“I can barely sit in one place for five minutes” was what Rishi Kapoor often admitted and that explains the energy bundle that he was. The man who was as vivacious and sprightly as life itself could not be rendered silent by fate! We have known him as much for his acting as for his interesting one liners, nonpareil fashion sense and unmatched love for food. Even the statement released by his family post his passing away says that he kept the medical staff in the hospital entertained till the last.
Rishi Kapoor blazed through his career starting off as an adolescent, in his father Raj Kapoor's film Mera Naam Joker (1970), for which he won the National Film Award for the Best Child Artist, not to mention a special cameo appearance he made in his father's film Shree 420 in the song Pyar Hua Ikrar Hua when he was a child. He debuted with his own movie Bobby (1973) opposite Dimple Kapadia which won him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor.
Born in the Kapoor family, it was almost as if he was destined to be the megastar that he went on to become. Kapoor starred as the romantic lead in 92 films between 1973 to 2000 including Khel Khel Mein (1975), Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Karz (1980), and Chandni (1989). After 2000 Rishi Kapoor played various character roles in movies like Do Dooni Chaar (2010), Aurangzeb (2013), and Mulk (2018).
Not only did he give several iconic movies on screen but also was known to be one of the greatest dancers of his time.
‘Om Shanti Om’ once was the party anthem of the nation where young Kapoor made everyone go gaga over him with his dance moves. From his all-silver disco attire to his crazy dance on a rotating disc, the song is evergreen, which still makes people groove on it. Rishi Kapoor tried to do whatever he could during his hero days “but no one gave me a chance to do anything different except the romantic lead”. It was only post 2000 that he played versatile characters, like in Rajma Chawal, 102 Not Out, Mulk, Agneepath and Kapoor & Sons. He also admits in his quintessentially funny manner that he has done films where he didn't know what he was doing'
When it came to brands and marketing, surprisingly Rishi Kapoor did not do a lot of advertisements and was not associated with a number of brands. He once did a television commercial for Pepsi with his son Ranbir Kapoor but did not appear a lot on the small screen. After Amitabh Bachchan's phenomenal success due to Kaun Banega crorepati, Rishi Kapoor was considered to be the host of an Indian remake of the popular show This is Your Life but the decision did not mature into reality.