Amitabh Bacchan is known to have shared a deeply close friendship with Rishi Kapoor for decades. Over the years the two veterans have starred in multiple projects. When the news of Rishi Kapoor’s demise hit the world, it left the actor devastated and shattered.
On Sunday, during the I for India concert, Amitabh Bacchan paid a heartfelt tribute in memory of the late actor. He reminisced the late actor’s journey from being a child to an actor par excellence.
In a video titled “In memoriam”, the actor recalled the first time he saw young Rishi, he wrote, “I would see him more often after, at RK Studios, when he trained as an actor for his film to be made, Bobby – – a diligent enthusiastic youngster, ready to pounce onto every learning that came his way, in that famous large and legendary makeup room, of Raj Ji at the end of the first floor corridor of makeup rooms.”
Speaking about his acting talent he said, “When he spoke his lines, you believed every word of it as there was never an alternative, its genuineness was beyond question”. He recalled the times they worked together in films like Naseeb, Amar Akbar Anthony, Kabhie Kabhie where he would crack everyone up even in the dullest and serious situations.
As the actor recollected their final days, he got teary-eyed and was visibly shaken speaking about his illness. He said, “During his time of diagnosis and his treatment he never lamented his condition .. it was always .. ‘see you soon, just a routine visit to the hospital .. I’ll be back shortly. I never visited him in Hospital .. I never wanted to see the distress on his smiling cherubic face.”
The 77-year-old ended his tribute with a tear-filled smile saying, “he must have gone with a gentle smile.”
Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor worked in films like Naseeb, Amar Akbar Anthony, Coolie, Kabhie Kabhie, Ajooba, etc. They were last seen together in 2018’s 102 Not Out.