The nation is celebrating the birth centenary of the legendary Raj Kapoor, fondly remembered as “The Greatest Showman of Indian Cinema.” Tributes are pouring in from all corners, and veteran actor Dharmendra also shared a heartfelt post to honour the iconic filmmaker and actor. On Saturday, Dharmendra shared a black-and-white photograph of himself with Raj Kapoor. The image captures a warm hug shared between the two, with their radiant smiles lighting up the frame. In the caption, Dharmendra wrote, “Dear Raj Saheb, Happy Birthday to you. We miss you! You will always be remembered with great love and respect.”
Dharmendra and Raj Kapoor shared screen space in the iconic 1970 classic Mera Naam Joker. Directed and produced by Raj Kapoor, the film revolves around the life of a circus joker played by the legendary actor. The star-studded cast includes Rajendra Kumar, Rishi Kapoor (making his acting debut as the young Raju), Simi Garewal and Padmini in pivotal roles.
To mark Raj Kapoor's 100th birth anniversary, R.K. Films, Film Heritage Foundation and NFDC-National Film Archive of India have joined forces for a grand celebration. They have organised special screenings of 10 iconic Raj Kapoor films under the initiative titled “Raj Kapoor 100 – Celebrating the Centenary of the Greatest Showman.” The films will be screened at PVR-Inox and Cinepolis cinemas across 40 cities and 135 venues in India from December 13 to December 15.
Adding to the excitement, Amitabh Bachchan shared a note on Instagram. In his post, Big B talked about one of Raj Kapoor's best projects – Awara. The megastar wrote, “Even today Awara is a film that is etched in my mind. Talking about Rajji's incredible showmanship, the way he envisioned the dream sequence in the film had never been seen before. You are amazed by his fantastical imagination that visualized the surreal setting, the ethereal Nargisji emerging through thick clouds of smoke, Rajji surrounded by demonic figures and burning fires – there is a powerful, mystical symbolism in the dream sequence, and that is my favourite. Don't miss the opportunity to watch these Raj Kapoor classics in a cinema near you from December 13 - 15!!”
Read his full note below:
Raj Kapoor was born on December 14, 1924. In his illustrious career, he became an icon of Indian cinema through his acting, filmmaking and storytelling. He died at the age of 63 in 1988.
