Two days, two deaths. Bollywood seems to be bearing the brunt of the lockdown as it lost two of noted thespians in the span of 24 hours, and both to cancer. If Irrfan Khan was one who lent an extraordinary touch to the most ordinary roles, Rishi Kapoor was the original pin-up boy of the 1970s who grew to become everyone's choice to play multifaceted characters.
During a career spanning more than five decades, Kapoor acted in at least 123 films, including one that was made for the streaming media audience. While the youth of the day would remember Rishi Kapoor from movies such as Mulk and 102 Not Out, their parents and grandparents may recall the likes of Bobby (1973) and Karz (1980).
Given that a long weekend that includes celebrating May day is upon us, we have created this list of Rishi Kapoor movies that you may want to watch over the next three days. The caveat though is that while choosing the movies, we had to be aware of their availability on one or the other OTT platform. So, here goes:
Do Dooni Chaar
Platform: Netflix
Director: Habib Faisal
Synopsis: The story gives us a peek into the travails of a high school mathematics teacher's battle to give his family a life better than his income permits and how this makes him an ideal candidate for crooks who believe even grades can be bought. The movie saw the coming together of Rishi Kapoor and his wife Neetu Kapoor as an on-screen pair after close to three decades.
Kapoor & Sons
Platform: Netflix
Director: Shakun Batra
Synopsis: Rishi Kapoor turns up with some prosthetics for the second time in his career, playing a very senior citizen whose only purpose in life is to take a family picture that can be framed up once he passes on. The movie saw Kapoor and Alia Bhatt on screen for the first time after the latter had officially announced her relationship with Kapoor's son Ranbir Kapoor.
Amar Akbar Anthony
Platform: Netflix
Director: Manmohan Desai
Synopsis: An iconic movie from the late 1970s when lost-and-found was the favourite theme of Bollywood. Though Rishi Kapoor played second fiddle alongside Amitabh Bachchan, there were several scenes and songs that made this into a cult classic. Kapoor lip-syncing Mohd. Rafi on Pardah Hai and Sai Bhajan and copying the Qawwali style was a first for Indian audiences those days.
Agneepath
Platform: Netflix
Director: Karan Johar
Synopsis: A remake of the 1980s movie of the same name, the story is that of a mafia don in the making and his tryst with his own destiny. However, the character of Rauf Lala that Rishi Kapoor played in the later version was not part of the earlier story and for the once the actor showcased his ability to portray menace on screen without once raising his voice or beating his chest. This was sheer genius at work.
Mulk
Platform: Zee5
Director: Anubhav Sinha
Synopsis: The story of a well-respected individual belonging to the minority community who finds himself facing certain ruin when his nephew is found associated with terrorists and his brother dies incarcerated for a crime he didn't commit. Rishi Kapoor comes up with a virtuoso performance where his anger, vulnerability and faith chase each other repeatedly as the only one ready to fight his cause is his daughter-in-law.
102 Not Out
Platform: Amazon Prime
Director: Umesh Shukla
Synopsis: The story of a centenarian and his 75 year old son has Amitabh Bachchan taking the lion's share of the screen time and plaudits. However, once the movie gets over, it is Rishi Kapoor's cantankerous son who stays with us, in spite of the fact that the dad gets the best lines. However, Rishi makes up with his stoic presence and subtle yet powerful body language to make the movie yet another milestone for these two actors. No wonder Bachchan was devastated by the younger man's early passing.
D-Day
Platform: Amazon Prime
Director: Nikhil Advani
Synopsis: There is not much going for this imaginative tale about Indian agents going after and nabbing their enemy number one who is cocking a snook at them from across the border. However, the lead pair of Rishi Kapoor, who plays a version of Dawood Ibrahim and Irrfan who plays an Indian agent lend chutzpah to what is otherwise a boring saga of bravery and patriotism. Worth a watch for a handful of scenes between Kapoor and Khan, both leaving us within the space of 24 hours of each other.
Aurangzeb
Platform: Amazon Prime
Director: Atul Sabharwal
Synopsis: A typical tale of revenge where the focus was on an aspiring star Arjun Kapoor and Prithviraj, a southern superstar trying his luck in Bollywood. However, the one who caught our attention was none other than Rishi Kapoor who played the corrupt DCP Ravikant Phogat, replete with his one-liners and slimy looks. Released in 2013, this was perhaps Kapoor's first attempt at playing the antagonist.
Doosra Aadmi
Platform: Amazon Prime
Director: Ramesh Talwar
Synopsis: The story of a happily married couple into whose life enters a third person in the form of an interior designer who somehow perceives her own beau in her employer. All three actors in the milieu turned up nuanced performances with Rishi Kapoor playing the helpless-at-times and haughty-at-other husband with aplomb while his wife Neetu Singh essayed his lady love and Rakhee Gulzar was the other woman.
Sargam
Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
Director: K Vishwanath
Synopsis: The movie tells the story of a mute dancer who is smitten by the beats of a man's drum to the point where he assumes the role of her Pied Piper. The story isn't a new one and nor is the treatment. What was amazing to watch was Rishi Kapoor's ability to keep the beats as he plays the "Dafli" and dances along. In fact, time and again the actor has shown great timing when it comes to replicating musical notes on a dead instrument by just hearing them.
And, the ones we missed
Of course, there are any number of Rishi Kapoor movies that we would suggest and the list would definitely include the likes of Bobby (his first major role) and Karz, which lent him the status of a superstar.
Then there is Khel Khel Mein and Rafoo Chakkar, the latter being unique in that Rishi Kapoor turned up wearing skirts for a good part of the film. His biggest hit Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin came in 1977 while his movies with Sridevi - Nagina and Chandni - are considered iconic in Bollywood folklore.
But, as we said earlier, the challenge is to find these movies on the OTT platforms. Are you listening Netflix and Amazon Prime?
