The Lunchbox

Ritesh Batra's luminous film had Irrfan playing Saajan Fernandez, a man who falls in love in the autumn of his life over handwritten letters. The unusual love story won worldwide acclaim and was India's entry to the Oscar that year.

The Warrior

Irrfan played the titular role in the feature directed by Asif Kapadia, whose samurai-esque film was shot in Rajasthan and the Himalayas. The 2001 drama was selected for the San Sebastián Film Festival and won the BAFTA Award for Best British film.

Maqbool

Irrfan's search for a film that could do justice to his talent ended with Vishal Bhardwaj's Maqbool. As Bhardwaj began his adaptation of William Shakespeare's works, he could imagine no one except Irrfan as the desi Macbeth. He tackled complex emotions of guilt, and loyalty effortlessly.

The Namesake

If Bollywood woke up to his talent with Maqbool, the international audience sat up and took notice of Irrfan in Mira Nair's adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri's novel of the same name. He reunited with Nair after two decades since Salaam Bombay .

Paan Singh Tomar

Tigmanshu Dhulia's dacoit drama was the start of Irrfan's golden run. He depicted the true-life story of an athlete turned criminal, which earned him a National Award.

Slumdog Millionaire

Irrfan played a cop in the Danny Boyle drama that won eight Academy Awards. It cemented his place in Hollywood as a crossover artiste. The fact that Wes Anderson wrote a part in The Darjeeling Limited to work with him was a validation of his talent.

Hindi Medium

The prequel to Irrfan's swansong, Angrezi Medium, won critical acclaim for discussing the flaws of the Indian education system with a touch of humour.

Inferno

It was a proud moment for India when the actor was chosen to share screen space with Tom Hanks in the 2016 screen adaptation of Dan Brown's novel.

Piku

In a casting master stroke, Shoojit Sircar brought together Hindi cinema's finest — Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan and Irrfan — for a heartwarming tale. His character Rana's banter with Big B's character Bhashkor was the highlight of the comedy.

A Mighty Heart

He played the chief of police in A Mighty Heart, alongside Angelina Jolie. Based on Daniel Pearl's wife Marianne Pearl's book by the same name, the film retraces the wife's search for Daniel, the journalist killed in Pakistan.

Talvar

Meghana Gulzar's retelling of the Arushi Talvar murder case had Irrfan play a cop who points out the discrepancies of the investigation. It was one of his best works, and premiered at the Toronto Film Festival.

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Irrfan's passing is a huge loss for the entire film fraternity, but I have lost a dear friend today. We were destined to be friends. I was 19 when I first met him at the National School of Drama, where I was a few years junior to him. Since then, Irrfan has played different roles in my life — sometimes he was a pal, other times, an elder brother. There were times when he would push me to work harder, like a mentor.

Not many know that he was a part of my first directorial venture in Mumbai — a show called Hum Bambai Nahin Jayenge for Business India TV (BITV). Shekhar Kapur was the creative head of the channel, and asked me to direct the show. I reached out to Irrfan, who had come to Mumbai four years before me, and that was the beginning [of our professional collaboration]. We worked on several serials for Star Bestsellers, and finally collaborated on Haasil (2003).

Tigmanshu Dhulia

He was a gentle human being who was so evolved in his ideas. He was an outdoor guy who expressed concern for the environment. In fact, he used to love flying kites. Whenever we needed time to prepare for a shot, we used to hand him a kite. He would happily indulge in it till we were ready. He was a charming, happy-go-lucky guy.

Over the last few months, we could not speak regularly because he had stopped using his cell phone. So, I would keep in touch with his wife Sutapa. I visited him at the hospital on Tuesday. He was unconscious but breathing; it was heart-wrenching to see him like that. Right now, I am numb; it will take time to process his loss. I will miss a friend with whom I could have any discussion without the fear of being judged. I will miss hearing his insightful views and taking his advice on matters.

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Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor is not keeping well and has been admitted to a city hospital here, his elder brother Randhir Kapoor said. The 67-year-old actor was taken to H N Reliance hospital by his family on Wednesday morning.

"He is in the hospital. He is suffering from cancer and he has some breathing problem, so he has been admitted to the hospital. He is stable now," Randhir told PTI. The actor returned to India last September after undergoing treatment for cancer in the US for almost a year. In February, Kapoor was hospitalised twice due to his health issues. He was first admitted to a hospital in Delhi where he was attending a family function.

