Goa: Bollywood royalty Ranbir Kapoor inadvertently threw his star wife, Alia Bhatt, under the bus at the ongoing International Film Festival of India in Goa when he revealed that the acclaimed actress had no clue about who Kishore Kumar was. The moment those words tumbled out, the crowd was heard asking dubiously if he was serious. It sounded like blasphemy to the movie-mad audience.
But Kapoor wasn’t out to shame anyone. He was making a larger point about the importance of preserving cinematic heritage. At the session, Kapoor shared his mission to restore 10 classics by his legendary grandfather, Raj Kapoor, as a tribute to the legacy he left behind.
“When I first met Alia, she asked me who Kishore Kumar was. It’s a circle of life where people are forgotten when new artists come. It is important to remember our roots, not just Raj Kapoor’s films,” said Kapoor, as he delved into his thoughts on legacy, restoration, and Raj Kapoor's indelible impact.
Excerpts from the masterclass with Ranbir Kapoor, who was born into the illustrious film dynasty and is Raj Kapoor’s first grandson …
What are your earliest memories of your grandfather, Raj Kapoor?
When I could remember anything in life, I remembered him as a grandfather, as Dadaji. He was this big man with blue eyes. When my sister and I visited him, he would take us to his room, where he’d hide caramel toffees in his fridge. All the cousins—Kareena, Karishma, my sister, and I—had to stand in a line, sing ‘Awaara Hoon’ and give him a kiss on his cheek to get a toffee. Those memories are very personal to me. He passed away when I was six years old. I didn’t fully understand death then, but I remember seeing a sea of people outside Devar Cottage. That day, I realized he was someone significant, someone deeply respected.
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