Thursday, April 30, 2020

तो पहा! तो पहा!! रिषी कपूर! रिषी कपूर!!...I Was Born Lucky and Stayed Lucky

#RishiKapoor

"...My grandfather, veteran thespian Prithviraj Kapoor, who was a legend in his own right and acclaimed for his performances in classics such as Alam Ara (1931) and Vidyapati (1937), had wrapped up work on Anand Math (1952), his seventeenth film, and hurried home.
My grandmother, Ramsarni, pushed the men out of the room. When I finally emerged hours later, a robust and rosy-cheeked baby, my relieved and joyous father popped open a bottle of champagne to celebrate the arrival of yet another boy. I could not have asked for a more boisterous or star-studded welcome.
I am Prithviraj Kapoor’s grandson.
Raj Kapoor’s son.
I am Neetu Kapoor’s husband.
Riddhima and Ranbir Kapoor’s father.
I am Rishi Kapoor.
I was born lucky and stayed lucky...."

('Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored', 2017 by Rishi Kapoor and Meena Iyer)

caption: तो पहा! तो पहा!! रिषी कपूर!  रिषी कपूर!!
Artist: Vasant Sarwate
"...Second picture is from 1974 (33 years ago!) and brings out visionary qualities of good art. Architects and urban planners like Charles Correa had opposed expansion of Mumbai into Arabian sea. They saw what would become of Mumbai. But no one 'saw' it better than Sarwate.

Picture shows few in the crowd spotting Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor flying over them in a helicopter and are shouting his name.
Picture captures beautifully what was eternal in Mumbai- her glamour manifested mainly through film industry and what was changing- her physical landscape, getting perhaps uglier...."