At the time, Kapoor had said that he was suffering from an "infection". After his return to Mumbai, he was again admitted to a hospital with viral fever. He was discharged soon after. Kapoor, who has been quite active on social media, hasn't posted anything on his Twitter account since April 2. The actor recently announced his next project, a remake of Hollywood film "The Intern", also featuring Deepika Padukone.

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Though Irrfan and I did not share screen space, we featured together in two films, Akash Deep's Ghaath (2000), and Suparn Verma's Acid Factory (2009).

In the second, we were together in only one fleeting scene. We knew each other because our roots [lay in] theatre. I knew him from the time we began our careers, and we followed each other's journey in films. I looked at him with tremendous regard. We went through the same [experiences] at the same time: We struggled together, and as outsiders, fought for the same thing: to earn our place in different types of films.

We faced both rejection and acceptance from the audience, and the industry.

It is difficult to come to terms with the fact that Irrfan is no more. His contribution to the industry and the world of acting will live on. He still had a lot more [to offer], so his passing away is difficult for a colleague and contemporary [to come to terms with].

As told to Shaheen Parkar

Priyadarshan: He wanted to do a comedy when he came back

Irrfan was a dear friend. We worked together in Billoo, and often spent the evenings together. He would talk about his struggles and [being apprehensive about] carving his place as an actor, in movies, because of his looks. He'd say he was advised to stick to theatre because he didn't have the qualities of a hero, but [would remind himself] that 'somebody needs [to see] somebody like me [as a hero]'.

He had told people that if he came back [following his treatment in London], they should keep scripts [ready] for him. But when he returned, he told me he [was easily] tired, and couldn't work for more than five hours. I spoke to him four months ago, and he said that though the treatment had made him weak, he [had been] cured. He wanted to do a comedy and told me to call him with a script.

As told to Upala KBR

Mithila Palkar: He taught me to focus on nuances

My fondest memory of Irrfan sir was him referring to me as Binaca Geetmala, because I'd always sing on the sets of Karwaan. If he liked something that I was humming, he would request [me to sing] it.

I haven't been to acting school. But merely [being in his] presence was like attending one. My lesson from observing him was to focus on the small details in a scene, and understanding nuances. We lost a gem and I don't think this void can be filled.

As told to Sonia Lulla

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Actor Deepak Dobriyal, who worked with Irrfan Khan in "Angrezi Medium" earlier this year, recalls the late actor was like an elder brother. "From making me understand the craft of acting to teaching me how to give genuine expressions on screen, he taught me and helped me a lot, like a big brother. His death is a personal loss," Deepak told IANS.

Irrfan died on Wednesday at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital where he was admitted the day before with colon infection. He even had battled neuroendocrine tumour for several months. Remembering his late co-star, Deepak recalled how Irrfan happily continued shooting "Angrezi Medium" while undergoing treatment for cancer.

"Despite being in pain, he duly fulfilled his professional commitments. He was not in pink of his health, so I always tried my best to make him smile during our shooting. I used to joke with him and he never felt bad. He always treated me like his chhota bhai. It's hard to digest the news of his demise. We had even planned to work on 'Urdu Medium' or 'Chinese Medium'. Now it's dream which will never become true," Deepak grieved

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Actress Nimrat Kaur worked with Irrfan Khan in the much-feted film "The Lunchbox" that went on winning several award and accolades internationally. The news of his sudden demise came as shock to her.

"It is a personal loss for everyone at this point in time. For everyone who watched his movies or worked with him and met him personally, this is absolutely shocking. I think the face of Indian cinema will not be the same without Irrfan Khan. He was a one-man army. Every film and film stars are on one side and his films are on the other. My heart goes out to his family at this point in time, when we all are suffering under a specific situation. Losing a loved one is always painful but I think this (the COVID-19 lockdown) is worse. I cannot imagine I am talking about Irrfan in the past tense," Nimrat told IANS.

Nimrat worked with Irrfan in "The Lunchbox", the directorial debut of Ritesh Batra, which released in 2013. The film screened in several prestigious international festivals, and notably won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award at the 66th Cannes Film Festival.

