Rishi Kapoor taught us how to love

Rishi Kapoor taught us how to love

Every teenaged girl in the 70s and 80s wished she had a guy like Rishi Kapoor in her life who was stylish, handsome, naughty and a die-hard romantic. And every teenaged boy would take tips from his characters on how to get his girl and romance her. 

Back in the day, love was a simple affair in Hindi films – chase a girl that you like, sing and dance for her, and she will willingly give in at some stage. And while Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna and a few others too indulged in it, there was something really adorable about the way Rishi romanced, whether it was in Chandni, Saagar, Karz, Kabhi Kabhi, Khel Khel Mein, Yeh Vaada Raha or the milestone movie of his career -- Bobby!

Nobody really cared if he had an affair with Dimple Kapadia as was rumoured nor did his marriage with Neetu Singh affect his popularity. He was the hero for all those who chose to be lost in their dream world while on the other side of the film spectrum, angry young men were fighting the system. 

Secretly, those who went to watch his films in the theatre, did have a sense of wish fulfilment, but another major factor that contributed to his fandom was the romantic songs he so easily lip-synced to. 

Meri Umar Ke Naujawano (Karz), Hum Tum Ek Kamre Mein Band Ho (Bobby), Saagar Jaisi Aankhon Wali (Saagar), O Meri Chandni (Chandni), Tere Chehre Se Nazar Nahi Hatati (Kabhi Kabhi), and the list goes on. He was clearly a master of performing on qawwalis, and the title songs of Hum Kisise Kum Naheen and Zamaane Ko Dikhana Hai stand testimony to it. Add to that the fact that he was one of the very few great dancers of his era whose dance steps were copied by young India. 

And he was a fashion icon too. The sweatshirts, mufflers, caps and sunglasses that Rishi wore in his films became not just his trademark but style guidelines for guys too.  

Rishi did experiment with his roles and did a few films with social message – Tawaif, Ek Chadar Maili Si in his prime, and Mulk and a few more recently. But his die-hard fans admitted that it was difficult for them to accept him as a pimp (Agneepath) or a don (D-Day). For them, Rishi was romance, love and all the beautiful emotions in the world which they will cherish forever, even as they mourn his departure. 

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