Rishi Kapoor

Rishi Kapoor (4 September 1952 – 30 April 2020) was an Indian actor known for his work in Hindi cinema. 

He received the National Film Award for Best Child Artist for his debut role in his father Raj Kapoor's 1970 film Mera Naam Joker. He had his first lead role as an adult, opposite Dimple Kapadia, in the teen romance Bobby (1973), which won him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor.

He played leading roles as the romantic lead in 92 films between 1973 and 2000. Some of his notable films during this period were Khel Khel Mein (1975), Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Karz (1980), and Chandni (1989). Since the 2000s, he played character roles to critical acclaim in Love Aaj Kal (2009), Agneepath (2012), and Mulk (2018). For his performance in Do Dooni Chaar (2010), he won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor, and for his role in Kapoor & Sons (2016), he won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was honoured with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. His final film appearance was in The Body (2019).

Kapoor often collaborated with his wife, the actress Neetu Singh, with whom he had two children, including Ranbir Kapoor. He died on 30 April 2020 from lukemia, aged 67.

Early life and family

Rishi Kapoor was born Rishi Raj Kapoor, in Chembur, Bombay, in a Punjabi Hindu family. He was the second son of actor-director Raj Kapoor and his wife Krishna Raj Kapoor (née Malhotra). He was the grandson of actor Prithviraj Kapoor. His brothers, Randhir Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor, maternal uncles, Prem Nath, Rajendra Nath, Narendra Nath and Prem Chopra, and paternal uncles, Shashi Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor, were all actors. He had two sisters, insurance agent Ritu Nanda and late Rima Jain.

Kapoor attended Campion School, Mumbai and Mayo College, Ajmer.

Personal life

Kapoor married actress Neetu Singh, who he had worked with in several films, in 1980. The couple had two children— son, actor Ranbir Kapoor, and daughter, Riddhima Kapoor Sahani.

Kapoor's autobiography Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored, was released on 15 January 2017. Kapoor wrote the book along with Meena Iyer, and the title was published under Harper Collins.

Kapoor's comments on being a "beef-eating Hindu" became controversial.

Kapoor was diagnosed with Lukemia in 2018 and went to New York City for treatment. After a successful treatment for over a year, Kapoor returned to India on 26 September 2019. Kapoor was admitted to Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai on 29 April 2020 after he had breathing difficulty. He died on 30 April 2020 from leukemia.

Awards

• 1970 – Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards: Special Award, and National Film Award for Mera Naam Joker
• 1974 – Filmfare Award for Best Actor for Bobby
• 2008 – Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2009 – Honoured by Russian Government for contribution to cinema
• 2010 – Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards: Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Love Aaj Kal
• 2011 – Zee Cine Awards: Best Lifetime Jodi along with Neetu Singh
• 2011 – Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for Do Dooni Chaar
• 2013 – The Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA), Best Actor in a Negative Role for Agneepath
• 2017 – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Kapoor & Sons
• 2017 – Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Male for Kapoor & Sons
• 2017 – Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role for Kapoor & Sons