Rishi Kapoor

Rishi Kapoor

Rishi Kapoor (born 4 September 1952) is an Indian actor, director and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema.[1] He received the National Film Award for his debut role as a child artist in his father Raj Kapoor's 1970 film Mera Naam Joker (1970).[2] Kapoor had his first lead role as an adult opposite Dimple Kapadia in 1973 with the film Bobby and received the Filmfare Best Actor Award in 1974.

Subsequently, he played leading roles as the romantic lead in 92 films between 1973 and 2000.[3] For his performance in Do Dooni Chaar, he won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor in 2011, and for his role in Kapoor & Sons, he won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2017. He was honoured with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.[4] He appeared opposite his future wife Neetu Singh in twelve films from 1973 and 1981.

Rishi Kapoor was born in Chembur, Bombay in a Punjabi family[5][6][7] as Rishi Raj Kapoor. He is the second son of actor-film director Raj Kapoor and his wife Krishna Raj Kapoor (née Malhotra). He is also the grandson of actor Prithviraj Kapoor. He did his schooling with his brothers at Campion School, Mumbai and Mayo College, Ajmer. His brothers, Randhir Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor; maternal uncles, Prem Nath and Rajendra Nath; and paternal uncles, Shashi Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor are all actors. He has two sisters, insurance agent Ritu Nanda and Rima Jain.

Career

First Introduction to Films

His first ever role in a movie was for Raj Kapoor's Shree 420, where in the song "Pyaar Hua, Iqraar Hua", he is walking through the rain with 2 other small children. He was about 3 at the time, and he once stated Nargis had bribed him to do the scene with some chocolate.

1970–2000 Debut, success, public recognition and decrease in workload

Rishi Kapoor debuted in Raj Kapoor's (his father) 1970 film Mera Naam Joker, playing a childhood role of his father. He had his first lead role as an adult, opposite Dimple Kapadia in the 1973 film Bobby. In an interview in 2012, he stated: "There was a misconception that the film was made to launch me as an actor. The film was actually made to pay the debts of Mera Naam Joker. Dad wanted to make a teenage love story and he did not have money to cast Rajesh Khanna in the film".[4] Bobby was one of the decade's biggest hits in India[8]

Subsequently, only 11 of his 51 solo hero films were successful at the box office, and 25 of the 41 multi-hero films were successful at the box office. Rishi Kapoor had 51 films as the solo lead hero from 1973 to 2000,[9][10] but 40 of them were box office flops and only 11 managed to be hits. These were Bobby , Laila Majnu, Rafoo Chakkar , Sargam, Karz, Prem Rog, Nagina, Honeymoon, Chandni, Heena and Bol Radha Bol, Yeh Vaada Raha. He had the lead hero roles in two-hero films only 13 times, in Khel Khel Mein, Kabhi Kabhi, Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, Badalte Rishtey, Aap Ke Deewane, and Saagar, and then from 1989 with Ajooba, Chandni, Deewana (1992), Damini - Lightning (1993), Gurudev (1994), Daraar (1996) and Karobaar (2000).

In 1999 he directed the film Aa Ab Laut Chalen, starring Rajesh Khanna, Aishwarya Rai and Akshaye Khanna in the lead roles. His last film as a romantic lead was the delayed Karobaar: The Business of Love (2000). Rishi Kapoor acted in Heena, directed by his brother Randhir Kapoor and his father, Raj Kapoor, and in Prem Granth, a movie produced by the three Kapoor brothers (Rishi, Randhir and Rajiv Kapoor) and directed by Rajiv Kapoor.

2001–present supporting roles

He moved on to supporting roles in the 2000s. He has since appeared in films such as Yeh Hai Jalwa (2002), Hum Tum (2004), Fanaa (2006), Namastey London (2007), Love Aaj Kal (2009) and Patiala House (2010). He also appeared in the British films Don't Stop Dreaming (2007) and Sambar Salsa (2008). He reunited onscreen with Neetu Singh in the film Do Dooni Chaar (2010).

He also acted in the movie Chintu Ji in which he played himself. In 2012 he appeared in a villainous role in Agneepath and in the multi-starrer Housefull 2 where he appeared with brother Randhir Kapoor for the first time after Khazana in the mid-1980s. He made a cameo appearance in Yash Chopra's Jab Tak Hai Jaan along with his wife.

His latest film 102 Not Out is a comedy-drama film directed by Umesh Shukla. It brought Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor together for the first time after 27 years. The film is adapted from a Gujarati play also titled '102 Not Out' written by Saumya Joshi. The film received mixed reviews.

Personal life

Kapoor married actress Neetu Singh his 15 time co-star on 22 January 1980. The couple has two children - actor Ranbir Kapoor who was born on 28 September 1982 and designer Riddhima Kapoor Sahani, who was born on 15 September 1980. Rishi is the paternal uncle of actresses Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor, and maternal uncle of industrialist Nikhil Nanda.

Rishi Kapoor has been in controversies for his comments on being a "beef-eating Hindu", social media.[11][12][13] Rishi Kapoor's autobiography Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored,[14] was released on 15 January 2017. Kapoor wrote the book along with Meena Iyer, and the title was published under Harper Collins. Rishi Kapoor was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and went to New York City for treatment. After a successful treatment for over a year, Rishi Kapoor returned to India in September