From discovering patience to missing pomfret, Rishi Kapoor opens up on his homecoming after a year in New York
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; August 21, 2019)

Tell him his fans miss him, and Rishi Kapoor says he too, is counting the days to his return to Mumbai. The veteran hopes to be with his family when they celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi on September 2. Couple that with his birthday on September 4, and the superstar has enough reasons to be back in town by next weekend. "Celebrating Ganpati is a family tradition. So, I am hoping to be part of it," he says from New York, where he has been seeking treatment since September 2018.

Little can dampen Kapoor's feisty spirit — currently, in the last leg of his treatment, he cheerfully describes his New York stay as "an extended holiday". But the foodie in him good-naturedly complains, "I miss eating pomfret; it's not available here. I also miss the soft homemade chapatis. You get all sorts of naan and rotis, but those soft chapatis made of chakki ka atta are something else!"

As he has been up and around in the Big Apple, he is often thronged by fans not only from India but also Pakistan and Bangladesh. "Taxi drivers don't take money, they only want a selfie with me," he laughs, before narrating a funny incident. "Once I was at a restaurant, which had several Bangladeshi waiters. Each of them came and greeted me. One of the American staff members thought I was an ex waiter there, which is why the staff was talking to me. They were so embarrassed, but I laughed all the way back home."

The past 12 months have been as testing on him as they have been meditative. As he battled the Big C, Kapoor acknowledges that the phase taught him the virtue of patience. "I have learnt to remain calm with my family and fans. I owe it to them; they have given me so much love and sent good wishes. Neetu has been my rock and has shouldered all the responsibilities. So has been my family, who would drop in to give me the strength to battle my illness."

After he returns to the bay, Kapoor promises that he will dive into work once again. "I have to complete The Body [with Emraan Hashmi]. They have been gracious enough to wait for me. There are two more films in the pipeline."

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.

Rishi Kapoor opens up on his battle with the Big C, informs that he has one treatment left after which he will be able to plan his return, reveals he has given his nod to a film and is set to get back in action
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 17, 2019)

It’s around 9:30 am in New York. In response to our text message, Rishi Kapoor asks for a few minutes to finish his breakfast before he gets on the call to talk at length and put all speculations about his health and a forthcoming film to rest. Excerpts from an interview:

There’s been plenty of speculation about your health. Can you tell us how you have been doing?
On the subject of my health, thanks to the prayers and good wishes of my family, friends and fans, I am perfect now. The cancer is in remission, but I am still under treatment. I have a crucial meeting with the doctors today at 10.45 am, there’s one treatment still left to be done. The problem is not the treatment but the reaction time. There is a six-week gap between one treatment and the next when all you can do is eat, shop, watch movies, live a normal life which I would rather do at home than here in New York. It’s been nine months and 16 days—I know since I have been counting the days—that I have been away. I really miss home.

When can we expect to see you back?
I have to be here for 11 months, so I will not be back before the end of August. It’s been a difficult time, very taxing, but Neetu (wife), and my children (Ranbir and Riddhima) have been very supportive. I am grateful to everyone. I am waiting to come back and raring to get going. I will plan my return five-six weeks after my last treatment. It is called consolidation or pushback, whereby I will have to undergo chemotherapy to ensure that the ailment does not return. This is the second time I am going through the treatment. I am hoping that I can plan an end-August return but all this talk that I will be back in early September for my birthday, is again nothing but speculation.

Despite the difficult times, in all the pictures that Neetu ji has been posting over the months, you have always had a smile and a look of serenity on your face. Has battling the Big C changed your perspective towards life?
Not really, it’s because of the love of those who have dropped by to visit me here. I feel so overjoyed… so wanted… that people have come all the way to New York to show their warmth and express concern over my health. I can now reassure everyone that the cancer is in remission, I just need a few more weeks before I return home. Once in a year or a year-and-a-half I have to come back for check-ups. When I first came here, everyone was worried for me. The problem was detected when I was shooting in Delhi and was required to dye my hair white. I was told to immediately rush to the Sloan Kettering Hospital. I came here with my hair still dyed white. When word got around that Rishi Kapoor had gone to New York for some kind of medical examination, rumour spread that I was so unwell that my hair had turned white overnight. To counter this, whenever friends of mine came to see me, they posted pictures so people could see what Rishi Kapoor really looked like. Thankfully, my health started improving, week after week, month after month. I had lost 26 kg as I had no appetite for the first four months. Now, I’ve gained seven-eight kg. I don’t want to look too lean, but I haven’t gone back to my original self either. Thank God for that.

Would you want to reveal what kind of cancer you are battling?
We will talk about the disease later, let’s not get into that now. Let’s talk about my films now.

Yes, you have Jhootha Kahin Ka coming up, it must bring back memories considering Neetu ji and you have worked on a film with the same title 40 years ago. Besides the nostalgia attached to it, what drew you to the script and what do you remember from the earlier film?
The first film was in 1979, I remember we got engaged on the day of the film’s premiere in Delhi on the eve of its release. Forty years later, I am working in another Jhootha Kahin Ka in which while I am not the lead actor, I play an important role. I was very happy to work with director Smeep Kang and producer Deepak Mukut on this comedy. It was a genre I had not done and I find these youthful parodies funny and quite enjoyed myself doing this one. We shot the film extensively in Mauritius and some portions in Mumbai. Unfortunately, my illness took me away otherwise it would have released earlier. They came to New York to do a part of the dubbing. One more film, The Body, is also waiting for me to return and finish it. Perhaps I might dub that here.

There have been reports in the press that you are not happy with the producers of Jhootha Kahin Ka for suddenly deciding to release it this Friday?
Yes, I have been seeing these reports on Twitter and I am very upset with all this nonsense being written. In the last 10 months, I have not spoken to anyone from the media, though they have always supported me. I agree with Kangana Ranaut that some people write anything and as a result, serious journalists get drawn into the controversy. When did I say I was upset? I have not been in the country for months. This is not done, it tarnishes the credibility of other journalists who write and report well. Though I do not entirely agree with what Kangana said, on this point anyone can get upset.

You have worked in as many as five comedies in the last few years, including Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi, Wedding Pullav, 102 Not Out, Rajma Chawal and Jhootha Kahin Ka, you really like the genre. Most actors say that it’s easy to make a person cry but really difficult to make them laugh. Would you agree?
Let me put it this way, all my life I have been singing songs, romancing, doing drama. I never really did comedy, barring Rafoo Chakkar and Jhootha Kahin Ka. Aamir Khan’s Ghajini borrowed the entire romantic track in the first half from Neetu and my earlier film. Everything, including the dialogue. I have not really experimented with this genre, perhaps because people didn’t think comedy was my forte. I don’t think even 102 Not Out was a comedy, it had comic moments but was not a comic film. I don’t think I have a good comedy in my repertoire, only serious films even in character roles. So, I really hope the audience like this attempt at making them laugh.

When you get back to India, will we see you jump back to action or would you want to take it slow now?
I am raring to get back to work. I have a film commitment which I will resume. Then, I have another film a director and producer came to meet me for. I can’t get into details right now as we still have to sort out a few things but verbally I have given them a “yes”. The moment I get back, I will take 15 days off to connect with my roots, get over the jet lag, get into IST and hopefully by the end of September I will start shooting.

