Prithviraj Kapoor a key figure in the early days of Bollywood had many cherished memories of his son Raj Kapoor. When his wife was pregnant with their first child Prithviraj was confident it would be a boy. He even wrote the name "Shrishtinath" on a small piece of blue paper and placed it under his wife's pillow. His prediction came true and their son was indeed a boy. Initially named Shrishtinath Prithviraj Kapoor he later became known as Ranbirraj Kapoor and eventually achieved great success in the world of art as Raj Kapoor. Once, Prithviraj Kapoor had a special moment with Ram Sarani where he expressed his excitement about his baby Srishtinath Ranbirraj Kapoor who later became known as Raj Kapoor in the film industry. Despite this, some older women in the family continued to affectionately call Raj Kapoor "Chisto " which was a cute nickname derived from his original name Srishtinath that his father Prithviraj Kapoor used. Prithviraj Kapoor often thought about his son Raj's childhood and how adorable he was with his blue eyes and rosy cheeks. Raj's cheeks were so red that Prithviraj's wife Ramasarani would sometimes try to rub off the color thinking it was a stain. This funny story became a favorite joke in the family for a long time. One amusing memory shared by Prithviraj from years ago is when he was filming for his movie 'Pardesi' in Moscow. While at a film festival, Prithviraj was surrounded by Russian girls. Eventually, Prithviraj asked him to leave the stage and come sit with his mother. As Prithviraj sat next to his mother she noticed that his cheeks were very red. This was nothing new as Prithviraj had naturally rosy cheeks since he was a child. However, out of habit, his mother wiped his cheeks with a handkerchief. To her surprise, the handkerchief had red lipstick marks from the girls' kisses. Life was not always easy for the family. One day when Raj was about seven years old he went to the film studio where Prithviraj was working. Raj looked worried and told his father that his younger brother Bindu was very sick. Prithviraj realized something serious had happened when he heard that his wife had sent Raj in a taxi (which was a luxury and expensive) to call him. Actually, Bindu had suddenly come home after playing and started having trouble breathing while taking a bath. He couldn't breathe and sadly Bindu passed away. The doctor initially thought a snake had bitten Bindu but later it was discovered that he had mistakenly eaten a sweet pill mixed with rat poison from a neighbor's house while playing. Only two weeks after this, another brother of Raj Kapoor Devendranath became sick with a high fever and passed away. These sad events had a strong effect on Prithviraj. He could never erase the memory of his children who resembled Raj very much. When Raj started school he was just okay in his studies but he was really good at everything else. He did great in extra-curricular activities and loved being in things like acting and public speaking. However, he had a hard time with subjects like math and Latin and had to work extra hard to understand them. One day Prithviraj talked with his son Raj about his school work. He praised Raj for doing well in activities outside of studies but also told him he needed to do better in his other subjects to pass his classes otherwise he will not be eligible to sit for his matriculation exam and wouldn't even get the form. When Prithviraj was young his father had once asked him to use his influence and get the matriculation form for his brother, though he was not eligible for the exam. Prithviraj didn't agree with this idea. Even though he could have used his fame as an actor to help his brother get the form easily he didn't want to cheat the system by using his influence in this way. Though he could have used his fame to help his son get a form for the important matriculation exam he chose not to do so in order to avoid cheating.He took a promise from Raj that he would never ask him for help in getting his matriculation form. When the time came and Raj's mother was worried that his son might not be allowed to appear for the exam, she repeatedly requested Prithviraj to use his influence to get a form for her son. Prithviraj Kapoor at last agreed and said okay he would help - but only if Raj asked him directly to do so but that Raj never asked. This moment was memorable for Prithviraj as it showed him how strong-willed his son was. Despite being a famous star at the time, Prithviraj wanted his sons to grow up without too many luxuries. Prithvi ji remembered that on one rainy morning when his wife had suggested sending Raj to school in their only family car in this rain storm. But Prithviraj insisted that like all other children, he too should have no problem in taking the tram. And like ordinary children, he should also experience the thrill of going to school drenched in rain, seeing rain puddles, and overflowing drains, walking on wet roads, and experiencing the joys and tribulations of rainy life. After finishing his matriculation exams Raj had a serious conversation with his father. He told his father that he wanted to start working instead of continuing school to