Rishi Kapoor, who was famous as the chocolate hero of his time, was born on 4 September 1952 in Chembur, Mumbai. His first glimpse appeared on screen at the age of just three years, but as a child artist, he got recognition from the film 'Mera Naam Joker' released in 1970, in which he played the childhood character of his father Raj Kapoor.
Birth Anniversary: Today is the birth anniversary of veteran Hindi cinema actor Rishi Kapoor, on 4th September. Rishi Kapoor, who made his mark as a romantic hero on screen, played many challenging and memorable roles in his long career. From the innocent lover of 'Bobby' to the dangerous Rauf Lala of 'Agneepath' and the mafia character of 'D-Day', he showed different shades of his acting ability.
Rishi Kapoor was born on 4 September 1952 in Chembur, Mumbai. Rishi, who belongs to a film family, faced the camera at a very young age. In the 1970 film 'Mera Naam Joker', he played the childhood role of his father and veteran actor-director Raj Kapoor. However, his career as a lead actor started with the 1973 film 'Bobby'.
Got the identity of romantic hero from 'Bobby'
Rishi Kapoor's first major film 'Bobby' proved to be the turning point of his career. In this he played the role of a young lover named Raj Nath i.e. Raja. His pairing with Dimple Kapadia was very much liked by the audience. The huge success of the film made Rishi Kapoor an overnight star. He also received the Filmfare Best Debut Actor Award for this film.
Love and passion shown in 'Laila Majnu'
Rishi Kapoor played the role of Majnu in 'Laila Majnu' released in 1976. His performance in this character dealing with love and separation further cemented him as a popular star of romantic films.
Akbar of 'Amar Akbar Anthony'
Rishi Kapoor played the role of Akbar Allahabadi in the 1977 blockbuster 'Amar Akbar Anthony'. His presence with Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna in the film was also special. His pairing with Neetu Kapoor was also liked by the audience.
'Prem Rog' changed the actor's image
1982's 'Prem Rog' is counted among the important films of Rishi Kapoor's career. He played the role of Devdhar with Padmini Kolhapuri. The film dealt with themes such as social stereotypes and widow remarriage and gave a serious dimension to Rishi's acting.
Seen as Sardar in 'Love Aaj Kal'
Rishi Kapoor played the role of Veer Singh in 'Love Aaj Kal' released in 2009. In this film starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone, his character was that of an elderly Sardar. This role was quite different from his traditional romantic hero style.
Surprised by becoming a villain in 'Agneepath'
Rishi Kapoor surprised the audience by playing the role of Rauf Lala in 2012's 'Agneepath'. This was one of his most talked about negative characters. Rishi's performance as Rauf Lala in this film starring Hrithik Roshan and Sanjay Dutt was highly appreciated.
Played the role of mafia in 'D-Day'
Rishi Kapoor played the role of 'Goldman' Iqbal in the 2013 film 'D-Day'. This role was considered inspired by mafia leader Dawood Ibrahim. His presence along with actors like Irrfan Khan and Arjun Rampal made the film more impressive.
90 year old grandfather in 'Kapoor and Sons'
In 2016's 'Kapoor & Sons', Rishi Kapoor played the role of 90-year-old Amarjeet Kapoor in a completely changed look. He played the expressions and behavior of the elderly man with such ease that the character became one of the most memorable performances of his career.
Mature acting seen in '102 Not Out' and 'Mulk'
In 2018's '102 Not Out', he played the role of 75-year-old Babulal Dattatreya Vakharia, while Amitabh Bachchan played his 102-year-old father. In 'Mulk' released this year, Rishi Kapoor played the role of Banaras lawyer Murad Ali Mohammad. In the film, his character was seen struggling between social and sensitive issues.
Love and marriage with Neetu Kapoor
The love story of Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor was also one of the popular couples of Hindi cinema. The meeting and closeness of both of them increased during the shooting of 'Zahreela Insaan' in 1974. Initially Neetu was not very impressed with Rishi, but gradually the relationship between the two became stronger. It is said that during the Europe trip, Rishi Kapoor felt the absence of Neetu and he expressed his feelings to her through telegram.
After this both of them dated each other and got married on 22 January 1980. After marriage, Neetu Kapoor stayed away from films for some time. Nearly three decades later, she made a comeback to acting with 2009's 'Love Aaj Kal', which also starred Rishi Kapoor in an important role.