This time away from home must have really brought the family together?
Yes, all my siblings, my children and Neetu in particular, who has been like a solid rock, have been around me, supporting me through all this. Right now, my daughter and grand-daughter are with me. Ranbir keeps coming every five-six weeks. I am overjoyed by all the love and concern, the solidarity of my family. Here I have to make a special mention of my niece Natasha and my elder sister Ritu Nanda who is also here for the same reason. They were our anchors who kept Neetu and me going. When your anxiety is so high you need this kind of support and such motivational people around.


With Ranbir and Neetu in New York (above); With wife Neetu, sisters Rima Jain, Ritu Nanda and niece Natasha (above; right)

On the eve of his 66th birthday, Rishi Kapoor chats about the Muslim characters he’s played on screen, Twitter controversies, and Alia Bhatt
Khalid Mohamed (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 2, 2018)

He’s at Wit’s End, a neat apartment complex in a slim lane in Bandra. Around noon, the mood is distinctly upbeat; his pet dog Dudley scampers through the bespoke appointed rooms. Neetu Singh is pecking on an avocado salad after a yoga session. And he’s in his den snugly settled on a black leatherupholstered chair, sipping an espresso from a copper cup.

Rishi Kapoor, who turns 66 on Tuesday, has never looked so sorted down the years and years I’ve known him. At the outset, he speaks at length about the family resolve to sell R K Studios, ending with, “We’ve taken an impractical decision for practical reasons.” Right.

Next, I bring up the Instagram post by Neetu Singh, saying she’s so proud that her two boys are rocking the movie casbah — he with his emotionally-layered performance in Mulk, and son Ranbir with his tour de force act in Sanju. The Sr. boy smiles bashfully, “Yup, it feels good. I’ve been getting sweet text messages from all over the world. My only regret is that the film was banned in Pakistan. Perhaps because we showed that Indian Muslims continue to be heckled with that awful line, ‘Go back to Pakistan’. I wish they would reconsider the ban.”

The beleaguered Murad Ali Mohammed of Mulk is an addition to the gallery of at least ten Muslim characters the actor has portrayed over the decades.

These choices weren’t deliberate, he emphasises, adding, “Uncannily, I’ve been the good guy as well as the baddie. Rauf Lala of Agneepath and Murad of Mulk are at two ends of a spectrum. There was a time, when, like most actors, I’d shun villainous parts, except in the whodunit Khoj which few remember. Imagine, I’d even turned down the Shah Rukh Khan role of the stalker in Darr. Once, bad guys on the screen were bad news.”

Enacting the lovestruck qawwal in Amar Akbar Anthony for Manmohan Desai was a lark. In Tawaif, his name was Dawood which led the infamous D to invite him to tea during a concert tour in Dubai, circa 1988, and express gratitude for ‘redeeming’ his name. Piquantly, years later he was to portray the D in D-Day.

The Muslim social Deedar-e-Yaar, he points out, may have bombed, but it did deal with the issue of talaaq. As for Rauf Laala of Agneepath, he rewinds, “It took me months to say yes. I’m glad I did. It was among the initial bunch of films, along with Do Dooni Chaar, Aurangzeb and Luck By Chance which got my second innings going.”

Not an actor to be easily creatively satisfied, Rishi Kapoor whoops, “Belatedly maybe, it’s been a thrill ride with Kapoor and Sons, 102 Not Out (right), and Mulk, which is my greatest leap forward. As soon as (writer-director) Anubhav Sinha narrated the story to me, I was on. Mind you, he didn’t bat an eyelid when I said fine, but I will take my full price. No concessions. If he had haggled, I would have shown him the door.” If there was a shadow of doubt, it was vis-a-vis the Central Board of Film Certification. “I thought we may have trod on too many toes. My apprehensions were misplaced. Not one cut was imposed,” the actor exults, “because of the ending, the judge’s verdict. Anubhav was called in after the censor screening and told they would have banned it if it wasn’t for the finale which sensibly answered all the questions raised by the film.”

His voice softens, “The Kapoor family has always been secular. At the height of communal strife around 1947, my grandfather Prithviraj had staged the play Pathan, about a friendship between a Hindu and a Muslim. It ran to 600 packed shows.”

Several actors of late have aligned themselves to political ideologies if they haven’t become practising politicians themselves. To that, he grimaces, “Count me out of that, please. Apart from a few exceptions, the film industry cannot be accused of partisanship or bigotry. Sure, I’ve been trolled about my tweets — like the one about the ban on alcohol in Bihar and the one where I said I eat beef when I’m out of the country. Trolls don’t affect me any more though my family keeps telling me to go easy. Maybe I have.”

Can he top his Mulk performance? “Uff!” he looks at me pityingly. “An actor doesn’t plot and plan his next move. Undoubtedly, I will keep doing some inane films and hopefully, some significant films which raise awareness on social issues — without getting preachy or foisting a political agenda. In fact, there’s Pandit Ki Gully Mein Ali with Sanjay Dutt in the works. It’s a strong subject done with humour. When the subject was first brought to me, I’d said, ‘What! Are you trying to create a civil war?’ [The late] Farooq Sheikh, who was to co-star, then, had called to ask, ‘Aap dar gaye kya?” Since then, the script has been redone. All the details are still to be finalised.”

Lunch is served. Rishi Kapoor’s controlling his lust for food, though. Salad and poached eggs on wheat bread are served. Would I like Chinese instead? he apologises. No, no, all’s perfect. Between mouthfuls, I ask why he’s never been honoured with the Padma Shri, which has been bestowed generously on lesser actors. “You’re bent on spoiling my lunch, aren’t you?” he ripostes. “Look, Kishore Kumar and Shammi Kapoor weren’t given the honorifics during their lifetime. So who am I?”

Fearing Rishi Kapoor’s flash of temper, I’ve saved my last morsel of curiosity for dessert. As soon as Belgian chocolates are offered for dessert, I stammer, “Aa…and what’s your take on Alia Bhatt?”

“What take? Talk straight,” he responds coolly.

“Okay, there’s much curiosity about Ranbir and Alia. You approve of the jodi?”

The straight-off answer is: “It’s Ranbir’s life. Who he wants to get married to is his prerogative. Neetu likes her, I like her, Ranbir likes her. Get it? I can’t be judgmental. After all, my uncles Shammi ji and Shashi ji and I chose our life partners. Ranbir is entitled to choose his.”

The afternoon’s almost done. Rishi Kapoor wants to snatch a nap before a photo-crew arrives for a look-test for his next project. Cradling Dudley in his arms, he sees me to the elevator with the parting shot, “They say nothing is permanent, nor temporary. Could be but right now I’m feeling on top of the world. And I hope it stays that way.”

Rishi Kapoor opens up on why his upcoming film Mulk is relevant today
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; August 2, 2018)

Rishi Kapoor, on several occasions, has expressed how he has been fortunate to find challenging roles in the second innings of his career. In what could well be another significant part, the veteran will be seen playing the patriarch of a Muslim family that is trying to reclaim its lost honour in his upcoming release, Mulk. Apart from the creative satisfaction he derived from essaying the layered role, Kapoor is glad that the Anubhav Sinha-directed film unflinchingly puts the spotlight on a subject that few dare to discuss — communal conflicts in India.

