On Rishi Kapoor's Birth Anniversary, Remembering The Legend

Rishi Kapoor, one of Bollywood's acting legends, died in Mumbai on April 30 this year. On the actor's 68th birthday anniversary today, let's celebrate his legacy by taking a pictorial look at the eventful life he led on his own terms, and his career in films. Rishi Kapoor, in a career spanning five decades, delivered some of his best performances in films such as Bobby, Chandni, Rafoo Chakkar, Karz, Prem Granth and Agneepath. He fought a two-year battle against cancer and had spent much of last year in New York being treated. He returned to India in September last year.

Rishi Kapoor's daughter Riddhima paid an emotional tribute to the actor on his birth anniversary. Sharing a bunch of throwback photos, Riddhima attached this note: "Papa, they say when you lose someone, you can't live without - your heart will badly break! But I know you are living in this broken heart and will be there forever!"

Rishi Kapoor was born on September 4, 1952, in Mumbai. He belonged to the famous Kapoor clan. His father was actor-director Raj Kapoor and his uncles Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor, were among the biggest stars of their generation. His brothers Randhir and Rajiv Kapoor are veteran actors. But Rishi was the only Kapoor of his generation to truly make it big in Bollywood.

Rishi Kapoor fell in love and married his co-star of several movies, Neetu Singh, after a long courtship period. The couple have two children - daughter Riddhima and son Ranbir, who is also an actor. Riddhima is married to Bharat Sahni.

Rishi Kapoor's first on screen stint was as a toddler in the song Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua in the 1955 film Shree 420. In 1970, he debuted in his father's film Mera Naam Joker as the younger version of Raj Kapoor's character Raju. The film also starred Simi Garewal and Manoj Kumar. It fetched him a National Award for Best Child Artiste

His first role as the lead actor was in Raj Kapoor's Bobby (1973), in which he co-starred with Dimple Kapadia. The teen romance and the song Hum Tum Ek Kamre Mein Band Ho was an instant hit. Rishi Kapoor won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance.

His next movies included hits such as Rafoo Chakkar (1975), Kabhie Kabhie (1976) and the blockbuster Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), which also starred Neetu Singh, Parveen Babi, Shabana Azmi, Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna. The movie went on to complete a Golden Jubilee at the box-office. Rishi Kapoor was nominated for a Filmfare Award for his portrayal of Akbar Ilahabadi, a qawwali singer, in the film.

Subhash Ghai's Karz (1980), in which he plays a reincarnated rock star, is considered among Rishi Kapoor's best performance to-date. Rishi's chemistry with co-star Tina Munim and the incredible dance sequences in Om Shanti Om and Paisa Paisa created a big furore. The actor became the biggest rage in town.

The hit Jodi of Dimple Kapadia and Rishi Kapoor struck gold again with Saagar (1985). Co-starring Kamal Haasan who also put in a great performance, the movie went on to become India's official entry at the Oscars.

Seen together previously in Nagina (1986), late actors Sridevi and Rishi Kapoor teamed up again for the multi-award-winning Chandni (1989), directed by Yash Chopra. The film won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film and fetched Rishi Kapoor another Filmfare nomination. The actors also appeared together in Banjaran (1991) and Gurudev (1993) later.

Rishi Kapoor's pairing with the gorgeous Juhi Chawla got a very enthusiastic response. They acted in a lot of movies together like Bol Radha Bol (1992), Izzat Ki Roti (1993), Eena Meena Deeka (1994), Saajan Ka Ghar (1994), Daraar (1996) and Karobaar (2000).

The on screen romance between the beautiful Madhuri Dixit and Rishi Kapoor in Yaraana (1995) and Prem Granth (1996) also did not go by unnoticed.

Rishi Kapoor made an ill-received venture into directing in 1998 with Aa Ab Laut Chalein featuring Rajesh Khanna, Aishwarya Rai and Akshaye Khanna.

In 2008, the actor was honoured with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the industry.

Proving that he was by no means done with Bollywood, Rishi Kapoor won the Filmfare for Best Supporting Actor for the movie Luck By Chance in 2010.

In 2010, Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh reunited on-screen after 30 years for the movie Do Dooni Chaar, which won the National Award for the Best Hindi Film. Rishi Kapoor won the Filmfare Critics Award for the Best Performance for his role in the film.

2012 was a good year for Rishi Kapoor as he not only won accolades for playing the villainous Rauf Lala in Karan Johar's remake of Agneepath and also featured in hit movies like Housefull 2 and Student Of The Year.

We saw a lot of Rishi Kapoor on the silver screen in 2013. He played a funny cafe owner in Chashme Baddoor, a policeman in Aurangzeb, a drug lord in D-Day, a wedding planner in Shuddh Desi Romance and a cop in Besharam, in which he co-starred with his son Ranbir Kapoor and wife Neetu Singh.

Rishi Kapoor was endearing as Abhishek Bachchan's father in All Is Well, which released in 2015. He also featured as Luv Kapoor in Wedding Pullav the same year

In 2016's Kapoor And Sons, Rishi Kapoor was adorable as the oldest member of the onscreen Kapoor family. Rishi Kapoor co-starred with Alia Bhatt, who is reportedly dating his son Ranbir, Sidharth Malhotra and Fawad Khan in the Shakun Batra-directed film.

Rishi Kapoor turned an author in 2017 and launched his autobiography Khullam Khulla.

In 2018, Rishi Kapoor was diagnosed with cancer. He spent almost a year in New York being treated for cancer and returned to Mumbai last September.

In 2019, Rishi Kapoor starred in two films - 102 Not Out and Mulk. His onscreen chemistry with Amitabh Bachchan was very much loved by his fans. Rishi Kapoor co-starred with Taapsee Pannu in Mulk.

Rishi Kapoor was last seen in the 2019 film The Body. He was meant to star in a Hindi adaptation of Robert De Niro's The Intern with Deepika Padukone.

Rishi Kapoor will forever be remembered as one of Bollywood's evergreen actors... Rishi Kapoor will always be an integral part of the Indian cinema... His legacy will live on.