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For Randhir Kapoor, it was love at first sight when he saw upcoming actor Babita on the sets of his father Raj Kapoor‘s film, Sangam. Daughter of actor Hari Shivdasani, young Babita was finding her feet in the film industry and had debuted in the 1966 film Dus Lakh. They met in 1969 and their relationship soon blossomed.
After dating her for two years, Randhir accepted that he was ‘doing time-pass’ and Babita was losing patience.
Babita started having apprehensions and asked Randhir to either marry her or end it. That’s when he thought of signing Babita for his directorial debut Kal, Aaj Aur Kal that brought together three generations of Kapoors — Randhir, father Raj and grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor.
Raj Kapoor knew that Randhir and Babita were seeing each other. In an old interview, Randhir fondly recalls how his father, well aware of their relationship, took matters in his own hand.
“Main timepass kiye jaa raha tha. He was like, ‘Shaadi vaadi karne ka iraada hai ki nahi?’ (I was whiling away time. My father asked if I had any intention of getting married),” Randhir had earlier recalled on Kapil’s show. “Jab woh buddhi ho jayegi shaadi karega usse (Will you marry her when she gets old)?” Randhir quipped that he did not have to propose to Babita, his parents did so on his behalf.
However, Senior Kapoor wanted Babita to quit films as Kapoor women famously didn’t act in films. Babita was a young star and had acted in just 19 films in her acting career. The actor was madly in love with Randhir Kapoor so eventually, she decided to do as the Kapoors wanted.
Randhir Kapoor and Babita had a low-key ring ceremony at the Babita’s residence on May 12, 1971. And on November 6, 1971, Randhir and Babita got married in a Punjabi wedding at the Kapoor residence.
Randhir Kapoor and Babita’s wedding was a grand affair. The celebrations were attended by Bollywood legends like Dev Anand, Dharmendra, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, Rekha, and Rajendra Kumar.
See photos from Randhir Kapoor and Babita’s wedding and reception:
Randhir and Babita became proud parents to Kareena and Karisma Kapoor, who eventually joined films. However, he returned to live with his parents in 1988 but the two never divorced. He told Hindustan Times in an earlier interview, “She found that I was a terrible man who drank a lot and came home late, which was something she didn’t like. And I didn’t want to live the way she wanted, and she couldn’t accept me as I am, though it was a love marriage. So it’s okay. We had two lovely children to look after. She brought them up in the best way and they have excelled in their career. What else could I have asked for as a father?”
Randhir turns 78 today.
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