Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor on Tuesday launched his autobiography, titled Khullam Khulla — Rishi Kapoor Uncensored, in New Delhi in the presence of his wife Neetu Singh and daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni.
The event, which took place at The Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi, was attended by veteran actress Nafisa Ali, Kapoor’s son-in-law Bharat Sahni, comedian Papa CJ and Union Minister Babul Supriyo, who paid a tribute to the Bobby actor by singing his famous song Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karenge.
In his autobiography, Kapoor has revealed some of the unknown aspects of his life, right from his and his late father Raj Kapoor’s affairs with co-stars to his belief on father-son relationships, and his passion for acting.
Kapoor has co-authored the book with Meena Iyer.
“The most difficult part while writing this autobiography was to remain honest, and me and Meena had very verticals. So, we had to choose as we had to reflect on cinema, family, career etc. She assembled it all part by part and we took it forward. We took three and a half years to write this book,” Kapoor said at the launch, where he had a conversation with actor Suhel Seth.
Talking about his wife, Kapoor said: “I guess she has lost weight. People normally tell me that you don’t feed your wife. No, but I must tell you that Neetu and writer Meenu have coped up with a very impatient man.”
“Neetu has been with me since last 37 years. Meena has been there since last three and a half years. I really marvel the way they have coped with it.”
Talking about his late father, Kapoor said: “For me Raj Kapoor was not only a father. He was my guru. Whatever I am today is because of him. When we were kids we knew that we were children of someone very important because wherever we went people looked at us as Raj Kapoor’s sons.”
“I never argued with my father and it so happened that unfortunately the same kind of relationship passed on with me and Ranbir. I really want that there should be love and respect between us.
“But I am not the type of guy, who will ask him [Ranbir] to share secrets of his girlfriends and all that. I am sorry. It’s my failure. I want there to be a wall between me and him where I can see him, but can’t feel him,” he added.
Kapoor revealed that during Ranbir’s childhood, he was busy working, due to which Ranbir got closer to Neetu.
“Probably he felt that he needs his father, but I’m sorry I just can’t,” he said.
“Ranbir feels that when he is going to have kids, he is not going to be like me. It’s a generation gap. I cannot be a friend to a son. You must accept me the way I am,” Kapoor said.
Kapoor said that compared to earlier times, actors today are more professional.
“hey are all very updated and have so much exposure. Today when I see a six-year-old kid, there is a whole lot of difference from what I was at that age. They are well informed and look after their bodies. They have learned all emotions,” Kapoor said.
“Whereas in my grandfather’s [Prithviraj Kapoor] time, everything was learned by experience. But today’s kids are instant noodles. They are well prepared, they know their lives, and are very professional and punctual,” he said.
“But we were all very bad. We never came on time. We were quite in-disciplined and never knew our lines. We always had secretaries around,” the actor added.
However, Kapoor feels the content and quality of songs was better earlier.
“Today there is no content. We don’t have any value of music. We have multiplex audience. Still we do see better films being made today which couldn’t have been made 10 years ago,” Kapoor said.
“Films like Neerja, Kapoor & Sons and Pink would have never worked 10 years back. But there is audience today who want to see better Hindi cinema,” he added.
The 64-year-old has dedicated his second innings as an actor to actor-filmmaker Rakesh Roshan.
“When I started my second innings as an actor, one day Rakesh Roshan called me and said, ‘Listen I have a role for you and it’s a two day part. I just want you to play Hrithik’s father in a film called Krissh or whatever he was making’. I said, ‘No I don’t think so. It will be a wrong move in my career’,” Kapoor said.
“Suddenly he started laughing and asked me what kind of career was I looking at. Those words hit me. Then I said to him that now I will prove it to you that at this age also you can work. I hold the success of my second innings to Rakesh Roshan,” he said.