Sharing her memory of working with Irrfan in the film Nimrat said: "We did not have many scenes together but we got a chance to converse extensively during the premiere of the film at the Cannes Film Festival. I was quite overwhelmed by the response to the film, the way it was celebrated and what it became overnight! I remember I asked him, ‘how do you handle so much appreciation, adulation when a film meets a great success like this?' he smiled and told me, ‘sock up to good times and don't be shy of celebration. This is the gift that God has given us. The bad time is around the corner.'

"This moment does not come very often in life. So take it as a gift after all the struggle we have gone through.' He always said to embrace the good time because that's when we celebrate life," recalled Nimrat.

Irrfan had been admitted in Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection on Tuesday and passed away on Wednesday. The actor has been ailing ever since he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour a while back and has been under medical attention for the same. He even went abroad for treatment.

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As Bollywood's trailblazer Irrfan Khan breathed his last on Wednesday, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui remembered the times he worked in a film directed by the late actor.

The 'Sacred Games' actor took to Twitter to condole the demise of the departed actor who once mentored him in the film 'Alvida.'

"In d year 2000 a film directed by #IrrfanKhan named ALVIDA starred me & I ws lucky 2 hv my mentor as my co-star in many films," tweeted Siddiqui.

In d year 2000 a film directed by #IrrfanKhan named ALVIDA starred me & I ws lucky 2 hv my mentor as my co-star in many films.
No 1 wil evr b able 2 fill his space in d entire world of cinema.
Never thot in d worst of my dreams, dat wil hv 2 say “ALVIDA” so soon RIP #IrrfanKhan

— Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@Nawazuddin_S) April 29, 2020

The 'Gangs of Wasseypur' actor further indicated towards the void that Irrfan Khan left behind in the Bollywood industry.

"No 1 wil evr b able 2 fill his space in d entire world of cinema. Never thot in d worst of my dreams, dat wil hv 2 say "ALVIDA" so soon RIP #IrrfanKhan," his tweet further read.

Siddiqui and Khan worked in several Bollywood films together including 'The Lunchbox' which is one of the most critically acclaimed films of Irrfan's career.

The last rites of the Padma Shri award winner were performed at the Versova cemetery earlier today.

The internationally renowned actor passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Wednesday while battling rare cancer. He was 53. Irrfan was last seen on screen in 'Angrezi Medium'. He was not a part of the film's promotions owing to his ill health.

With critically acclaimed films like 'Life of Pi,' 'Hindi Medium,' 'Maqbool' and 'Paan Singh Tomar' to his credit, Irrfan was regarded as one of the finest actors in Hindi cinema.

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Actor Manoj Bajpayee struggles to put his thoughts into words, and says everything has just gone "haywire" ever since he heard the news of Irrfan Khan's demise. The actor says though Irrfan wasn't his "best friend", they were connected with a very unique thread of rejection and acceptance in showbiz.

"For me to put my feelings in words and really frame it in a way that it all looks organised is tough. After hearing the news of his demise, everything went haywire mentally," Manoj told IANS. "I don't know how to react to it. The only emotion which is happening inside of me is extreme sadness. I am so sad that it is difficult for me to even think of anything. And I feel exhausted with the heaviness that I am feeling," he added.

Manoj has immense respect for Irrfan as "a contemporary, a colleague, co-actor and as somebody who started at the same time". "We faced similar kinds of rejections, struggles and acceptance. I feel that I lost a co-traveler. Though he was not my best friend, somewhere I felt that he was somebody whose journey was known to me and who knew my journey," said the actor, who will soon be seen in Netflix's "Mrs. Serial Killer".

Manoj continued: "It is like we were traveling in the same compartment, looking at each other from a distance but not fully knowing personally. It was enough to look at each other from a distance and admire each other. His contribution to cinema and the world of acting is going to be lauded and appreciated for very long."

Irrfan breathed his last early on Wednesday at the age of 54. Irrfan was admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection earlier this week. However, unfortunately he succumbed to his ailment. The actor is survived by his wife Sutapa Sikdar and two sons Babil and Ayan.

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Beyond The Clouds (2017) actor Malavika Mohanan was trolled by Master co-star Vijay's fans. They spewed venom after she questioned a sexist cartoon depicting the cast of the upcoming Tamil action-thriller in lockdown. It showed her cooking while the male actors were playing board games, listening to music and chilling.

