REMEMBERING RAJIV KAPOOR

DEVESH SHARMA PROFILES THE LIFE AND TIMES OF RAJ KAPOOR’S YOUNGEST SON RAJIV KAPOOR WHO PASSED AWAY RECENTLY… (AUGUST 25, 1962 – FEBRUARY 9, 2021)

- DEVESH SHARMA

In his biography Khullam Khulla, the late Rishi Kapoor credits younger brother Rajiv Kapoor as being the most talented of the three brothers. Rishi reveals Rajiv was a musical genius, as he was expertly able to play the piano without ever having learnt it formally. He also credits Rajiv doing a commendable job as an editor on Aa Ab Laut Chalen (1999) which was directed by Rishi and produced by Rajiv. Rishi laments that his younger brother just couldn’t apply himself to any field, otherwise he would have become the number one in any thing he chose. Rishi Kapoor also revealed that their father Raj Kapoor loved Rajiv, or Chimpu as he was affectionately known, the most. He even goes on to say that while their father did make Bobby for him, it was Dimple Kapadia’s film all the way while Ram Teri Ganga Maili was made exclusively to showcase Rajiv.

If that was Raj Kapoor’s intention, it certainly didn’t pay off. One can say the decision boomeranged, as all the viewers took away from the film was the waterfall scene featuring the scantily-clad Mandakini. The multilayered film, which talked about class divide as well as cleaning up the Ganges is only remembered today because of its skin show.