Birth Anniversary: Rajeev Kapoor (Chimpu) beyond the clouds

Rajiv Kapoor Birth Anniversary:  Sometimes I think, no, I believe death is like a drug that keeps on catching weak victims and when it finds victims without any effort it slowly becomes an addiction. I have seen this dangerous drug play out with many and I have just received the painful news about a very old and dear friend Rajeev Kapoor being the longest victim of the drug called death. Death could have waited a little longer to fulfill some of Rajiv's best ambitions and dreams, but how can we make death a drug to hapless human beings?

The drug called Death named Mrityu was playing its dirty game with the Kapoor family

This drug called death has been continuously playing its dirty game with the Kapoor family. It started with the death of the head of the family, Prithviraj Kapoor, after which, within a week, he got absorbed in the five elements. The drug named Mrityu took a brief pause and then struck with a vengeance when it attacked with snatches of Raj Kapoor, Shammi, and Shashi and then Ritu Nanda (Raj Kapoor's eldest daughter), Rishi Kapoor and Krishna Raj Kapoor.

And now after death comes the medicine called death to establish its mighty power throughout life, in which Shomya Raj Kapoor's youngest son passed away, after which a man who lived a beautiful life died of a heart attack. Gone when he was only 58, which I think is an age gone too soon. Rajeev died in Loni, the farmhouse where he had been living almost alone for the past several years...

Rajeev Kapoor shot video films with himself

I have known Chimpu (his home name was Dabboo and Rishi Chintu like Randhir Kapoor) ever since he was running around RK's studio looking for ways to help his father or his brothers. He shot video films with himself as the hero and Padmini Kolhapuri, who was still a child artist, as his heroine and sometimes with a grown-up girl named Naji who eventually marries the villain Ranjit. Took.

Raj Kapoor had many friends who saw an affinity towards Shammi Kapoor and asked him to launch his son Rajeev as a hero, but the father was too busy and Rajeev was launched by Rajeev Mehra in his first film, 'Ek Jaan Hai Hum'. His resemblance to Shammi Kapoor was for Rajeev and he was inundated with offers. Although he appeared only in 'Lover Boy' and 'Plasma' (he played dual roles in both these films), Jabardasth and a few other films, by the time he did two films, 'Aag Ka Dariya' and 'Zimmedaar' which took off his career then Raj Kapoor gave her the biggest hit with his cult film 'Ram Teri Ganga Maili' and it was probably the first time that the stupendous success of a film did nothing for the hero, where it catapulted the heroine Mandakini to stardom. Filled the bag for.

When Rajeev started making Randhir Kapoor's 'Henna'

Rajeev now got into some serious work and started making Randhir Kapoor's 'Henna', which was left unfinished by Raj Kapoor. He was the producer of Rishi Kapoor's first and only film as a director, Aa Ab Laut Chal which was a major set piece for RK Films and Rishi Kapoor. He vowed to direct a film again.

Rajeev then fulfilled his dream of directing a film and had a starcast as Rishi Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit for his film 'Prem Granth', but the grim and morbid subject matter refused to help Rajeev in any way. Because the film was a disastrous flop. Rajeev tried to make another film with Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri, but he could not go above doing a photo shoot with Sanjay and Madhuri, which incidentally was shot by my photographer R Krishna and directed by Rajeev.

Rajeev Kapoor directed some big serials

Chimpu then switched to television and directed some big serials directed by well-known TV directors, but his venture was also unsuccessful. Rajeev was now living a carefree life, but things turned worse for him when his marriage with Aarti Sabharwal ended in a separation.

He was estranged from his family due to unknown reasons and was very bitter because Raj Sahab did not make any more films for him which is why he did not attend Raj Sahab's funeral. He tried to drown in more and more alcohol which only harmed his health. His weight kept increasing and it was a sad sight to see the glory of the Kapoor family go down like this. He used to accept defeat even before executing any kind of fight.

The last time I spoke to her was when I wanted to have her as the chief guest for a function organized by women in Pune. He was overjoyed to find that he was still recognized and wanted by people who knew about his work. But he ditched at the last minute and I was very angry with him, though he kept apologizing to me. The last time I saw him was when the three brothers were celebrating the Ganpati festival at RK's studio.

And now RK studio is gone, Raj Kapoor sahab is gone, Rishi Kapoor is gone and Rajeev Kapoor has just left for a place which neither he nor anyone else knew about. And I wish like Dev Anand that all those who leave the land in one place give them a better life than the life they are living in this life.

Was it too soon? Were you angry with this life that left you, but what about those who loved you very much?