"There is a general belief that every terrorist is a Muslim. But one has to understand that not all Muslims are terrorists. With Mulk, we are trying to challenge that misguided belief," says the actor, adding, "Muslims are looked upon with a suspicious eye, all over the world. Our film is based on a Muslim family, but it can be true for any community. It's a human saga that is throwing light on the happenings in our society."

At a time when lynching and mobocracy is unfortunately on the rise, the senior actor feels that it is only apt that cinema reflect the grim reality that we live in. "Mulk is a film that needs to be seen. The film shows people's attitude towards each other in society. After all, a country is made by the people living in it. So essentially, we are responsible for what happens here. Lynching has become common these days. The world is progressing, and we are still fighting over communal issues."

Satisfied as an artiste, Kapoor says the only dream he harbours at 65 is to visit his ancestral home in Peshawar. "I have been fortunate enough to visit Pakistan [he shot Henna there in 1990], but I would love to go there again. It's been 70 years and we are still fighting over Kashmir. Pakistan should realise India will never give Kashmir to them."

In his trademark candid style, Rishi Kapoor on his wish to see Ranbir Kapoor tie the knot and why he can't broach the subject with him
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; July 23, 2018)

Rishi Kapoor has been generous with his praise for Ranbir Kapoor's performance in Sanju. Proud as he is that his son has achieved so much success in his career, the veteran hopes that Ranbir devotes as much time to his personal life as well.

One can see glimpses of the protective parent in him as he says, "It is high time he got married. I settled down when I was 27, Ranbir is 35. So he should think about marriage. He can marry anyone of his choice; we don't have any objection to it. I want to spend time with my grandchildren before I am gone."

The senior actor, who will soon be seen in Mulk, understands that the demanding nature of showbiz leaves little place for personal life. "[Be it] Ranbir or his contemporaries, actors have blinkers on and are focused on their work. The only women they meet are the actresses. They don't socialise as much; that is the flipside of life in the movies."

Rishi, who has often admitted that he is more of a disciplinarian than a friend to his son, says that the distance between them discourages him from broaching the subject with him. "I haven't been vocal about it, but my wife [Neetu Kapoor] keeps bringing it up with him and he just brushes the question away. Whenever he is ready for it, we will be happy. Our happiness lies in his happiness, after all."

After opening up on his relationship with Alia Bhatt earlier this year, Ranbir has been making frequent public appearances with his ladylove. His mother Neetu too has made her fondness for Bhatt known, on several occasions. Ask Rishi about the lovebirds and he says, "Jo hai woh hai, sabko pata hai. I don't need to say anything more."

Hiren Kotwani (DNA; July 5, 2018)

On Tuesday, when Mumbai was deluged, actor-filmmaker Rishi Kapoor got a day off. He decided to use his time to catch his son Ranbir Kapoor’s latest offering, Sanju.

In the past, Rishi has always held back his praise for RK Junior but this time around, he seemed to be genuinely bowled over. He says, “Compliments have been pouring in for Ranbir from varied quarters. I was at the lounge at Dubai airporten route to Mumbai from Mauritius when a bunch of passengers, who had caught the film overseas, walked up to me and showered praises on my son. I got to see the movie only four days after the release because I was away. And, I must say that despite everything I had heard, I was pleasantly surprised by Ranbir’s performance as Sanjay Dutt. It was subtle, sincere and so accurate. I salute Rajkumar Hirani, who is one of my favourite filmmakers. When Munnabhai MBBS released, I was one of the first to go to his home in Bandra East to compliment him. From that time on, I’ve always been a huge fan of the man. Besides Ranbir, I was impressed with Paresh Rawal and Vicky Kaushal. I was actually looking to speak to Vicky, but I am told he is in Serbia.”

The veteran actor continues, “In the past, I have heard many people berate Ranbir for his unusual choice of films. From the time he did Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year (2009) till Barfi (2012), he’s had his share of detractors, who have been unkind to some of the movies that he did. Let me be honest, on a few occasions, even I used to think that perhaps my son had got it all wrong.”

Rishi continues, “But I have never voiced my views because Ranbir and I have a pact. I have never interfered in his career, I never will. Even 20 days before Sanju released, there were a few naysayers who did raise doubts on whether it would work and if Ranbir would be able to pull off his act as Sanjay, who is a larger-than-life-superstar. However, now that the film is here and things have worked out, I’m happy. The box office is the ultimate validation.”

The 65-year-old is glad that his son’s hard work and patience has paid off. He avers, “Ranbir has made Neetu and me proud. His decision to swim against the tide and still hold his own is something I appreciate. I salute his brave choices. I also thank people from across the globe who have showered their love and praise on him.”

He is hopeful that the Kapoor scion continues to do good work. He adds that among the current generation of actors, his favourites are Ranveer Singh and Varun Dhawan, besides of course his own son.

Asserting that his love for his craft is enough, Rishi Kapoor says he will "never" explore direction again
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; May 6, 2018)

Rishi Kapoor is not one to evade questions, but he does tire of repetition. "How many times can I answer the same questions over and over again? It's either about the role or the film? Ask me kuch alag." So we ask him "kuch alag". We ask him to reflect on his past ventures, like, maybe, Ranbhoomi (1991), also starring Jeetendra and Shatrughan Sinha. "Why are you reminding me about it," he groans. "It was an awful film, which is better forgotten. Ask me something else."

Seated with the veteran at a Juhu hotel, we're instantly reminded about how this place was once the hotspot for stars, including him. "Yes it was, years ago. This was the happening place. Today, every memory of my life is at least 30 to 40 years old. This generation refers to me as Ranbir Kapoor's father. That's fine. I live in the present. I'm not one to keep saying, 'Hamara bhi zamaana tha.' You must move on with the time."

Moving on in his career, however, has landed Rishi Kapoor back in time. His recent venture, 102 Not Out, sees him collaborate with an artiste he shared screen space with 27 years ago. "Amit ji [Amitabh Bachchan] has played my step father-in-law, brother and buddy. Now, I am playing his son. I have been working with him for 44 years. It is not that I haven't met him throughout these years. We catch up at social gatherings. He is a challenging and delightful actor. I consider myself a student of cinema, so I continously learn from him."

Even though their collaboration has given the industry masterpieces like Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Naseeb (1981) and Coolie (1983), among others, Kapoor singles out Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) as a film that's special. "People tell me today that [even] children love watching it. It is a timeless film, it is like watching Charlie Chaplin. You can watch it over and over again."


Amitabh Bachchan has previously been seen as his brother in Amar Akbar Anthony

Kapoor not only gives credit to audiences' sensibilities when appreciating the films the like, but also points out that they are too evolved to accept poor content offered to them by filmmakers. "In the past, every film had the underlying lost-and-found theme. Every actor had at least four films that followed the 'bachpan mein bichad gaye' theme, and those films worked. At that time, the audience was forgiving. Today they will not accept anything. There is so much exposure," he says, pointing towards the inevitable competition they face from Hollywood. "Viewers want chic films, interesting stories, the best popcorn and top amenities at the multiplex. Their demand is justified, given that they shell out Rs 400 for a ticket."

