Rajiv Kapoor, the youngest of the three sons of late Raj Kapoor, breathed his last this morning at Inlaks Hospital at Chembur in Bombay, where he was rushed after suffering a massive heart attack. He was pronounced brought dead. He was 58 years old. This was the third death in the Kapoor family in just a little over a year. Raj Kapoor’s older daughter, Ritu Nanda, bid adieu in January last year. On April 30, 2020, Rishi Kapoor passed away. And today, it was Chimpu Kapoor’s turn.
Rajiv was introduced in Ek Jaan Hain Hum (1983) but he rose to fame with dad Raj Kapoor’s Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985). Among the other films he had worked in were Aasmaan (1984), Mera Saathi (1985), Zabardast (1985), Lava (1985), Lover Boy (1985), Angaarey (1986), Preeti (1986), Zalzala (1988), Hum To Chale Pardes (1988), Shukriyaa (1988), Naag Nagin (1989) and Zimmedaaar (1990). Although Ram Teri Ganga Maili, the last film directed by the legendary Raj Kapoor, was a roaring hit, Chimpu’s career didn’t take off even after its stupendous success. None of the films Rajiv worked in after that could give his failing career a second lease of life. He directed Prem Granth (1996) and produced Henna (1991; directed by eldest brother Randhir Kapoor) and Aa Ab Laut Chalen (1999; directed by Rishi Kapoor). Chimpu did not do much after 1999 and although there used to be occasional news that he would be directing a film, nothing materialised. He hit the bottle with a vengeance following a failed marriage, after which he never really returned to leading a normal life without alcohol.