Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; July 19, 2019)

After a forced break of almost a year because of health reasons, Rishi Kapoor, who is much better now, hopes to return to Mumbai soon and most importantly, back to facing the camera. In a lengthy telephonic conversation from New York, the actor recounts his battle with cancer, what it taught him, what lies ahead and his thoughts on his film Jhootha Kahin Ka (JKK), directed by Smeep Kang. Excerpts...

You have been away for almost a year now. It was a challenging period for you. What did this phase of life teach you?
The most important thing that these past nine months taught me, apart from the fact that I had to recover from a disease, is patience. I never had that before. God has taught me that patience is the mother of all virtues. My (medical) treatment is hardly for an hour once in four weeks, but it takes long for it to work on you. It’s not a push-button thing that you do it once, and then you will be alright. My wife and friends keep telling me that I was a very impatient person all the time... my work style, my way of life... The fact is, you have to be patient and let things take its own course. I have been going through this ordeal of being a patient and it’s interesting how it (the word patient) taught me patience. You can’t always be wanting to do things immediately.

Your mother Krishna Raj Kapoor passed away right after you left for the US. You couldn’t be here for her funeral. That must have been traumatic...
That was very unfortunate. I left for the US on September 29, and my mother passed away on October 1. She knew that I had contracted a serious disorder. That entire period was traumatic for me. I was caught up with my problem. I didn’t know what to do, and I didn’t have an option because I had to be here in New York. My brother told me that by the time I would get back, it would be too late. Also, I didn’t have the stamina or strength to come back.

Did all these months away from home give you time to reflect on life? We often tend to get caught up in the chaos of life and forget to reflect on what really matters...
My work was such that I couldn’t afford to be patient. I had to be active all the time. Life teaches you to slow down sometimes. Anupam Kher told me that I needed this break, but of course, not in this manner. I don’t want a break when I am undergoing a treatment. People may wonder what I am doing in America for so long. I move around, eat, drink, shop and watch films. I can’t come home because I am bound by the hospital — I am under treatment and under observation. For me, this has taken great patience, else I would have left this place and come back to Mumbai a long time ago. The treatment requires you to behave a certain way. From one treatment to another, it takes weeks. That’s why I have been here for nine-and-a-half months. I am hoping to come back by the end of August. I have seen all four seasons of this city (New York). I came here in September last year, which was autumn. I went through winter, spring and now, it is summer.

That feels like a long time indeed...
In 45 years of my career, I have never taken such a long break. It makes me think that sometimes, God takes the decisions for you that you don’t. I haven’t boarded a flight for the past nine-and-a-half months. I haven’t stepped out of NYC. I am planning to go to the Hamptons tomorrow, it’s about three hours’ drive from here. For the first time in nine months, I’ll be taking a break and going to the beach. Thankfully my children, friends, family and well-wishers are with me.

During this period, many of your friends from the industry visited you in New York. Were they a huge support system?
I don’t know what it is. I sometimes feel that it’s my goodwill, I must have done something right. Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan visited me twice. I have had a string of visitors, not just film actors, but people from other walks of life, too. I get supportive messages from people. I am indebted to them for their love and blessings. There’s so much closeness, love and respect.

People keep asking about the progress on your health out of concern. But sometimes, does it get too overbearing to keep responding to these queries?
I got into little arguments with my brothers who would call and ask me, ‘How are you, yaar?’ I would reply, ‘What is wrong with me? I am well, yaar. I am alright. Why do you keep asking me that question?’ It would make them wonder how to make a conversation with me on the phone. They would say, ‘We can’t say hello, and then ask what is happening. We need to ask you how you are’. I got the feeling that people think I am really unwell. Yes, I have a disorder, which I am getting treated. By God’s grace, it was detected early and it is under scrutiny and is being repaired. Hopefully, it is being put in order, but I was conscious about people calling and asking, ‘How are you now?’ The ‘now’ made me wonder, why would they keep asking me that? In retrospect, I feel it was silly of me to feel that way, but everybody keeps asking you the same question and it gets annoying to the point that you wonder if something is really wrong with you (laughs!).

To accept that you have been diagnosed with cancer... what gave you courage at that point?
There was no time to react. I was shooting in Delhi. I was on the sixth day shoot of a new film, when my son (Ranbir) and a close family associate came to Delhi, spoke to my producers and explained the problem. By evening, they got me to Mumbai and soon after, they flew me to New York. I had no time to react or introspect. My son literally forced me into the aircraft and flew here with me. The acceptance comes gradually.

