Rishi Kapoor passes away after two-year battle with cancer
| Date :01-May-2020 |
MUMBAI :
RISHI Kapoor, the twinkle-toed actor who personified the Bollywood romantic hero for three decades before becoming a sought after character artiste, died here on Thursday after a two-year battle with leukaemia. He was 67. Rishi, the third generation of the Kapoor dynasty that defined stardom, is survived by his wife Neetu, actor son Ranbir and daughter Riddhima. Rishi, who acted in films ranging from the frothy “Bobby” in 1973 to the sharply political “Mulk” in 2018, was cremated at the Chandanwadi crematorium in the evening. Close family and friends, including his wife and son, elder brother Randhir Kapoor, niece Kareena Kapoor Khan and her husband Saif Ali Khan as well as actor Abhishek Bachchan and Ranbir’s girlfriend Alia Bhatt and Anil Ambani were present.
It was a sombre, quiet affair with all of the country under lockdown and strict restrictions in place. Daughter Riddhima, who is in Delhi, told PTI she will drive to Mumbai on Friday. “We are not waiting for her (for the cremation). They have not given her permission for flight so she will not be able to reach here,” Randhir said before the last rites. Rishi, familiar to generations of film goers for his many films over five decades, was taken to the H N Reliance hospital on Wednesday.
The end came at 8.45 am, the family said in a statement, requesting fans and friends to respect the restrictions in place in view of the lockdown. His death comes a day after his “D-Day” co-star Irrfan Khan passed away, also of cancer, the two actors bookending the best of Bollywood. Three months ago, the disease claimed Rishi’s sister Ritu Nanda. President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the many people who condoled the death. The President said it was hard to believe that the actor, who was so “full of life” was no more. “Rishi Kapoor’s untimely demise is shocking. An evergreen personality with an always smiling face, he was so full of life that it’s difficult to believe that he is no more. A huge loss for the entertainment industry...,” Kovind tweeted.
“Multifaceted, endearing and lively...This was Rishi Kapoor Ji. He was a powerhouse of talent. I will always recall our interactions, even on social media,” the Prime Minister wrote on Twitter. “This is a terrible week for Indian cinema, with the passing of another legend, actor Rishi Kapoor,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, describing Rishi as a “wonderful actor, with a huge fan following across generations”. The doctors and medical staff at the hospital said he kept them entertained till the last, the family disclosed in their statement.
“He remained jovial and determined to live to the fullest right through two years of treatment across two continents. Family, friends, food and films remained his focus and everyone who met him during this time was amazed at how he did not let his illness get the better of him,” the family said in a statement. “We would like to request all his fans and well-wishers and friends of the family to please respect the laws that are in force. He would not have it any other way,” it added. Rishi returned to India last September after undergoing treatment for his cancer in the US for almost a year.