get a degree through repeated exams. He explained that he didn't think having a degree would be useful for him. His father Prithviraj Kapoor was impressed by Raj's determination and gave him a task. He asked Raj to research and find information about their family history in places like Lahore Sheikhupur and Samundari. Prithviraj Kapoor gave Raj Rs 300 for this task. He told Raj that only after completing this task would he help him get into the film industry. Despite facing opposition from some family members who were skeptical about a film career, Raj set out on this trip more determined than ever to pursue acting and returned successfully. Prithviraj, with the help of Chandulal Shah, got Raj an entry-category level job at Ranjit Studios but under two strict conditions, first he would not be paid any salary and would be treated like any other employee there. - Not like Prithviraj Kapoor's son. Prithviraj informed Raj at home that his pocket money would be raised slightly from ₹15 to ₹30- He reminded Raj to take care of himself while working at the studio. Prithviraj instructed Raj to ask his mother to sew many white pants and shirts. Every morning Raj should leave the house wearing a white shirt and come back with dust on his white clothes from the studio. This way it would show how hard he worked. Prithviraj also said that Raj would not be sent fancy lunches from home. This strict but encouraging method helped Raj prepare for a challenging career in the film industry. Raj started as an assistant at Ranjit Studios under director Kidar Sharma and quickly learned the ins and outs of filmmaking by doing odd jobs around the studio (even cleaning the place). Despite being scolded many times by cinematographers for peeping into the camera lens, he was always enthusiastic about learning everything he could and went out of the way and did everything he could. Eventually, after working behind the scenes for some time and getting small roles here and there - (including an early appearance as a teenage actor) - Raj got his big break with "Neel Kamal". His father Prithviraj, remembered how all those years of hard work finally paid off when the audience saw what Raj could do on stage. Prithviraj recalled that it took a lot of effort for Raj to get into shape as an actor. He was not transformed into an artist overnight. Raj also had to go through the same hardships that many young actors of that time had to face with their fate. There was no question of nepotism. After working at Ranjit Studios for about a year, Raj moved to Bombay Talkies but still faced challenges in getting important roles. After working at Bombay Talkies Raj decided to join his father's theater group Prithvi Theatres. This allowed him to focus on acting his true passion. Starting as a General Assistant with a salary of Rs 201 Raj eagerly awaited the chance to move from being an ordinary employee to a producer director and actor in the theater. Raj Kapoor got his first big opportunity with the movie 'Aag' where he showed off his skills as both a director and actor. This movie was the beginning of his successful career and people loved his exciting storytelling. At only 24 years old Raj Kapoor directed and acted in 'Aag ' making him the youngest director at that time. He was very devoted to his work even using his own money and borrowing from his employees to pay for things like tea and food while making the movie. Although the film did not make much money when it was released, Raj Kapoor shone in the sky of Bollywood as a rising director and producer so much so that his light spread all over the world. During this film, Nargis and Raj Kapoor became a popular pair. After 'Aag' Raj Kapoor never looked back and the rest is history. Prithviraj Kapoor remembered music was something that family members had talent for. Even as a boy, Raj enjoyed singing and playing instruments. He would keep awake late into the night improvising new tunes. He would often ask his family for their help in writing or playing it though. This was because he knew that they had an equal passion for music. Even though it was late, they would gather in the place where laughter reigned, as they created melodies together. While Prithviraj Kapoor admired the commitment and talent of his son, he realized how very difficult it must have been for Raj to balance work with family life. She said, "Because Prithviraj Kapoor, when building his career, had his wife Ram Sarani managing the house and raising the kids, while Raj did everything basically all by himself. Recalling these moments which were filled with joy and tears of decades shared together as father and son, Prithviraj recounted with a heartfelt sense of gratitude every moment he spent in Raju's company. The ups and downs were very much on a personal level and became something indispensable to Indian cinema. The Celebration of 100 Glorious Years Of Raj Kapoor's Legacy Read also: Nephrocare India Hosts Walkathon to Mark 3rd Anniversary & Kidney Care Legendary Tabla Maestro Zakir Hussain Passes Away at 73, World Mourns Siddharth Anand"s 'Fighter' Ranked in IMDb"s Top 10 Popular Indian Films Unconventional Blockbusters That Defined 2024