NEW DELHI, Dec 11: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recalled the life and legacy of cinema icon Raj Kapoor who he said had established India’s soft power in the world at a time when that word was not even coined.
Mr Modi said this when he met the Kapoor family in Delhi on Tuesday on the eve of the birth centenary of the legendary actor and film maker Raj Kapoor. “In the diplomatic world, we talk a lot about soft power. And at a time when this phrase didn’t even exist, Raj Kapoor sahab established India’s soft power all over the world. It was his big service to India,” Mr Modi said.
The Prime Minister met Raj Kapoor’s daughter Rima Jain, daughter-in-law Neetu Kapoor and grandchildren – actors Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Aadar Jain and Armaan Jain. Alia Bhatt and Saif Ali Khan were also present at the meeting.
Prime Minister, while talking about the power of cinema, narrated an incident about former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his deputy LK Advani. “In the Jan Sangh era, there were elections in Delhi and they lost the election. So Advani ji and Atal ji said, ‘We lost the elections, what should we do now? So let’s see a movie.’ “They went to see a movie and it was Raj Kapoor’s ‘Phir Subah Hogi’ (1958) and then there was a new morning,” he said.
He also recalled that during one of his China visits, the hosts were playing songs from Raj Kapoor’s movies. “I asked my team to record it on a mobile and I sent it to Rishiji (Kapoor). And he was so happy,” PM Modi said.
Prime Minister Modi also suggested that the global impact of Raj Kapoor and his films should be captured through visual format. “Can we do something, probably a film that captures Raj Kapoor’s imprint on the hearts and minds of people of Central Asia. He had a big impact on their lives in Central Asia and I think we should resurrect it and connect it with the new generation. We should do something to link this and I think it is possible,” he said.
During the meeting, Ranbir Kapoor on behalf of the Kapoor family, invited the Prime Minister for the Raj Kapoor Film Festival. After the meeting, he said he will be grateful to PM Modi for interacting with the family. “We had a lot of fun during our chat with the PM and we asked a lot of personal questions. He was very friendly with us. We were very nervous before the meeting but he was very good and made us comfortable and I really thank him,” he added.
Kareena Kapoor Khan said, “It was my dream to sit next to PM Modi and talk to him. His energy is so positive and he is truly a global leader.” Alia Bhatt said it was a proud moment for the Kapoor family. “With the energy, kindness and the way he welcomed us and the way he spoke about Raj Kapoor ji, he gave a lot of ideas and suggestions about what more we can do to take his legacy forward and to educate the world about him. We really loved it,” she said.
Spanning 101 cinemas across 34 cities from December 13 to 15, the gala — organised by PVR INOX Limited and the Film Heritage Foundation — will be one of the most extensive retrospectives ever dedicated to Raj Kapoor’s filmography. December 14, 2024 marks the 100th birth anniversary of Raj Kapoor, an actor, editor, a director, and producer, known for classics such as “Aag”, “Awara”, “Barsaat”, “Shree 420”, and “Bobby.”
(Manas Dasgupta)
