In today's commercial times, it's impossible to find a place as honest and pure as the Prithvi Theatre. While ticket prices are kept very basic and the capacity is limited for any artiste to make any significant money for their performance, every artiste wants to come and perform here. This is the only place where they all come together once a year during the annual Prithvi Theatre Festival that was started by Jennifer Kapoor in 1978. 

As Naseeruddin Shah sahab said, “I feel Jennifer's dreams have been fulfilled, all credit to Sanjana earlier  and now Kunal and to Shashi sahab who had the generosity to have put in his money. It was a colossal expense at that time and my hats off to him.“ The festival this year premiered with the outstanding performance by Naseeruddin Shah playing Einstein. The opening night saw not just three generations of the Kapoor khandaan, but also several artistes who were accompanied by either their mothers, daughters or sons to simply join in the celebrations of this great institution that is symbolic of the passion and love for theatre. The souls of Prithviraj Kapoor and his daughter-in-law Jennifer Kapoor must certainly be very happy up there. 

Excerpts from a conversation with Rishi Kapoor who has just recovered from dengue. This was his very first outing and his first drink post getting well: 

What are your oldest memories of coming to the Prithvi Theatre?
The Prithvi Theatre, as we know it today, used to be a godown where my grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor would keep all his theatre props. Right opposite to the theatre was the 'Prithvi Jhopda' (the Prithvi hut) as it was called as he lived here. I must have been 12ish then.

Were you a part of any play?
I started my career very early at 20. I got into films and then, never got time. Theatre was my family's bread and butter, but I never missed it as I had never done it. And while I have great respect for theatre artistes, I have no knowledge of it. My family has become whatever they are today because of theatre. Even though my whole family was a part of theatre, unfortunately, when I was at an impressionable age, everything shut down as dadaji had to shut down Prithvi for reasons beyond him. But I did do one play at the Opera House in which my job was to only sleep on the bed. I was so naughty that I would keep my one eye open to watch the audience.

Did your grandfather see you becoming a star?
He died in 1971. We started Bobby in 1972. My grandfather performed the mahurat shot in every RK film. That is why in every RK film, you will see him performing the puja to a Shivling that later became the logo. In Bobby, I remember since he was not alive, my father had made a monument of his giving the mahurat shot and his voice played over that.

Talk about Jennifer and Shashi Kapoor?
Prithvi Theatre was Jennifer aunty's baby and she got it made. They both toiled to make this place happen. Shashi uncle is a great uncle, a great actor and a big star. He used to be working round the clock and whatever money he earned, he put it behind Prithvi.