When Ranbir Kapoor recalled how a mob of Russian fans carried Raj Kapoor’s car to his hotel: ‘Another kind of stardom’

Ranbir Kapoor, who is witnessing major success with Animal, looked back in an old interview on the astronomical popularity that his grandfather, Raj Kapoor, enjoyed in his prime.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | December 14, 2023 08:13 AM IST

3 min read

Raj Kapoor was extremely popular in the 1950s in Russia. (Photo: Express Archive)

Actor Ranbir Kapoor is experiencing the biggest success of his career right now, with the controversial blockbuster Animal, but in an old interview, he appeared to have self-awareness about the kind of popularity he enjoys and the kind of cultural impact that his grandfather, Raj Kapoor, has had. He recalled an anecdote about his grandfather, and said that he can only dream of adulation on that scale. December 14, 2023, marks Raj Kapoor’s 99th birth anniversary.

Chatting with The Big Indian Picture over a decade ago, Ranbir was asked about earlier statements about wanting to become the biggest Indian star of all time. “I want to be the best at my job, not just critically acclaimed. I don’t want to do movies where just (people in) the cities know me. I want India to know me. I want to reach the small centres. I want to reach the small villages. If I’m a part of movies, it’s not just to make myself happy and intellectually masturbate, and say, ‘What a great performance, look at the nuances’. Unless every single individual in this country knows my name and likes me, I’ll never be a big star.”

Also read – When Raj Kapoor gave dad Prithviraj Kapoor a blank cheque to buy a luxury car, but he never cashed it

He said that popularity like this needs time and effort. Explaining what stardom means to him, Ranbir narrated two stories, about Lata Mangeshkar, and his late grandfather, Raj Kapoor. Ranbir said that he was at a coffee shop one night, when the legendary singer walked in. He said that every person in the coffee shop quietly stood up as a mark of respect.

Recalling the story about his grandfather, he said, “I’ve heard so many stories about him. I’m very interested in knowing about his life. I was only six years old when he passed away. He went to Russia for the premiere of Awaara. He came out of the theatre, and there was a huge mob of Russians just waiting to see him. He went inside his car, and you wouldn’t believe it, all these people, they carried his car and took him to the hotel. That’s another kind of stardom.”

Ranbir said that he’s interested in creating a film about his grandfather, but said that he wouldn’t want to whitewash him. “I was offered a film… I was actually myself writing a film about him, when I was in school in New York. But I wouldn’t want to. I can’t tell his story the way it’s meant to be told. Controversial is not the right word, but if I ever make a film about Raj Kapoor, I wouldn’t paint him as this amazing, beautiful human being.”

Ranbir said that the stardom that he’s used to, where people scream his name and shower him with affection, is ‘great’, but it’s ‘shortlived’. “There’ll be another heartthrob after you, and there’ll be 10 more after them,” he said. But Ranbir has reason to celebrate now, with the massive success of his new film, Animal. Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Animal has grossed more than Rs 750 crore worldwide, emerging as Ranbir’s biggest hit.

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