate hero. Rest in peace.