While the veteran loves to entertain those turning up at cinema halls with his acting prowess, he says they will "never" be witness to his abilities as director again. After wielding the directorial baton in 1991 for Akshaye Khanna and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan starrer Aa Ab Laut Chalen, he confesses he'd rather "leave the stress" on set when working on a film. "An actor is a king. People will do salaam to you when you enter and exit the set. Directors or producers have to endure many hassles. I don't want to go through the stress of acquiring great box office collections. I am 65 and have been working for over four decades. Why would I take on something more challenging than I can handle?"

Acting he says, is his passion, even if he never permitted his parents to notice how excited he was when he first harboured the thought of being an actor. When his father, the late Raj Kapoor casually spoke about including a young Rishi in his project, he was thrilled. "I ran into my room, took a sheet and started practising signing autographs. Cinema has his own charm. Movies are magical."

It's probably this admiration that he has for the industry that keeps him going. Even at 65, he has his hands full with his projects. He recently wrapped up Anubhav Sinha's Mulk, and Leena Yadav's Rajma Chawal, and will soon kickstart work on Malayalam director Jeetu Joseph's Bollywood debut. He is also invested in the stage play based on his autobiography, Khullam Khulla.

"I have done shows in Dubai, Hong Kong, Bahrain and London. Most of the audience comprises people who are above 45 years of age, that's a lot that has grown up watching my films, ones who know me." But Kapoor's is a name known across age groups. The young folk on Twitter know him as the man who can't stop ranting. The actor has mastered the art of tackling trolls. "I keep taking panga on social media," he smirks, adding, "But, what I tweet is straight from the heart."

When trolls messed with Rishi
> In 2017, trolls suggested that "primary education" be made mandatory in nepotistic Bollywood when Kapoor inadvertently shared a math troll meme that read: "If you add your age to your birth year, you will arrive at 2017. This happens once in 1000 years."

> Throwing up names like Jack Daniel and Black Label, twitterverse questioned the actor what liquor was he consuming when he joked about wanting a repeat of former Indian Cricket captain Saurav Ganguly's shirtless celebration at the Women's World Cup final last year.

> Kapoor irked fans of Twinkle Khanna when he wished her on her birthday while reminding her that she was in her "mums tummy when I was serenading her in Bobby "Aksar koi Ladka" In 1973 (sic)."

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; May 3, 2018)

He was the ultimate lover boy of the 70s and 80s. Good-looking, charming, talented and believable, along with the enviable touch of the mighty Kapoor lineage. He had that effect on screen that made the lovely ladies go ‘oooh’ in the aisles. That was Rishi Kapoor. Cut to current day, those covetable traits haven’t lost colour, but within that same actor, a new one is born. Rishi Kapoor reloaded. At 65, he’s picking his roles with relish and shining in characters that are challenging him like never before. The upcoming 102 Not Out, directed by Umesh Shukla, starring Amitabh Bachchan along with him, is another proof of that. The actor talks to BT about his learnings from Mr Bachchan, the audience’s changing appetite in cinema and how he can’t help but call a spade a spade, whether he’s talking about films, fans or family. Read on...

Would you say that at 65, you are at a superb stage of your career? Do you find yourself challenging the actor in you now more than ever?
I have never been offered such characters and roles in my entire career. The first 25 years, I was only singing songs and serenading the heroine; enough of playing a loverboy, I am over the hill for that now. The roles that I am doing currently are varied and challenging. I find it fantastic that someone like me can do such contrasting films like Do Dooni Chaar (2010), Student Of The Year (2012), Kapoor & Sons (Since 1921) (2016), and even play characters like Rauf Lala in Agneepath (2012) or Dawood in D-Day (2013). These roles are tough but that’s the beauty of it, as I you have never done this in my life. This is what challenges and excites me as an actor.

The fact that you don’t have to conform to any type of role or genre, in order to cement your success or reinforce stardom, makes it even better, right?
There was a spell in between when some people wanted me to play a father, but I didn’t want to. There is nothing in it for me, and I told them that I am too expensive for it, and I can’t play a father, who is reprimanding his son or daughter. So, I don’t do those roles, unless they are very prominent like the one in Patiala House (2011). It has to be a well-defined character and it has to be one of the most prominent characters in the film. Right now, I am happy with what I am doing. My plate is full; I have films like Mulq, Rajma Chawal, Jhootha Kahin Ka, and some other projects in the pipeline that will go on the floors soon. I feel like I am internally and externally all charged up. In fact, why now? I was always charged up to take on challenging roles, but I never got an opportunity.

Today, good parts are being written for actors. Prominent filmmakers are pushing their boundaries and taking chances with subjects, unlike what we have seen in years. The leading man can be anything from 20 to 75 years old, it doesn’t matter…
(Cuts in)… Yes, because today, content is king. Earlier, cinema in India was only youth-oriented; it was all about song, dance and romance. Now, the people who watch films at multiplexes go with a different sensibility, and the rickshawala who watches films in a single screen theatre has his own sensibility. That audience (single screen) will always be there in India, the maar pitaai and even the crude humour will always remain. But the audience that has emerged because of the multiplex wants better films. They want different content, as they are exposed to social media, world cinema and international shows. The world is their oyster. Today, our content is directly in competition with Western cinema; hence, we need to give the audience the best. We have made a film like 102 Not Out, which challenges the basic norms of filmmaking. There are 76 and 65-year-old actors in the lead, there is no female lead, no romance, song or dance. We are waiting to see how the audience reacts to it.

Talking about your 76-yearold co-star, Amitabh Bachchan, was it nostalgic working with him again after a gap of 27 years?
Our journey began 42 years ago with Kabhi Kabhie. Thereafter, we have played brothers, friends and now, father and son. When I heard the story idea, it was very exciting to see how a father sends his son to an old-age home. Later, when I heard the whole script, I was bowled over. To have Amit ji as a costar is always a dream. I don’t even need to say it; he is such a wonderful co-artiste, friend and relative. We worked together after 27 years, but the moment we rehearsed, we knew that we were on the same wavelength. Of course, we are older and our reflexes might have jaded, but I learnt another lesson from Amit ji while working on this film. Generally, when I am working, I tend to learn from my seniors and juniors. Every time, I take a lesson home from some actor or the other, and this time, it was him. It is amazing to see how he enters into a character, and how he romances and flirts with it. That is how he fine-tunes it and brings out the nuances. After the first few shots, it is bingo! Throughout the film, he conversed with our director Umesh Shukla, in the little Gujarati that he knows. The script of this film was endearing and new. For me, the challenge was how I can develop this character and what his body language should be. I am not playing Rishi Kapoor anymore, so I had to look different, too.

In your autobiography, you have said that in your younger days, you worked very hard to measure up to Mr Bachchan’s level of performance. After 27 years, did you push yourself as hard while working with him to bring out your best?
Yes, Mr Bachchan is such a professional that there is no mediocrity about that man, though some people might say so. They are absolutely wrong. He challenges you to perform better.

While there are several professions that have a retirement age, the beauty about being an actor is that as long as someone is writing a role for you, you can keep going on…
It wasn’t really like that earlier; it is something that is happening now. With actors like Mr Bachchan who are still doing such great work because roles are written for him, things are changing. Earlier, as actors grew older, they would retire and sit at home. But now, the whole trend has changed, like it is in the West. Look at actors like Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford; Eastwood did a romantic film like The Bridges Of Madison County (1995) along with Meryl Streep, at the age of 65.

