“I want Ranbir Kapoor also to be known as a ‘worthy grandson’ of Raj Kapoor-saab—the RK-show-must- go- on,” father Rishi Kapoor had shared with me by Chaitanya Padukone

Around 20 years ago, when I met Rishi Kapoor in his office cabin at R K Studios—Chembur-Mumbai he directly shared with me that his talented handsome son Ranbir Kapoor would be studying the craft of filmmaking and method acting at the School of Visual Arts and Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, in New York  ( USA)... Since Rishi and I shared a warm personal bonding, he would share with me various positive family matters. “ Disclosed outspoken Rishi, “ First of all I have not allowed any pet-name or nick-name for Ranbir.  Because almost all of us get called by our nicknames like Chintu, Dabboo, Chimpu,  Mickey ( Aditya Kapoor) etc. I want Ranbir to be known only by his original name, when he starts working in the film-industry, Secondly I want him to learn the craft of film-making and versatile acting from the prestigious Lee Strasberg Film Institute in New York from the international faculty. Frankly I want him to prove that he is a worthy grandson of showman Raj Kapoor-saab and a talented dedicated actor-son of Neetu Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor. Who will make us and the RK banner proud., ensuring that ‘the-RK show-must-go-on”, “ asserted Rishi ( Chintu) Kapoor.

 After completing his acting and direction course from Lee Strasberg. Ranbir assisted director Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the film Black (2005) and then made his acting debut with Bhansali's tragic romance Saawariya (2007) which did not do well at the box-office despite its fabulous songs.  The determined Ranbir then tasted starry success with the maverick film Wake Up Sid, the romantic comedy Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (both 2009), and the multi-starrer political drama Raajneeti (2010). Ranbir’s impressive performances as a troubled musician in Rockstar (2011) and a cheerful deaf-and-mute man in Barfi  (2012) earned him two consecutive Filmfare Awards for Best Actor. The romantic musical comedy Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) further established him as a mega-star. This was followed by Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016) and super-hit bio-pic movie Sanju (2018). . His perfect portrayal of Sanjay Dutt in bio-pic  ‘Sanju’  won him another Filmfare Award.. Thereafter he earned further commercial success in the multi-starrer musical fantasy film Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022) ( opposite his star-wife Alia Bhatt) and the latest action thriller Animal (2023) emerging as his highest-grossing raw action-violence thriller box-office mega-hit and winning him a fourth Filmfare Best Actor award –2024 !. Many felt that Ranbir’s  beautiful little daughter Raha ( born November 2022) was like a lucky shagun mascot in his acting career

Currently, Ranbir is all set to play Lord Rama in Nitesh Tiwari’s trilogy with Sai Pallavi playing Sita-maiyya. Senior film-actor and TV superstar Arun Govil ( who played Lord Rama in iconic original TV Show ‘Ramayana’ spoke about Ranbir Kapoor.  Arun called Ranbir a 'good actor' and said he was 'very cultured', and should be able to do a good job with the Ram role. Whatever I know of him, Ranbir works very hard, is a diligent versatile star-actor and he is a very cultured boy. He has got good moral and cultural values--sanskaari ladka hai.  I've noticed it several times. I'm very sure that he will try to do his level best,” said Arun Govil

Those familiar with Raj Kapoor’s major-hit musical movie ‘Barsaat’ (1949) and its popular posters and the RK Studios banner logo-emblem, may recall the uncanny striking similarity. Where Raj Kapoor is shown fondly holding his heroine Nargis on his right arm in a similar fashion and has clutched a violin instrument in his other left hand.

In the poster of ‘Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar’ (2023) which has slightly different poses with Shraddha swaying more towards the camera and Ranbir looking upwards. Also, there is no musical instrument clutched by Ranbir Kapoor in his (empty) left hand. The outspoken Ranbir has often said on record that he holds his showman grandfather Raj Kapoor saab as an iconic inspiration both for his memorable movies and the meaningful evergreen songs from the RK repertoire. This amazing innovative poster of TJMM, is it apparently a ‘silent tribute’  to late showman Raj Kapoor!

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