Hyderabad: When Bollywood was just emerging from the gangster dramas, crime thrillers and angry young man movies, the man full of life and twinkle in the eye, started a trend of drama-romances in the '70s. The quality of mainstream Bollywood may have improved unrecognisably since the heydays of Rishi Kapoor, but the same cannot be said of the music.
The Deewana actor will rule hearts for ages with the mellifluous tracks filmed on him. Hindi cinema's quintessential romantic hero had begun his romance with the camera when he was barely in his teens. Being the son of legendary filmmaker Raj Kapoor, the environment on a film set was no novice to him when he officially entered the films with his father’s Mera Naam Joker in 1970.
- 'Main Shaayar Toh Nahin' from Bobby (1973):
'Pyaar ka naam maine suna tha magar, pyaar kya hai yeh mujhko nahi thi khabar....' This is the dilemma of every adolescent on the verge of adulthood, a feeling perfectly captured by Bobby, marked the debuts of both Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia. The film was a smash hit and set the trend for Bollywood stories of young lovers who face parental objection. While there are many songs one could choose from this movie, Shailendra Singh's voice and Anand Bakshi's lyrics come together beautifully in Main Shaayar Toh Nahin.
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- 'Parda Hai Parda' from Amar Akbar Anthony (1977):
An iconic Manmohan Desai film that comes with this memorable qawwali, pictured on Rishi Kapoor's Akbar Illahabadi, as he flirts with his lady love Salma, played by Neetu, in front of an audience and her father Taiyyab Ali (Mukri). He's got his friend (and brother) Anthony, played by Amitabh Bachchan, cheering him on stage.
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- 'Chandni O Meri Chandni' from Chandni (1989):
Rishi Kapoor’s pet theme parental objection to young love continued with Chandni, the movie that made wonders at the box office and introduced viewers to the quintessential Yash Chopra romance, all chiffon saris and snowy mountains and gorgeous songs.
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IN PICS: Get acquainted with Irrfan's wisdom through his unforgettable quotes
- 'Chehra Hai Ya Chaand Khila Hai' from Saagar (1985):
If you have ever been in love at first sight, then this is the right song that will capture the strings of attraction pretty splendidly. The chemistry between Rishi and Dimple took to set the love ante high. Crooned by Kishore Kumar, the music was composed by RD Burman.
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- 'Teri Ummed Tera Intezaar' from Deewana (1992):
The song from the flick Deewana starring Rishi Kapoor, Divya Bharti and Shahrukh Khan is a tuneful solo song. This song has been sung by melody king Kumar Sanu and composed by a super hit combination of Nadeem-Shravan. Lyrics have been penned by Sameer.
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- 'Sochenge Tumhe Pyaar' from Deewana (1992):
Rishi Kapoor played a singer in this movie, which was also Shah Rukh Khan's debut, and starred the late Divya Bharti opposite both.
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- 'Om Shanti Om' from Karz (1980):
Among Rishi's most iconic musical hits is Subhash Ghai's Karz. Be it Ek hsina thi, Om Shanti Om, Dard-e-Dil or Main solah baras ki, almost every song of the film went on to be a blockbuster, cementing Rishi Kapoor'sapiring with Tina Munim.
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- 'Bachna ae haseeno' from Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977):
Decades later, people still talk of Rishi's songs. Among numerous new-gen stars who have recreated his songs is son Ranbir Kapoor, who reprised his dad's popular track Bachna ae haseeno in his own 2008 film Bachna Ae Haseeon.
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In 2018, Rishi Kapoor was diagnosed with cancer for the first time, following which the actor was in New York for nearly a year to undergo treatment. He returned to India in September 2019 after recovering. The actor, however, lost his battle with leukemia after it relapsed. Rishi Kapoor passed away on April 30, 2020, just a day after another stalwart Irrfan Khan left for heavenly abode.
Though the evergreen romantic hero, who made wearing a sweater cool and chic, is gone now, he has left behind numerous movies that will stay forever in the hearts of many.