Coming from such fine lineage, which is deeply rooted in Indian cinema, did you ever take anything for granted in your 20s and 30s? Or did you strive and struggle to get the best that was out there?
Nothing comes easy. People say there is nepotism, but I beg to differ; there is nothing of that sort. You are actually chosen by the people. There can be producers pushing their sons to become actors. They make five-six films, but when none of those work and they still keep pushing them, it is stupidity. They are probably talented, but sometimes, the audience just does not accept you. They don’t want to see you. Maybe I was lucky that people liked me in my films and I worked hard and kept doing more work. You can’t force yourself to become an actor and you can’t force yourself on people. An actor is the choice of the public, and they will make you what you are. They have to appreciate you and like you. When you do your first film, you will be compared to your predecessors, and that’s an ordeal for any young actor. The audience has to choose you; otherwise nothing works in your favour to become a star.

102 Not Out is a film is about a father and son. While raising your kids (Riddhima and Ranbir), did you see traces of your father (Raj Kapoor) in you?
My father was a very busy man. We spent most of our childhood with my mom (Krishna Raj Kapoor), not that my father did it on purpose. He would work in films outside his banner, and whatever he earned, he would put it into his own films. Of course, we were never deprived of basics like love, comfort and good schooling. We were taught how to deal with the world. Whenever my father had the time, we would travel with him to places like Japan and London. So, he tried to make time for us, but we were mostly with my mother. Similarly, while I was a busy actor, I would never work in the month of May, when my kids had school vacations. Twice a year, we would go on family holidays, I have never deprived them of that. When Ranbir and Riddhima were very young, they would come to my outdoor shoots, so that we could spend time together. When they started growing up, I thought that they needed more exposure, so I took them around the world. When my children were ready to fly, I let them and then they were on their own.

Talking about your son Ranbir, he is a huge star who has made different choices right from the start of his career. You must be proud of the kind of actor he has grown into…
Of course, I am proud of my son’s choices, they might be off the curve, but he was very clear at the beginning of his career that he didn’t want to do what the others did. If I had to guide him, I would never let him do films like Wake Up Sid (2009) and Barfi! (2012). But he did those films and proved his critics wrong. Every actor has ups and downs, you win some, you lose some. That’s okay, as long as you are a good actor, and you have the potential to be a star, that’s what matters.

Do you ever sit down and have discussions with Ranbir about love and life?
No, we don’t talk about love, life and all that. I can’t be very informal with my son as I was raised that way, I don’t know if it is good or bad, but I am like this and my children know it. Of course, I give them all my love, they are my children, but I am not that kind of an informal father, who can crack jokes and talk about girls with my son.

You took a brief break (23 days from Twitter), did you miss it? There are very few senior actors like Mr Bachchan and you, who have taken to this medium with such keen enthusiasm. How do you find this new-age way of connecting with your fans?
I was holidaying in the US when I was cut off from Twitter, because someone tried to hack into my email account, and when that happens, they temporarily discontinue the account. I don’t really chat as much with my fans. In fact, most of the time, I am fighting with them. I am not a pleasurable guy on Twitter, who is out there pleasing his fans. Honestly, I am terrible at it. I don’t even promote my films as I don’t find that exciting. I know I should do it, but I have no patience. Earlier, I hated giving autographs and now everyone has a camera, so everyone wants photographs. That’s even worse.

Though everyone will agree that on social media, you come across as extremely expressive, funny and fearlessly vocal about your views…
Well, I am that way; even my autobiography is like that. I am an honest and blunt man, and I believe that a fact is a fact. If something has to be said, I will go ahead and say it. I always call a spade a spade.

Rishi Kapoor on his legacy, his father and his son, and why acting is more enjoyable now
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 25, 2018)

When watching the trailer of your upcoming film 102 Not Out, noting the changing expressions, mood swings and subtle inflections in the voice, one realises that playing a 75-year-old character couldn’t have been easy.
It was a challenge but that makes it exciting for an actor. Umesh (director Umesh Shukla) and I took the character forward from Saumya Joshi’s original play, giving him creased shirts two sizes large and shoulders stooped from the tension he’s lugging around. Babulal Vakharia is khadoos, depressed and in denial. His 102-year-old father who aspires to be the world’s oldest man, wants to send him away to an old age home because he’s the most depressed man around. Herein lies the conflict and the story of the film.

What made the journey more interesting was Preetisheel Singh’s make-up. While playing a 90-year-old man in Kapoor & Sons I’d relied on prosthetics, this time it was just a wig, moustache and Amit ji (Amitabh Bachchan) complementing me with his getup. It wasn’t an easy walk-on part but no character actor has it easy because you’re not running around trees, serenading the heroine.

When the character requires you to be low, does the emotion spill over into real life?
Babulal’s not low, he’s straitjacketed with a short circuit, picky about details, bound by timetables and finicky about rituals.

Are you that finicky in real life?
Not like Babulal, who’s an eccentric, an extremist. I’m a normal person who takes life as it comes. In his case his life is disrupted if his routine is disturbed.

You’re in an interesting phase in your career with films like 102 Not Out, Mulk and Rajma Chawal, taking elderly characters out of the stereotype and towards newer horizons...
It’s a bloody high! I’m finally getting to play characters and not just be Rishi Kapoor. The Kapoor in Kapoor & Sons was not Rishi Kapoor. Ditto Santosh Duggal in Do Dooni Chaar, Romy Rolly in Luck By Chance, Rauf Lala in Agneepath and Iqbal Seth in D-Day. Even DCP Ravikant Phogat in Aurangzeb was an exciting role but it was a boring film and flopped so no one saw it. I keep changing Rishi Kapoor’s face all the time. I’m looking for challenges because all my life I only sang songs and romanced heroines. As I tell my wife, I’ll even lose weight for a film if I must but not just for the heck of it.

Even in your prime you were seen as an actor who could deliver…
But except for Prem Rog, Tawaif and Damini the rest were just romantic roles in films shot in Ooty, Kashmir and Switzerland. Back then we didn’t experiment. Even now the front benchers want maar dhaad — such films will always run in India — but we also have a new multiplex audience that is cinema literate and looking for different content. Films are no longer about song and dance, romance and the youth. For me content has always been king and I welcome this change.

What was your relationship with your father, Raj Kapoor, like?
He wasn’t just my father but also my guru who taught me the ropes and introduced me twice, in Mera Naam Joker and Bobby. I was in awe of him which was born out of love, respect and admiration. He was Raj Kapoor; there was a halo around his head. Till we completed school, we hardly saw him because he was busy making films. We didn’t know he was a popular actor-director, but we knew he was an important man because everywhere we went, people would look at us. Even in this hotel, if we came for dinner without a reservation, we got a table easily because of him. We never misused that privilege but he remained an awe-inspiring figure even when I was working with him.

Was he a jovial man?
No, he was a serious man whose work was his nirvana. But he was a kind father who went away too soon.

Has Rishi Kapoor changed with time?
Why would I change? Am I not doing good work? Have I not lasted in this industry for 45 years?

I meant as a person, not an actor...
I am a difficult man and not easy to get along with. I’m God-fearing and ritualistic. I pray twice a day, I’m bound by tradition and I am conservative. I’m also a big boozer.

