‘Acting is in the DNA of Kapoors’

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He got a National Award for his first appearance as a child artist in Mera Naam Joker, which followed a Filmfare Best Actor award for his role in Bobby. Forever young, Rishi Kapoor is probably Bollywood’s most-talented starkid.

Summing up his glorious journey of four decades in the industry at the India Habitat Center recently, the actor, who recently turned 60, proudly acknowledged that his startdom is a gift of being part of the illustrious first family of Indian cinema. “Acting is in the DNA of Kapoors,” he says.
Rishi recalls how as a child when he was scolded, he would cry in front of the mirror to observe his facial expressions. “And when my great father saw this, he announced that Chintu (Rishi) will be an actor one day,” he says.
Rishi calls himself an accidental romantic star. “I may have won hearts with Mera Naam Joker, but the film flopped. Then my debut as a lover boy, that too in a female-oriented film, Bobby, was a big risk, which worked luckily. Even my physique wasn’t great,” says the actor.
With films like Kabhie Kabhie, Amar Akbar Anthony, Karz, Prem Rog, Saagar, Chandni, Henna and Bol Radha Bol under his belt, the actor says re-connecting with wife Neetu after 27 years in Kal Aaj Kal and Do Dooni Chaar happened naturally. “We complement each other. Even today we go to public theatres to watch movies together,” he says.
“It’s great to see how the film industry has evolved over the years. Even actors my age are getting good roles,” he says as he talks about working with Karan Johar for Student of the Year. “Inspite of such a huge age difference, it was easy to be directed by him,” he says.
How does he rate the youngest Kapoor, Ranbir, as an actor? Definitely, a proud father, Rishi says that son Ranbir belongs to the present generation of actors, who unlike the yesteryears stars are not stylised.
“He plays difficult and acceptable characters. He has chosen very off-beat films, the kind which I would have probably not allowed him to take up. But the best part is that he has done well with them,” he says. “Having said that, I don’t like any of Ranbir’s films, because I am always critical of his work,” he signs off.