Raj Kapoor deserved much more fame: Imtiaz Ali

Film-maker expresses his feelings about late actor and director Raj Kapoor.

MUMBAI: Director Imtiaz Ali, who shot to fame with his blockbuster Jab We Met in 2007, seems to be on a roll. Though his 2004 film Socha Na Tha didn’t so well at the box office, his critically-acclaimed movies such as Love Aaj Kal and Rockstar have made up for that.

He was spotted at the late legendary actor-director Raj Kapoor’s 25th death anniversary over the weekend, where he expressed his feelings, saying, “He [Kapoor] was a legendary director. He deserved much more fame than he has right now.” He finds it deeply inspirational that Kapoor started off his career in the film industry early on his life and managed to be so successful.

Kapoor was only 24 when he launched his own studio RK Films, and became the youngest director of his time with Aag in 1948. He has produced, directed and acted in successful movies including Barsaat (1949), Awaara (1951), Shree 420 (1955), Chori Chori (1956) and Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978).



He then launched his sons Randhir and Rishi in Bollywood. In 1985, he made Ram Teri Ganga Maili for his youngest son Rajiv, and three years after directing the controversial movie, Kapoor died at the age of 63. The late actor has enjoyed national as well as international fame with his movies, and Ali feels his work is inspirational for film-makers like him.

“Somewhere, we all are trying to understand his films and learn from them. Although our work can never be better than his, we can at least enjoy his work as a director,” said Ali, who has directed Kapoor’s grandson Ranbir in Rockstar.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2013.                                                                                          

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