With RK Studios set to shut down, its 70-year-old tradition of Ganesh pooja that attracted devotees from across the city draws to a close on Sept 23
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 15, 2018)

The Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at the iconic RK studios — an annual tradition that was established 70 years ago — kicked off as usual on Thursday. With news of the Kapoor clan selling off the studio, this will be the last time the pooja will be conducted at the venue by the family.

Randhir Kapoor, who has been at the forefront of the ritual with brothers Rishi and Rajeev, and their respective children, for years now, confirmed the news. “Yes, this will be the last celebrations in the studio but everything will be conducted exactly as it has been for the last 70 years. We began the celebrations on Thursday and it will go on till the eleventh day, September 23. No matter where we go, Ganeshji will always be with us,” he asserted.

Rishi Kapoor had earlier informed Mirror (August 26) that the three brothers, their mother Krishna Raj Kapoor, and sisters Ritu Nanda and Rima Jain, have taken a collective decision that it is no longer practical to hang on to the sprawling, two-acre studio, a major part of which was gutted in a fire on September 16 last year. “For a while, we did juggle with the idea of renovating the place with state-of-the-art technology. However, in reality, it isn’t always possible for a phoenix to rise from the ashes. We Kapoors are an emotional lot but then… We had to place a stone on our hearts,” he had added.
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The actor talks about the Kapoor family celebrating Ganeshotsav one last time at the iconic RK Studios, which is up for sale
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; September 15, 2018)

Kapoors and traditions go hand-in-hand. The first family of Bollywood firmly believes in what Raj Kapoor said through his film Mera Naam Joker (1970) — the show must go on. A few weeks ago, Rishi Kapoor confirmed to a daily that RK Studios, which was founded by Raj Kapoor decades ago, is up for sale. It wasn’t an easy decision for the Kapoor family to arrive at. A big part of the studio was gutted in a massive fire last year, destroying memorabilia, costumes and other items from several RK films. After pondering over the possibilities of re-structuring it, the brothers, with a heavy heart, decided to part ways with the property. Hence, the on-going Ganeshotsav could well be the last festive celebration at the studio. The tradition was started by Raj Kapoor and continued by his sons, Randhir, Rishi and Rajiv.

When BT reached out to Randhir, he shared, “Yes, this is the last Ganesh Chaturthi celebration that we are having at RK Studios. It’s not like we will stop celebrating the festival altogether. Papa started the tradition 70 years ago with a lot of love for Bappa. We all love Bappa and have immense faith in him. Our Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations will go on, albeit at a different venue next year. Bhagwan ki aradhana zyada zaroori hai. It doesn’t matter where you do it. We plan to shift our office to another location, probably in the suburbs, and will continue the tradition there just the way we do it here — humbly and modestly. Like every year, this year, too, the celebrations will go on for 11 days. Visarjan is on the 23rd, tab tak roz aarti hogi, prasad banega aur log aayenge.”

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at the RK Studios in Chembur are among the most awaited ones in the city. People flock in hundreds to seek blessings from the elephant God at the studio and accompany the Kapoors when they take to the streets during the visarjan. It must be heart-wrenching for the family, especially for Krishna Raj Kapoor. Randhir said, “It breaks my heart, but it’s a fact that we have to live with. As a family, we would never have let RK Studios change hands. Circumstances have forced us to take this really tough call. Anyone who has been to the studio will know just how massive and grand it is in every respect. After a big part of it was gutted in the fire last year, we were forced to reassess everything. With today’s municipal regulations, it’s almost impossible for us to rebuild it. It’s financially not viable for us to rebuild it because, unlike before, people barely come to RK Studios to shoot, even though it was among the best ones in the city at one time. Once in a while, a serial or reality show would be shot here. Film shootings entirely moved to the suburbs at Film City, Mehboob Studios and other locations. No actor wants to travel so far in the Eastern suburbs since most of them reside in the Western suburbs now. It was tough to maintain the studio, but it’s even more problematic to rebuild it. But I promise you, the show will go on. Our celebrations will continue, in true RK style… bas pata alag hoga.”