And as a father?
I’m a loving father now but there was a time when my son and I didn’t get along because I was so busy. I’ve never given my son the liberty of being on back-slapping terms with me. There was this invisible glass pane between us… It’s like history repeating itself as it seems almost like my equation with my father. Now, I want Ranbir to get married, have some kids, so I can be a grandfather and make up for everything there.

Both of you are passionate about acting…
That’s the family trademark. Ranbir is the fourth generation of Kapoor males in the industry. In 107 years of Indian cinema, our contribution has been 90-plus years. Films are our livelihood, that’s the only thing I know how to do, but I also enjoy it and I am a hardworking actor. The Kapoor surname or Bobby, which I got because my work was appreciated in Mera Naam Joker, didn’t make me an overnight star. There are many Kapoors who didn’t make it, we were chosen by the people. There is no nepotism in films.

Please elaborate…
Well, perhaps I didn’t sleep on the road and didn’t starve because I came from a well-to-do family, but I also struggled as much as my contemporaries. Maybe not for a break but later to regain ground. Zanjeer released in the same year as Bobby and romance made way for action. I had to struggle to withstand such cyclones and that’s no mean feat. Today, thanks to my autobiography, Khullam Khulla, I’m getting invited by big corporate houses and even Google to tell my inspirational story.

Like you, Ranbir isn’t afraid to go against the ‘hero’ image…
(Smiling proudly) Yes, and the reactions to his new film Sanju have been phenomenal. All the calls and messages I’ve been getting since morning are about him. He always wanted to be an actor but told his mother that he wouldn’t wear a twisted cap on his head and have 40 dancers suddenly appear behind him. He wanted a different career graph and took on serious films like Wake Up Sid and Rocket Singh. Some films, like Jagga Jasoos and Bombay Velvet, failed, but no actor has a 100 per cent track record. But as the saying goes, ‘Form is temporary, class is permanent’.

Meena Iyer (DNA; March 12, 2018)

A while ago, Rishi Kapoor, who is usually averse to photo shoots, surprised lensman Vickky Idnaani by accompanying him to one of Mumbai’s busiest streets and posing for him in a bright red car. The photographer, who hadn’t seen this facet of the actor, was delighted to capture the senior star in a different light!

Cut to the present...
RK is all set to leave for London to perform his one-act play Khullam Khulla. After finalising the details of his trip with his team, he takes a short break from his packing for an informal chat about his late uncle, Shashi Kapoor, who would have turned 80 on March 18, working with Amitabh Bachchan after a gap of 27 years and why he is indebted to Paresh Rawal.

I didn’t wish Shashi uncle personally last year…
Rishi exclaims, “I do not recall wishing Shashi uncle personally on his birthday last year. I must have put up something on my social media, I’m not sure. However, in our earlier years, I would usually wish him over the phone because he was travelling across the globe, shooting for one film or the other. He was a superstar and a very busy one at that. This birthday would have been an extra special one for him because he would have turned 80. It would have been a big moment for the family.

In the last three years, he was suffering a lot. He had to go for dialysis thrice a week. And, I hated seeing him suffer. We visited him during Christmas, but that was a family tradition. The entire khandaan was there. So, it wasn’t as if he and I had any especially-allocated time together. I cannot remember too many of Shashi uncle’s birthdays, except his 50th. My father threw a huge bash on March 18, 1988. Papa passed away the same year on June 2, and the party was perhaps one of the most momentous things he did before he fell ill.

My dad loved Shashi uncle a lot and was very protective about him. He loved Shammi uncle and Umi aunty, his two other siblings, as well. There was a 14-year age gap between Shashi uncle and my dad. So, papa almost thought of him as another son. He also played the young Raj Kapoor in Awara (1951) and went on to do movies with him later in life. Shashi uncle distributed Bobby (1973) for us because my father was in dire straits after Mera Naam Joker (1970). We needed someone to bail us out. In that sense, Shashi uncle played an important role in my life. Besides working with him in Kabhi Kabhie (1976), I acted in his directorial debut Ajooba (1991). So, there are many milestones with him. I may not be able to recall everything. Cheers to him on his 80th. I will raise a toast to him. I am sure he is up there with Jennifer aunty, his other siblings (Raj and Shammi) and my grandparents. Shashi uncle’s death brought the curtains down on an entire generation. And, his passing away has left us ‘poorer’ in that sense.

Teaming up with Big B after more than two decades
Amitabh Bachchan is senior to me in terms of age as well as star status. But both of us attained superstardom in the same year, 1973 — he with Zanjeer and me with Bobby. Of course, our first film together was Kabhi Kabhie and thereafter, we acted in three movies for Manmohan Desai — Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Naseeb (1981) and Coolie (1983). Then we did Ajooba for Shashi uncle.

Now, 102 Not Out is our sixth film after a gap of 27 years. In those days, I have played Amitji’s younger brother, his friend and he has even essayed the role of my stepfather-in-law in Kabhi Kabhie. Now again, we are playing father and son where he is 102 and I am 75 years of age.102 Not Out is super special. Our bonding wasn’t exactly about fun and games as it’s a highly emotional movie. The story is extraordinarily touching. I can’t give away too much, but the subject deals with some important facets of the relationship between an aged father and his son.

Speaking of which, it is said once you have ridden a cycle, even if you haven’t attempted it for a while, the moment you get back on it, you find the balance. It’s the same for my equation with Amitji.

The moment Amitji and I connected after 27 years, we had found the rhythm following the first shot. It was as if we just left the other day and got connected in a jiffy. It was as easy as that. Amitji is so perfect. He is very well-rehearsed and knows his lines. I am very weak at this. Sometimes, I don’t bother to learn my dialogues because I fear that I might stagnate. But I feel it is important to know your lines.

Amitji knows how to switch from one role to the other. I haven’t worked with him for long, but I observed how he understands the rhythm and slowly gets into the skin of his character. Between takes, we spoke only when it was needed as Amitji is a man of few words and so am I. We shot the entire film at one place in a single long schedule. The set was close to his house.

Paresh gave me the go-ahead for the film
I’m indebted to Paresh Rawal for letting me play this role. Initially, this film was offered to him, but Amitji and his dates weren’t matching. He was in Ali Abbas Zafar's Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) and was filming Rajkumar Hirani’s Sanjay Dutt biopic. Amitji gave his dates all of a sudden because one of his films got deferred. The producers assumed they wouldn’t be able to get Paresh, so they approached me. I told them, ‘I will do it only on one condition. I need a clearance (NOC) from Paresh.’

Paresh gave me the go ahead. But I feel if the producers had worked around things a bit, then they might have been able to get Amitabh and him together.

Both characters have the same amount of footage in the film, so it was imperative to match their dates. I told Paresh that he was the best choice for the role. However, he didn’t want to do the film as he was hurt by what the producers had done. I won’t say that he gifted me the role, but circumstances willed it in such a way that I got the opportunity to work with Amitji after 27 years.

I have sung for the first time
Incidentally, I have sung a song for 102 Not Out, for the first time. Imagine, I have made my singing debut with Mr Amitabh Bachchan. I must have some guts (laughs). The track will be used for our promotional activity but won’t feature in the film. Amitji has sung, composed and even arranged the number. He’s incredible!

One-act play
I’m performing my one-act play Khullam Khulla at Leicester and in London. We will also be touring America in July.

