Raj Kapoor birth centenary: Rishi Kapoor gifted the legend’s film collection to Riddhima Kapoor Sahni’s father-in-law on her wedding

Ahead of Raj Kapoor's 100th birth anniversary, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni reveals that her late father Rishi Kapoor gifted his father's film collection to her father-in-law as a wedding gift.

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Dec 12, 2024 08:15 AM IST

Rishi Kapoor gifted Raj Kapoor's film collection to Riddhima's father in law

Late actor Rishi Kapoor has often mentioned, including in his autobiography, that he was scared of his father and late actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor. The two had a strained relationship during his childhood, as the latter was too busy with his work schedule. However, very few people know that the legendary father-son duo went on to share a special bond in the preceding years. In an exclusive conversation with SCREEN, Raj Kapoor’s granddaughter and Rishi Kapoor’s daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni revealed that her father gifted the entire collection of his father’s movies to her father-in-law Shrawan Sahni.

Riddhima shares, “I have his entire collection with me here. When I got married, my father gifted my father-in-law the entire collection of Raj Kapoor movies. We used to watch one every other day. He gifted the series in 2006, it was a really special gift.”

ALSO READ | When Neetu Kapoor said Rishi Kapoor would have ‘killed himself’ if daughter Riddhima talked about becoming an actress: ‘She knew it would upset him

The Fabulous Lives Of Bollywood Wives star further adds that she makes sure that her daughter Samara watches her great grandfather’s films. “I just showed her Mera Naam Jokar and Boot Polish, something to start off with. Of course, she is 13 so gets a little distracted, but I keep telling her that your great grandfather had done these movies and he was legendary. She did watch a little bit of it and knows of him, but she is a teenager, so too distracted to sit and watch the entire film at one go. However, she loves my mom’s film Do Kaliyan, that’s her favourite film,” she tells us.

Ask her if she can choose between Raj Kapoor’s talent of acting and direction, like her brother Ranbir Kapoor recently picked direction as his favourite in a session at IFFI, Goa, and she answers, “I would say both to be honest. I have watched each and every film of his, right from Aawara, Shree 420, to Boot Polish. It’s unfair to choose if he was a greater director or actor, I can’t pick one like Ranbir did. He is and will always remain a legend in my eyes.”

To mark the birth centenary of Raj Kapoor, RK Films, Film Heritage Foundation, and NFDC-National Film Archive of India have joined hands to organise a grand retrospective, titled ‘Raj Kapoor 100 – Celebrating the Centenary of the Greatest Showman’. As a part of the celebration, 10 iconic films of Raj Kapoor will be screened in 135 cinemas and 40 cities in India, from December 13 to 15.

Navya Kharbanda

Navya Kharbanda is an Entertainment Journalist and Cinematic Commentator at The Indian Express, where she specializes in bridging the gap between classic Bollywood heritage and contemporary Gen-Z perspectives. Her work is characterized by a blend of nostalgia-driven analysis and on-the-ground reporting from major film festivals and industry events. Experience & Professional Background Navya is a prominent voice on The Indian Express entertainment desk, known for her ability to secure candid interviews with both legendary veterans and rising stars. Her career highlights include: The Indian Express: Covers a wide range of topics from high-stakes box office analysis to in-depth celebrity profiles. She is a regular at major events like the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). SCREEN Interviews: Navya has conducted a series of "exclusive conversations" for SCREEN, featuring industry stalwarts like Anupam Kher, Vishal Bhardwaj, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and Suhasini Maniratnam. Archival Reporting: She is noted for her sensitive handling of archival interviews and retrospectives, recently covering the legacy of late superstar Dharmendra and the career reflections of the late Satish Shah. Expertise & Focus Areas Navya’s beat is uniquely defined by her "Gen-Z Revisit" series, where she re-evaluates cult classics through a modern lens. Her core areas of expertise include: Cinematic Retrospectives: Analyzing 80s and 90s landmarks like Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, and Mohabbatein to explore how themes of romance and rebellion resonate with today’s youth. Industry Insights: Tracking the career resurgences of actors (e.g., Akshaye Khanna) and the evolving dynamics of film production and distribution in the OTT era. On-Set Dynamics: Reporting on behind-the-scenes stories from major productions, ranging from the technical challenges of Mirzapur: The Film to the work ethics of superstars like Shah Rukh Khan. South Indian Cinema: Expanding her coverage to include the impact of regional icons and the rise of pan-Indian fantasy epics like Magadheera. Authoritativeness & Trust Navya Kharbanda has established her authority by consistently providing "Journalism of Courage" in the entertainment sphere. Whether she is interrogating the sexism in patriarchal classics or reporting on the fair-pay debates at international film festivals, her work prioritizes factual accuracy and critical objectivity. Her ability to synthesize deep industry history with modern audience trends makes her a trusted source for readers seeking both entertainment news and thoughtful cultural commentary. ... Read More

Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.

Loading Recommendations...

Mar 13: Latest News

Live Blog