Mumbai: Today is the 100th birth anniversary of Indian cinema’s greatest showman Raj Kapoor, so stars like Dharmendra, Anil Kapoor and Rekha paid emotional tribute to him.
Dharmendra shared a black and white picture of himself with Raj Kapoor on Instagram. In the picture both can be seen hugging tightly.
Remembering Raj Kapoor, Dharmendra wrote, “Dear Raj Sahab, happy birthday to you. We miss you! You will always be remembered with great love and respect.” Dharmendra worked with Raj Kapoor in the film ‘Mera Naam Joker’.
Anil Kapoor also paid emotional tribute to Raj Kapoor. He told how Raj Kapoor’s work has inspired him.
“14th December, Raj Uncle’s birthday, has always been special. This day was always looked forward to… This day 14th December stands out as a very special day not only for me and our family but for the entire Indian film industry. The day of celebration…Raj Uncle’s work inspired me deeply – his aura, artistry and vision were unmatched then and now. On his 100th birthday, I am celebrating his timeless films, Remembering RK, the studio recalled the moments spent at his residence in Deonar and the incredible legacy he created, ‘Happy 100th Birthday to The Greatest Showman Raj Kapoor, your magic will always amaze me.’ He also shared pictures of Raj Kapoor.
Rekha attended the inauguration ceremony of Raj Kapoor Film Festival in Mumbai on Friday. Rekha’s presence at the event was both glamorous and emotional. As soon as she walked on the red carpet, she got a little nostalgic looking at the posters of Raj Kapoor’s films. She looked at Raj Kapoor’s pictures and bowed down.
Raj Kapoor’s son Randhir Kapoor, daughter Reema Jain, daughters-in-law Babita and Neetu Kapoor, grandson Ranbir Kapoor and granddaughters Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni were also present at the event. Their presence highlighted the family’s collective pride in preserving and celebrating Raj Kapoor’s extraordinary legacy.
As part of the grand celebration, RK Films, Film Heritage Foundation and NFDC-National Film Archive of India are presenting Raj Kapoor 100 – Celebrating the Centenary of the Greatest Showman. The festival includes curated screenings of ten iconic films of Raj Kapoor across 40 cities and 135 theatres. The festival aims to highlight Raj Kapoor’s most famous works of nearly four decades: Aag (1948), Barsaat (1949), Awara (1951), Shree 420 (1955), Jaagete Raho (1956), Jis Desh Mein Ganga Bahati Hai (1960), Sangam (1964), Mera Naam Joker (1970), Bobby (1973), Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985).
A few days ago, members of the Kapoor family met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and invited him to mark his presence at the festival. Kareena, Saif, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Neetu Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor attended the meeting in Delhi. , and other family members come together to discuss the upcoming festivities. Kareena shared adorable pictures of the meeting on social media, where the Kapoor family looked very happy to meet the Prime Minister. The pictures also show Saif and Ranbir interacting with PM Modi.
However, the highlight of the post was Kareena asking the PM for autographs for her sons, Taimur and Jeh. The Prime Minister politely wrote “Tim and Jeh” on a piece of paper, a gesture that delighted fans on social media.
Kareena expressed her gratitude for this special meeting in an emotional post. “We are deeply humbled and honored to be invited by Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrate the extraordinary life and legacy of our grandfather, the great Raj Kapoor. Thank you Mr. Modi ji for such a special afternoon. Your warmth, The attention, and support in celebrating this milestone means a lot to us,” she wrote.
This festival, which started from 13th December, will continue till 15th December.