I want to take three weeks off
I have been working my butt off. There are four films that are ready for release — Mulk, Rajma Chawal, 102 Not Out and Jhootha Kahin Ka. Most of the work on these films is done, except some dubbing and patchwork. And, I feel I’ve earned a vacation. My wife Neetu will be with me on the trip and I’m happy for it.

No one has offered Neetu and me a film lately
I would love to work with Neetu. However, after Love Aaj Kal (2009), Do Dooni Chaar (2010), a guest appearance in Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012) and Besharam (2013), there hasn’t been a concrete offer. Let’s see what the future holds.

Rishi Kapoor reminisces fond memories of Sridevi
As told to Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; February 26, 2018)

It was the rudest shock to wake up to at 4 am. I got a call asking about my memories of working with her. When I started my second innings as an actor, I was confident that we will work together again. It’s a dream that will remain unfulfilled for as long as I live. I still can’t believe she’s no more. Sridevi was fit and looking gorgeous as ever. She didn’t have an ailment, she was careful with her diet, she was a gym regular and she’s succumbed to cardiac arrest. She’s gone at a time when everything was going good for her. I don’t understand what really triggered this.

Even today, memories of working with her in Nagina and Chandni are fresh in my mind. I remember Jaya Prada was the original choice to play the leading lady in Nagina. For reasons that are beyond me, she lost the part to Sridevi. At that point, I wasn’t aware but Sridevi was keen to work with me because she hadn’t worked with me till then. The film became a turning point in her Bollywood career. While she was scaling the heights of stardom, this film catapulted her to superstardom almost overnight. On the set, she didn’t converse much. Initially, I thought maybe she’s snooty or simply arrogant to not speak to her co-stars.

Later, I found out that she was actually shy and maybe, a tad conscious about speaking in Hindi or English, because she was not proficient in either of the languages back then. In fact, she told me about it much later. Those days, while shooting a film, we had something called as a magazine change. It was a technical thing and we had to stay at our positions while the lights faced us. In those two to three awkward minutes, we stood there not knowing what to speak. I broke the ice and complimented her dance skills. To that she said, ‘I’ve seen Khel Khel Mein four times.’ That was the first conversation we had. By the time we worked together in Chandni, she had scaled great heights of superstardom. Amitabh Bachchan and she are the only actors who have really seen those dizzying heights of fame for a long, long time in their careers.

When we started working in Chandni, she had become more conversant and confident with her Hindi and English. We did a lot of improvisation on the set, on almost every scene. Like, the cognac scene was not written the way it was in the film. On another occasion, we were shooting the title track in which I give her my ice-cream and when I asked her for the cone, she showed me a thenga! That was impromptu. Can you believe that?

That was the fun of working with another artiste who made everything look and feel real. She brought to the table what no one else did. There was a dance sequence featuring her in the film, which is about three minutes long. It was shot in Switzerland, and she had a morning call time. By lunch time, everyone was back to the hotel. I was dumb-founded to know that she took less than half a day to film an entire dance sequence, one that was difficult. Saroj Khan, who was choreographing it, told me, ‘It was a cake-walk for this girl. She did it all with such ease.’ That was the genius that Sridevi was.

We won’t get to see such artistry ever again. The last time I worked with her was 25 years ago. At that time, she decided to leave everything to set up a house and start a family. I immensely respect her for that because a female actor has a body clock and she must adhere to it. She raised her daughters Janhvi and Khushi beautifully. When they were old enough, she returned to the movies with English Vinglish and Mom, and she was as good as ever. Today, I feel terrible for her lovely daughters. I will miss my Chandni for all the lovely cinematic moments she gave me. Her fans will miss her. No one will entertain the way she did. I don’t see another female actor achieving what Sridevi did in any sphere of life. Mere Haathon Mein Nau Nau Choodiyan became a national anthem for all desi weddings and Main Teri Dushman headlines the naagin dances everywhere even now. These are all her footprints on our cinema which will remain…

The actor, who was shooting in Delhi, talks about his memories of Chandni Chowk, his second innings in films and the challenges Bollywood is currently facing
Divya Kaushik (BOMBAY TIMES; December 19, 2017)

"I will put on some extra kilos by the time I will finish shooting here,” says Rishi Kapoor, as he finishes eating kadhi pakoda and rice, while shooting in Chandni Chowk’s Kinari Bazar, Delhi, for his upcoming film Rajma Chawal. “It is no doubt that the food here is simple, but extravagant. Every evening, when we are not eating from outside, either people in the neighbourhood cook food for the entire crew and send it, or it comes from the house of the person working with us. I am touched by this sweet gesture. Apart from this, how much can you avoid samosa, jalebi and kachori that you get here after all? Even my early memories of Chandni Chowk are all about food. I visited Red Fort and Jama Masjid as a child and I remember that when my father would come here, we would get food from different eateries,” says Rishi, who is shooting in Old Delhi for the first time in his career.

‘I HAVE NEVER DONE AS MUCH WORK IN MY LIFE AS I AM DOING NOW’
In his second innings in Bollywood where he got to play different roles in Agneepath, Patiala House and Kapoor & Sons and now Rajma Chawal, Rishi says he “actually got a chance to ‘act’”. “I think the 70s, 80s and 90s were all about wearing colourful sweaters and dancing around trees, but now, I am getting to do ‘acting’ roles. What is also interesting is that every character of mine looks very different. I have never done as much work in my life as I am doing now. My three films are ready for release and they are all different. Today, writers and directors are willing to work with actors my age and this is also happening because good content is now ruling cinema. People are fed up of formula films and we are getting new space to experiment,” says Rishi. He adds that one film that he is looking forward to is 102 Not Out with Amitabh Bachchan. “There is also Mulk, which is an interesting, hard-hitting film that addresses the system today,” he says.

‘I FEEL VERY SORRY FOR SANJAY LEELA BHANSALI’
On the controversy around Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati and many states deciding to ban it,the actor says that it is unfair to ban a film without even seeing it. “I am not in a position to comment on what is happening, but I feel very sorry for my fellow filmmaker friend Sanjay Leela Bhansali. How can you come to the conclusion without even seeing the film? You have to see the film and then react. That way you even influence the Censor Board. I am ashamed that in this country you put a bounty on someone’s head. Is this democracy? They (the actors and filmmaker) have police protection, but why hasn’t the government reacted and arrested those people. How can you bl**dy threaten someone in the open? It is easy to target Bollywood. Government does what it wants to do — if they have politicized the situation it is very sad. My heart goes out to Padmavati. Films are soft targets as they are a popular medium,” he says.

Rishi Kapoor on the burnt down RK Studio, his upcoming film that reunites him with a ‘courageous’ Taapsee Pannu and why she stands apart from other actresses
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 19, 2017)

Rishi Kapoor, who has been juggling between Umesh Shukla’s 102 Not Out and Anubhav Sinha’s Mulk, is back in Mumbai from a five-day Lucknow schedule of the latter, in time for Diwali. But after a four-day break, it will get even busier, the actor tells Mirror at an Andheri studio where he is shooting for the last day of Shukla’s film. “We were to wrap up on Monday, but the unseasonal rains played spoilsport, resulting in early pack-up. I return to Lucknow for a 20-day shoot of Mulk, after which I start work on Leena Yadav’s Rajma Chawal,” he says.

