Less than 24 hours after Irrfan Khan breathed his last came the devastating news of actor-producer-director Rishi Kapoor’s death this morning (30th April). He had been admitted to H.N. Reliance Hospital last night (29th) and bid the world goodbye a few hours later. He was 67 years old. He is survived by his wife, Neetu Singh, and two children, Ranbir and Ridhima.
Rishi Kapoor’s cancer had relapsed. For a good part of last year, Chintu, as he was affectionately called, had been in New York for treatment of cancer. He had gone to New York in 2018 and could not attend his mother’s funeral in India as he was under treatment for cancer. He returned to India in September last year and resumed shooting thereafter. He had been hospitalised in February in India but it was reported that the hospitalisation had been due to over-exertion and pollution. The actor’s condition deteriorated yesterday and he had to be rushed to Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital And Research Centre.
Except for Rishi’s wife, Neetu, and son, Ranbir, nobody was with him due to lockdown regulations in operation in India.
Rishi was introduced to the world of acting by his father, Raj Kapoor, in Bobby (1973). But even before that, he played an important role as a child actor in his dad’s Mera Naam Joker (1970) and before that, in a song sequence in Shree 420. He was considered an outstanding actor who shone in every role offered to him. In a career spanning 47 years, he worked as the lead man in a number of films, many as a romantic hero. His chocolate-boy looks endeared him to the Indian masses who patronised his films in such a big way that he had many hits and super-hits to his credit. With Neetu Singh alone, he acted in over a dozen films between 1973 and 1981. Rishi had once said in an interview that it was widely believed that Bobby was made by his father to launch him (Rishi Kapoor) as a hero but the fact was that it was made to pay off the debts that arose from the flopping of Mera Naam Joker.
Among his noteworthy films were Laila Majnu, Amar Akbar Anthony, Rafoo Chakkar, Sargam, Barood,Nagina, Prem Rog, Karz, Naseeb,Chandni, Coolie, Tawaif,Bol Radha Bol, Kabhi Kabhie, Khel Khel Mein, Hum Kisise Kum Nahin, Aap Ke Deewane, Saagar, Naseeb Apna Apna,Chandni, Deewana, Khudgarz, Sindoor,Damini, Love Aaj Kal,Agneepath, Do Dooni Chaar, Kapoor & Sons,102 Not Out, and many others. He turned a director with Aa Ab Laut Chalen which did not do well at the box-office. Rishi turned to character roles in 2000s and did extremely well in films in which he played key though not lead roles.
