Tollywood actor Rituparna Sengupta, saddened by the news of Rishi Kapoor’s demise, travels back in time and remembers the many encounters with the original chocolate boy of Bollywood. The veteran actor passed away after battling with cancer at the age of 67.
“We didn’t even recover from the news of the demise of Irrfan Khan that struck us yesterday and today we wake up with Rishi Kapoor leaving us. We have grown up watching his films. Times are really bad. Everything seems so puzzled at the moment,” says the National Award-winning actor referring to Kapoor as one of the biggest entertainers of Hindi cinema.
Rituparna met Kapoor during the launch party of her Bollywood debut Teesra Kaun (1994) that also starred Chunky Pandey, Mithun Chakraborty and Javed Jafri among others. She says, “When I went to Bombay to work for the first time for my film Teesra Kaun, produced by NN Sippy, Rishi Kapoor had already worked in few hit films by that time including Sargam. At the inaugural party, Rishi Kapoor gave us clapstick and his best wishes. Whenever I would meet him, I remembered this important occasion.”
She also recalls the time spent during the Melbourne Film Festival. “Rishi Kapoor’s Kapoor & Sons was screening at the festival and my Rajkahini. Every evening we would sit and chat. He was a lively and jovial man.” She even met Rishi and Neetu once at their residence in Mumbai.
Talking about Kapoor’s contribution to Hindi cinema, Rituparna remarks, “He has enriched the industry with his impeccable roles like no one else. He was so relevant even today with films like Rajma Chawal and Do Dooni Chaar. He has inspired a generation. His song Sagar Kinare with Dimple Kapadia can still make one fall in love. He was a versatile actor.” She signs off before conveying her condolences to the Kapoor family for their loss.