Rishi Kapoor - Career

Career

Rishi Kapoor debuted in his father's 1970 film Mera Naam Joker, playing his father's role as a child. Rishi Kapoor had his first lead role opposite Dimple Kapadia in the popular 1973 film Bobby which became an instant hit among youngsters. Since then he played leading roles as the romantic lead in 92 films of them 41 were multi-hero films and 51 solo hero films. He disclosed in an interview "I landed in Bobby by default. There was a misconception that the film was made to launch me as an actor. The film was actually made to pay the debts of Mera Naam Joker. Dad wanted to make a teenage love story and he did not have money to cast superstar Rajesh Khanna in the film."He made a popular pairing with future wife Neetu Singh in films such as Khel Khel Mein (1975), Kabhie Kabhie (1976), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977). Rishi Kapoor got 51 films as the solo lead hero from 1974-1997 but of them 40 were box-office flops and managed only 11 hits - which were Bobby, Laila Majnu, Rafoo Chakkar, Sargam, Karz (1980), Prem Rog (1982), Nagina (1986), Honeymoon, Banjaran, Heena and Bol Radha Bol. His major success came in as the 2nd or 3rd lead hero in films. Rishi did 41 multi hero films from 1976-2000 where Rishi was casted as 2nd or 3rd lead hero and of them 16 were flops and 25 were hits. He was often offered the role of playing younger brother to main lead heroes in the multi hero films he did where his character would be a romantic one and the story would revolve on the main lead hero of the film. In the 1990s he appeared in hits like Henna (1991) which was his father's last directorial film later completed by his brother Randhir Kapoor, Bol Radha Bol (1992). He got the plum lead hero roles in two-hero films only few times like in Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin, Badalte Roshtey, Aap Ke Deewane, Saagar then in 90's with Chandni, Deewana (1992), Damini - Lightning (1993) and Gurudev (1994); otherwise in the 2 hero films Rishi did in late 70's and through-out 80's, it was his other co-star whose character over-shadowed his and the other co-star was appreciated more like in case of Katilon Ke Kaatil, Coolie, Sitamgar, Zamana. After several box office failures from the mid 1990s, he eventually moved on to supporting roles in the 2000s. In 1999 he directed the film Aa Ab Laut Chalen, starring Rajesh Khanna, Aishwarya Rai, Akshaye Khanna, Kader Khan, Paresh Rawal and Jaspal Bhatti

His last film as a romantic lead was the delayed release Karobaar: The Business of Love (2000). He has since then played supporting character roles in films like Yeh Hai Jalwa (2002), Hum Tum (2004), Fanaa (2006), Namaste London (2007), Love Aaj Kal (2009) and Patiala House (2010). He also appeared in the British films Don't Stop Dreaming (2007) and Sambar Salsa (2008). He reunited onscreen with Neetu Singh in the film Do Dooni Chaar (2010).He has achived more success as a character actor since 2004 than his earlier career.

Rishi Kapoor has acted in Heena, directed by his brother Randhir Kapoor and his father, the late Raj Kapoor, and in Prem Granth, a movie produced by the three Kapoor brothers (Rishi, Randhir and Rajiv Kapoor, directed by Rajiv Kapoor).

Rishi has acted in the movie Chintu Ji in which he plays himself. The film has references that pertain to Raj Kapoor, his father, his mother, his wife and his earlier films like Chandni, Mera Naam Joker and others. In 2012 he appeared in a villainous role in Agneepath and in the multi-starrer Housefull 2 where he appeared with brother Randhir for the first time. He made a cameo appearance in Yash Chopra's last film as a director, Jab Tak Hai Jaan along with his wife. The film reunited him on screen with Shahrukh Khan after twenty years since Deewana.