Rishi recently took his followers by surprise when he shared his Mulk look online. “The look was my conception but Preetisheel Singh’s (make-up artist) team brought it to life with special effects makeup. For someone like me, who enjoys doing different characters, it’s important to find the right team,” he explains, clarifying that contrary to reports, he is playing a positive character. “It’s like the saying, ‘All terrorists are Muslims but all Muslims are not terrorists’. I play a retired lawyer, a serious, devout Muslim, who takes up a case for justice.”

Mulk marks his reunion with Taapsee Pannu, with whom he had featured in David Dhawan’s 2013 comedy, Chashme Baddoor. “She is a spirited actor and has been part of some successful films. No young heroine ever says, ‘I’m working in a film with a senior, has-been actor like Rishi Kapoor.’ I loved the fact that Taapsee said that she is working in Anubhav Sinha’s film with me. Any other heroine would like to say I’m working with Hrithik Roshan or my son, Ranbir Kapoor,” he beams, adding that Taapsee’s contemporaries could use a cue from her. “You know she’s got guts when she says, ‘My role and the story are important, not the actor’. I commend her for that.”

He goes on to admit that he’s a character actor today though he has the main role in a film which has other good actors like Rajat Kapoor, Manoj Pahwa, Ashutosh Rana, Neena Gupta and Prachi Shah. “A star like, maybe Alia (Bhatt) or another actress may find it uncool but Taapsee is so level-headed; she wants to work in films where she is not just a bimbo. To work in a good film, it’s not necessary to have a big hero; you just need a good part. Deepika (Padukone) or Priyanka (Chopra) can take risks because they have graduated to being huge stars but a newcomer like Taapsee taking on a film like this is courageous,” he reiterates.

The 65-year-old actor is gung-ho about 102 Not Out, in which he shares screen space with Amitabh Bachchan. “We are trying for a January 20 release so I have to complete the dubbing too. We are working together after 27 years, it’s fun,” he says.

Ask him on the future of R K Studios, which was gutted in a fire recently, and Kapoor says there’s a while before the family decides how to reconstruct it. “It’s been a month since the fire and we are still looking into the insurance and things. We will eventually rebuild the studio but we don’t know how and when. Today, it’s not practical to build studios but we would like to do it for emotional reasons. Whatever my father built is all burnt down. All the memories, even publicity material; everything lays gutted. But we brothers, want to reclaim the spirit of the studio,” he says.

We move on to his son, Ranbir, who will next be seen as Sanjay Dutt on screen. “I’m using his van so I can’t say anything wrong about him,” he says, adding that his van is still in Lucknow. “Everybody has been praising his film. Knowing Ranbir, the actor, he has hopefully done well,” papa says.

Raj Kapoor's iconic Mera Naam Joker mask, and costumes worn by all R K banner heroines ­ from Nargis to Aishwarya ­ among the memorabilia lost in Saturday's fire at R K Studios, says Rishi Kapoor
Meena Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 18, 2017)

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; September 9, 2017)

Few people have impacted Bollywood more than the original showman, Raj Kapoor. So it is no surprise that rumours of a biopic being planned on the legendary filmmaker often do the rounds. Over the last few months, buzz about Ranbir Kapoor bringing his grandfather’s journey to the big screen has gained credence. However, Rishi Kapoor dismissed the idea of a biopic on his father.

Talking to mid-day, the senior actor said, “The discussion has been going on for 15 years. Producer Bobby Bedi has been on it. He offered to make a film, but we, as a family, have an objection.”

Given how Kapoor was instrumental in shaping the Hindi film industry, Rishi understands that the filmmaker’s journey makes for a great story. “We are aware that a lot of people are curious to know the story of Raj Kapoor,” he said, adding, “But, we have decided that we won’t allow anyone to make the biopic till our mother [Krishna Raj Kapoor] is alive. If anyone still goes ahead and makes it, we will negate it.”

The senior actor also pointed out that a biopic may end up ruffling feathers. “My father had relationships that cannot be denied. We don’t want to hurt anybody’s emotions, neither do we want to stir up any controversy.”

He added how Sunil Dutt too was against the idea of a biopic on Kapoor, who was a close associate of the former’s wife Nargis. “My sister [Ritu Nanda] had once asked Dutt sahab whether he would give anybody the permission to make a biopic on our father. His reply simply was ‘Let sleeping dogs lie.’ So as of now, I don’t think it’s a good decision. If and when we plan to make it, we want it to show who Raj Kapoor truly was.”

Post debacle of 'Jagga Jasoos', father Rishi Kapoor lashes out at director Anurag Basu for delaying son Ranbir Kapoor's film, calls Anurag irresponsible with money and time
Upala KBR (MID-DAY;July 24, 2017)

We've heard you're upset with Ranbir for doing 'Jagga Jasoos'?
That's not true. Honestly, Neetu [wife] and I saw the film on Thursday, only a day ahead of the release. Till Wednesday, Anurag Basu was still mixing the film. Can you imagine that? Pritam [composer] probably delivered the music only a week before. What can you say? You (here, Basu) don't take an opinion from anybody. Today's filmmakers are doing this with everybody. They don't show their films before release to take opinions, and treat it as though they're making a nuclear bomb. I didn't hate or love the film. I only felt it needed to be abridged by 20 minutes. But who is going to give that opinion to them? I totally agree with Ekta [Kapoor] when she threw him out from her film. He had problems with Rakesh Roshan while working on 'Kites' (2010). He's such an irresponsible director that he doesn't complete the film. It was supposed to release three times in the past two years, but it kept getting delayed.

Why are you saying this today?
Sometimes, Ranbir's films do well, sometimes, they don't. But here, Ranbir is the producer too, and his neck is in the noose. Who the hell are you [Basu] to do all this? It is ridiculous that a producer hadn't seen his product a day ahead of the film's release. You may be the biggest director in the world but nobody would like to work with you because you are irresponsible. There is somebody else's money involved in this. I trusted you, and this is what you give us? Ranbir hasn't held back on spending money on it. You even threw Govinda out of the film. If you don't want Govinda to work in your film, why did you ask him in the first place? Iss sab mein Ranbir ka naam toh kharaab hoga, aur kya? Mera kharaab hoga! (With these developments, it's Ranbir and my name that's gathered negative limelight).

There were also reports that the film didn't release in certain markets due to the delays.
It did not release in Singapore because you have to deliver it five days in advance. It did not release in the Gulf on Thursday because it was only delivered to them on Thursday. This is unreasonable and irresponsible. You may be thinking you are making the Taj Mahal, but you are supposed to make it ready on time. Even Pritam delays his submissions. [It was later promoted as] a kids' film. But, a kids' film also has to release at the right time, like during the school vacations. At that time too, Anurag Basu wasn't ready. There's economics and maths involved. Everything is not just about creativity.

Do you advise Ranbir on his films or career?
I do not interfere in Ranbir Kapoor's work at all. Here too, I'm bringing this up since you asked me about it now. I got to know that Ranbir was pouring in money like crazy in this. I don't interfere in Ranbir's career and I do not get to know anything either. I would like to add here that I am grateful to Anurag for giving Ranbir a lovely film like Barfi! But why hide a film? All big filmmakers, including my father (Raj Kapoor), Rakesh Roshan and Aamir Khan show their films, so why can't you?