Umesh Shukla devastated after Rishi Kapoor's demise

As veteran actor Rishi Kapoor breathed his last on Thursday, director Umesh Shukla said that it was devastating for him not being able to attend the late actor's funeral. He was a great friend and a great brother.

Mumbai: 102 Not Out director Umesh Shukla says it was devastating for him not being able to pay his last respect to veteran star Rishi Kapoor amid the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.

Rishi Kapoor breathed his last on Thursday morning after a long battle with cancer. "Our dear Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully at 8:45am IST in hospital today after a two-year battle with leukemia. The doctors and medical staff at the hospital said he kept them entertained to the last," confirmed his family in a statement.

"It is devastating that we couldn't even go. The sight of seeing the van going away was shocking," Shukla told IANS while talking about being unable to attend Rishi Kapoor's last rites.

Apart from 102 Not Out, Shukla also worked with Rishi Kapoor in All Is Well.

"He was a great friend and a great brother, and we had a great memory shooting two films together. He was a great person," he said.

Contrary to Kapoor's widely believed intimidating image, Shukla said he was "not at all intimidating".

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"He was very sorted, passionate, intense and subtle as an actor. He was spontaneous, too. These are rare qualities to find in an actor. Even if he was essaying a passive character, he would stand out," he said.

Rishi Kapoor's demise comes a day after Irrfan Khan's death sent shock waves across the world.

"Upar koi badi film bann rahii hogi, jismein do best actor chaiyeh honge industry ke (A big film must be in development in heaven, for which they needed two of the best actors of the industry)," Shukla said.

From IANS inputs.