By Jaydip Sengupta

It seems doomsday is truly upon us, what with a pandemic sweeping across the earth, countries counting the dead in thousands and meteorites skimming past dangerously close. Well, in case you thought things couldn’t possibly get any worse, someone up there decided this was the right time to hit us even harder.

Even as the world of cinema was coming to terms with the untimely demise of legendary actor Irrfan Khan on Wednesday, the news that Rishi Kapoor, Bollywood’s original Chocolate Boy of the 70s and 80s, had followed his D-Day co-star to eternity and beyond, sent aftershocks around the film industry on Thursday.

It is gut-wrenching to say the least, having to deal with back-to-back blows like this. True, the 67-year-old Rishi was fighting the dreaded disease that had taken away Irrfan a day before, but the abruptness of his departure really caught everyone off-guard. Chintu, as he was fondly known, had recently returned from the US after more than a year’s treatment, seemingly better off, when all of a sudden this happened, leaving fans in frenzy and wishing 2020 never happened.

Rishi, unlike Irrfan, was true-blue Bollywood royalty, born in the first family of Hindi cinema, second son of showman Raj Kapoor. He started young, as befitted the eventual heir to the throne, when he starred in Mera Naam Joker in 1970 and scooped a National Film award for his role as a child artist. His first role as an adult came in the iconic Bobby in 1974 opposite Dimple Kapadia, one that won him a Filmfare award.

He went on to play the romantic lead in 92 films between 1973 and 2000 and was conferred the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. He was part of hit films like Amar Akbar Anthony, Laila Majnu, Rafoo Chakkar, Sargam, Karz, Khel Khel Mein, Chandni, Bol Radha Bol among others. In the later stages of his career, he lit up the screen with films like Kapoor and Sons, Mulk and 102 Not Out.

The actor was last seen in Emraan Hashmi’s The Body and had recently announced his next project, a remake of Hollywood film The Intern, also featuring Deepika Padukone.

The Bollywood fraternity, already reeling under the lockdown and spending more time on social media, went into overdrive on Thursday.

Amitabh Bachchan, who has worked with Rishi Kapoor in Kabhi Kabhie, Amar Akbar Anthony, Naseeb and 102 Not Out, shared the news of his close friend and colleague’s death on social media first. “He’s GONE..! Rishi Kapoor gone.. just passed away.. I am destroyed!” Big B tweeted.

Akshay Kumar also paid tribute to his Namastey London co-star and said, “It seems like we’re in the midst of a nightmare…just heard the depressing news of #RishiKapoor ji passing away, it’s heartbreaking. He was a legend, a great co-star and a good friend of the family. My thoughts and prayers with his family.”

Priyanka Chopra shared an endearing image with Rishi and his wife Neetu Kapoor, and tweeted, “My heart is so heavy. This is the end of an era. #rishisir your candid heart and immeasurable talent will never be encountered again. Such a privilege to have known you even a little bit. My condolences to Neetu maam, Ridhima, Ranbir and the rest of the family. Rest in peace Sir.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had shared his heartfelt condolences on Wednesday after hearing the news of Irrfan’s death, again took to Twitter on Thursday. “Multifaceted, endearing and lively…this was Rishi Kapoor Ji. He was a powerhouse of talent. I will always recall our interactions, even on social media. He was passionate about films and India’s progress. Anguished by his demise. Condolences to his family and fans. Om Shanti.”
Rishi himself was prolific on Twitter, frequently commenting on controversial issues and often getting into heated exchanges with people on the social media platform. His last tweet was an appeal to people not to attack medical staff at the frontlines of the fight against the coronavirus saying, “we have to win this war together”. He is gone now, having fought a tremendous war on his own.

Bollywood Insider salutes Rishi Kapoor, the brightest star of Bollywood, paraphrasing what Shakespeare said in Romeo and Juliet: “In his passage to the paradise, take him away and make him out into stars and he shall make the face of heaven so beautiful that all his fans around the world will be in love with the night.”

May he rest in peace!!!