Is there anything you would like to tell those who are in a similar situation as you?
Everything is possible today. Don’t lose hope or heart. It’s amazing how advanced medical science is today. I would also like to add that I am not discounting the fact every treatment is possible in India. I was sent here because the oncologists in India said that I must immediately go to Sloan (the medical centre in New York). They wanted me to come here. We also have the best doctors and hospitals in our country. I want people to know this. They don’t have to follow what I did. My dear friend Rakesh Roshan also had a minor hiccup, but he got himself treated in India. He is absolutely fine now. You don’t have to leave your country and come here for treatment.

Irrespective of age, children become a huge support system for their parents when they are going through a battle of this kind. They suddenly become mature and strong, often beyond their years. Did you see that change in Ranbir and Riddhima as well?
They have been very supportive. Ranbir keeps coming here every five-six weeks. He has been here four-five times at least. Whenever he gets time off from his work, he comes here. My daughter and grand-daughter (Samara) just left this morning. Have they changed? Not really. Of course, they are concerned. I am their father. But not just my children, my entire family has been there for me. Neetu (wife) has been my greatest support. She stood by me through thick and thin. Even my siblings especially my elder sister (Ritu Nanda) and my niece (Natasha) — who are also in New York have been there for me. My sister has also gone through a similar situation, and she was here for eight months as well. They were a great source of help and my anchor, as they had gone through the whole process, so it made it easier for me to accept and understand. Of course, earlier when I came here, it was tough as I was in the hospital for the first three-and-a-half months. I had lost my appetite. I had to undergo blood transfusion for the first few months. It has stopped now, but that really worried me. God has been kind. Forget about me, it was really tough for Neetu. Times like these remind you what human values are. I received tremendous support from those close to me. In the time of crisis when they come to your aid, you realise what relationships truly mean.

You are yearning to get back to work and face the camera. While that will happen soon, your film Jhootha Kahin Ka, releases tomorrow. Talking about your movie must feel like a welcome change...
Unfortunately, some work on this film and some dubbing on another film was left incomplete. I thank the producers as none of them even brought it up. I am guilty of the fact that I had to leave in such a situation. I cannot thank them enough for not complaining one bit about anything. When I started recovering a few months back and feeling better, I told them that I cannot come back to India, but they could come here and finish the dubbing or whatever is left. So, that is what they did. My director Smeep Kang (right) came here and that’s how we completed the film and it’s releasing now. There’s another film that I am yet to dub for. They said we will hold the film for you. They have shown great solidarity. This really touched my heart.

What drew you to Jhootha Kahin Ka? The title, I am sure, is close to your heart because you did a film of the same name in 1979, opposite Neetu Singh...
I think I haven’t really done justice to the comic genre before. I did semi-comic films in the romantic period of my life like Rafoo Chakkar, but I have predominantly always been in dramas and situational comedies, not out-and-out comedies. I have tried my hand at it with this film and I don’t know if people will accept it. Let’s see how that goes with the audience. I would like my fans to see if it for sure. I did the same kind of film, with the same title, with Neetu 40 years back. I got engaged on April 13, 1979 and that is the day when JKK released as well.

Isn’t the thought of getting back to work after so long both exciting and unnerving?
It’s an overwhelming situation. Most people are calling my son to ask him if I could work in their films, but right now, I can’t commit to anything as I don’t know when I am coming back. I want to do films at leisure. Not that anything is wrong with me or anything has changed. I am the same person, I have the same vigour. It is just that I need to come back and first get into the groove. I have been out of touch with films for a long time. I have had a couple of blood transfusions, so I keep joking with my wife that my blood has been changed. I keep wondering if something has changed in me. I will definitely do the two films that I have committed to. One, that I left off in Delhi and the other is a remake of a huge Bengali hit film. It’s a challenging role. The makers had come to see me here. I haven’t said yes to anyone else yet. Once I get to know my plans and I get back to Mumbai, I want to relax for some days. Maybe, I have forgotten acting! I have never stayed away from the camera for such a long time in my life. This has never happened in the last 45 years, except for the time that I directed Aa Ab Laut Chalen (1999), which was also shot in New York. That was the year when I did not face the camera. The coincidence is eerie. It felt like deja vu. After giving a year to that film, I immediately did character roles in films like Raju Chacha (2000) and Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi (2001).

Like the title of the film you directed (Aa Ab Laut Chalen), it seems that you are yearning to come home too...
You want to go back to your home, your bed, your home cooked meal and work place. I can’t wait to face the camera again, I hope I haven’t lost my touch. I hope I am still an actor. I will be coming back to India after a year of not working in films.

Jhootha Kahin Ka, produced by Deepak Mukut and Anuj Sharma, under the banner of Shantketan Entertainments, and presented by Soham Rockstar Entertainment, releases on July 19.