Shammi Kapoor's Son Aditya Says He 'Avoided' Raj Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor: 'I Ran Away From The Family Fold'
Aditya Raj Kapoor recalled his time with his uncle Raj Kapoor and cousin Randhir Kapoor.
As the Kapoor clan gears up to celebrate Raj Kapoor’s 100th birth anniversary on Saturday, December 14, Aditya Raj Kapoor opened up about the late legendary actor. Aditya Raj Kapoor is the son of Shammi Kapoor, Raj Kapoor’s brother and yet another legend from the Kapoor family. Aditya mentioned he distanced himself from Raj Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor as he felt he wasn’t living up to the family’s cinematic legacy.
In a conversation with ETimes, Aditya Raj Kapoor said, “Wow, Raj Saab – A cinematic poet who redefined how people perceive social platforms and romance. A lot of today’s cinematic construction, whether in scripts, edits, or direction, owes its legacy to giants like him who dared to dream beyond the pale of darkness. In this, Mr Raj Kapoor played a stellar part."
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He mentioned, “I often wonder what kind of destiny he felt compelled to fulfil – this could even be the premise of a new movie! He began by portraying social themes, infused them with romance, and eventually presented intricate relationships between characters. Through his direction and nurturing, he revolutionized creativity in Indian cinema."
Recalling his time with his uncle, Aditya said, “I spent a few years at RK Studios under Randhir Kapoor and Raj Saab. Even today, an apprentice with Steven Spielberg cannot compare to the platform Raj Saab created. That’s because, in those days, we were discovering the times themselves. Today, with advancements like computer technology, things are different. Raj Saab was a stickler for detail. He sought beauty in the mundane and made the ordinary extraordinary. His undying passion for storytelling, combined with music and cinematography, left no room for shortcuts – it was all or nothing."
When pointed out that while Shashi Kapoor and Raj Kapoor’s families carried on the family’s legacy, Shammi Kapoor’s family stayed away from the spotlight, Aditya said, “Well, yes I did stay away. And for years I would avoid meeting Raj Uncle or his son Randhir. (Because I felt that I ran away from the family fold). But I had my reasons for doing something else. Raj uncle had discovered all that was cinematically possible. What would I do new?"
Meanwhile, the Raj Kapoor Film Festival is set to take place this Friday, December 13, in Mumbai. The festival is being organised to celebrate Raj Kapoor’s 100th birth anniversary. The Kapoor family is honouring Raj Kapoor’s legacy by hosting a film festival which will play 10 of his biggest films. The festival will feature Raj Kapoor’s most celebrated works, spanning almost four decades including including – Aag (1948), Barsaat (1949), Awaara (1951), Shree 420 (1955), Jagte Raho (1956), Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960), Sangam (1964), Mera Naam Joker (1970), Bobby (1973) and Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985).
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