Largerthanlife

Rajiv Kapoor will remain etched in memory as a bon vivant, large-hearted and generous member of the first family of Bollywood

IRAJIV KAPOOR

AUG 25, 1962-FEB 9, 2021

By Dinesh Raheja

first interviewed the three Kapoor brothers – Randhir, Rishi and Rajiv – when I was paying a written tribute to their father Raj Kapoor, within days of his death... And then, last year, I wrote an obituary for Rishi and today I am penning one, with a heavy heart, for his younger brother Rajiv (Chimpu).

The first time I saw Rajiv was outside Minerva cinema for the premiere of his debut film Ek Jaan Hain Hum (1983). He was sitting in his car with a friend, the door left ajar, palpably nervous and excited, drinking beer to calm his nerves. It was the era of star progeny – there was Sanjay Dutt, Kumar Gaurav and Sunny Deol – and the 21-yearold debutant was expected to shoot to fame in the same comet-like manner.

Screen presence

His launch vehicle was fuelled by big guns. The film was produced by F C Mehra, a friend of Rajiv’s uncle, Shammi Kapoor. The second generation of Kapoors and Mehras – the two Rajivs, one an actor the other a director – became friends during their joint venture, Ek Jaan Hain Hum. Chimpu seemed to be following the template expected of star sons... even dating the heroine of his film Divya Rana in those days. However, their pairing on and off screen fizzled and so did Chimpu’s career.

His first film was breezy and Chimpu was full-of-beans as an actor, but his performance and looks seemed heavily-influenced by his uncle Shammi, whether by design or default, I am not sure. It didn’t work in his favour because Shammi was a tough act to follow. Chimpu made amends and forged his individuality a couple of years later with Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985), directed by his father, Raj Kapoor.

Chimpu got a meaty role and a muchneeded shot in the arm with this golden jubilee hit, though the film’s nubile heroine Mandakini stole some of his thunder, thanks to the famous sequence, where she stood