Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently met with the Kapoor family who invited him to join them in celebrating cinema icon Raj Kapoor's 100th birth anniversary. While speaking about the power of movies, PM Modi recounted an incident when former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and veteran leader LK Advani went to watch a Raj Kapoor movie after a poll defeat.
"I remember the impact of films in those days. It was during the Jana Sangh era, and there was an election in Delhi. After the party lost, Advaniji and Atalji said, 'What should we do now?' Then they decided, 'Let's watch a movie.' They went to watch Raj Kapoor's 'Phir Subah Hogi.'"
The Prime Minister also spoke about Raj Kapoor's role in establishing India's "soft power" all over the world. "In 1947, we had 'Neel Kamal,' and now as we approach 2047, it reflects the immense contribution of such a vast nation. Today, there is much talk about soft power in diplomacy, but back then, Raj Kapoor had already established India's soft power in the world even before the world was coined," he said.
Members of the Kapoor family, including Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, were present during the interaction. The video shared by PMO also showed the Kapoor family sharing their experiences after meeting the Prime Minister.
PM Modi suggested the Kapoor family should capture the global impact of Raj Kapoor and his films through visual format.
"Can we do something, probably a film that captures Raj Kapoor's imprint on the hearts and minds of people of Central Asia... He had a big impact on their lives in Central Asia and I think we should resurrect it and connect it with the new generation. We should do something to link this and I think it is possible," he said.
The film festival will celebrate the centenary of Raj Kapoor, one of the most iconic figures in Indian cinema, who passed away in 1988. It showcases 10 iconic Raj Kapoor films across 40 cities and 135 cinemas, with a ticket price of Rs 100. The film festival will include screenings of classics such as 'Aag', 'Barsaat', 'Awaara', 'Shree 420', and 'Mera Naam Joker'.
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