Nikkhil Advani recalls how Rishi Kapoor would forget his name after third drink: ‘He would then call me boy’

When the interviewer asked the director if ever had drinks with Rishi Kapoor, Nikkhil replied, “We drank almost everyday.” In response to the question of, “What was that like?” Nikkhil said, “Incredible!”

He shared, “After the third peg, he would forget my name and then call me ‘boy’… ‘Boy make my drink’.” The director also recalled how as his house shared a wall with the actor’s bungalow, Rishi Kapoor would often call him over drinks and discuss about random recently released films which made him “beyond upset” for some reason.

Nikkhil Advani also shared how he saw films with Rishi Kapoor and also discussed many films with the veteran actor. During the interview, the filmmaker also mentioned how he approached Rishi Kapoor for his 2013 directorial D-Day, wherein the latter played a character based on mafia boss Dawood Ibrahim.

In an old interview with SCREEN too, Nikkhil had talked about how he got Rishi Kapoor on board the film. “We had worked in Patiala House together and were fond of each other. We were also neighbours because I lived in a building right next to his house in Pali Hills. I became somewhat of his buddy, we would meet, watch films together. I actually went to him with Nassar sir’s role (who played Chief of RAW Ashwini Rao). But he wasn’t that kicked about it and then he showed me a still of Rauf Lala from Agneepath (2012). I went back home, and the next day told him, ‘Chintu ji you are right, why don’t you play Dawood Ibrahim?’ He was shocked and told me, ‘Paagal ho gaya hai kya, ye main kaise kar sakta hu (Have you lost it, how can I do this role)? But I insisted we do a look test. When he came out of the van, he said, ‘Let’s do this’,” he shared then.

D-Day marked the start of the second phase of the director’s career, which had witnessed a blockbuster start with Kal Ho Na Ho, followed by a series of misses, including Salaam-e-Ishq, Chandni Chowk to China and Patiala House.