The fan-made caricature also featured director Lokesh Kanagaraj and designer Gopi Prasanna. Mohanan wrote, "The task of a woman even in a hypothetical 'movie house' is to cook. When will gender roles die? Sigh (sic)." The barrage of hate tweets forced Mohanan to delete the post. Later, one fan shared the same cartoon, in which she is seen reading a book. "I love this version (sic)," she wrote.

Malavika Mohanan, on the professional front, is now prepping for her next — Anand Annamalai's multi-lingual Hero starring Arjun Reddy (2017) star Vijay Deverakonda. The actress was last seen in Majid Majidi's Beyond The Clouds.

"Majidi sir has a very clear vision for all his characters. All his characters are real people going through real issues. It started with my losing weight before I started filming to physically look like an inmate," Malavika had said in a statement.

Beyond The Clouds narrates a heart-warming tale of a brother and sister, and how they find happiness in separation and turbulent times. The film celebrates the triumph and adoration of life against a Mumbai backdrop. Produced by Zee Studios and Namah Pictures, the film is set to release worldwide on April 20, 2018.

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Former Miss World and actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on Wednesday expressed grief over the demise of her co-star Irrfan Khan. Bachchan had shared the screen space with the late Padma Shri award winner in the action thriller 'Jazbaa.'

 

 

 

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✨May your Soul Rest in Peace my dear friend Irrfan... like we said.. We Keep it Real... Always...✨God Bless✨

A post shared by AishwaryaRaiBachchan (@aishwaryaraibachchan_arb) onApr 29, 2020 at 10:16am PDT

The 46-year-old actor took to Instagram and condoled Irrfan's demise through Instagram story.

"Heartbreaking news...so saddened to hear about the demise of my dear friend Irrfan...the brightest, most genuine, humble,kind, and eventually bravest soul.. May he Rest in Peace," she wrote in the story.

She also expressed solidarity with Irrfan's wife Sutapa and his sons Babil and Ayan.

"God Bless Much love and strength to Sutapa, Babil, Ayan and his loved ones at this very difficult time," she further wrote.

Aishwarya and Irrfan's chemistry in 'Jazbaa' was appreciated by audiences as well as critics at the time of the release of the film.

Irrfan Khan's last rites were performed at the Versova cemetery. The internationally renowned actor passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Wednesday while battling rare cancer. He was 53. Irrfan was last seen on screen in 'Angrezi Medium'. He was not a part of the film's promotions owing to his ill health.

With critically acclaimed films like 'The Lunchbox' and 'Paan Singh Tomar' to his credit, Irrfan was regarded as one of the finest actors in Hindi cinema.

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Bollywood superstar Katrina Kaif on Wednesday condoled the demise of her 'New York' co-star and critically acclaimed actor Irrfan Khan. Kaif took to Instagram to post a picture of the departed actor and recalled the time she spent with him during the shoot of the film.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

RIP 🙏... an irreplaceable loss ... a true genius ..... will be greatly missed .... can never forget our laughs during New York

A post shared by Katrina Kaif (@katrinakaif) onApr 29, 2020 at 5:38am PDT

"RIP... an irreplaceable loss ... a true genius ..... will be greatly missed .... can never forget our laughs during New York," she wrote in the caption.

The two actors worked together in 2009's thriller flick 'New York.' The blockbuster hit was based on the terrorist attack on World Trade Center which took place in September 2011.

The film also featured actors John Abraham and Niel Nitin Mukesh.

Irrfan Khan's last rites were performed at the Versova cemetery earlier today.

The internationally renowned actor passed away at Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital on Wednesday while battling rare cancer. He was 53. Irrfan was last seen on screen in 'Angrezi Medium'. He was not a part of the film's promotions owing to his ill health.

With critically acclaimed films like 'The Lunchbox' and 'Paan Singh Tomar' to his credit, Irrfan was regarded as one of the finest actors in Hindi cinema.

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Khosla Ka Ghosla and Bheja Fry famed actor Vinay Pathak bid an emotional goodbye to actor Irrfan Khan, who passed away this morning due to cancer and colon infection-related complications.

"I am very numb right now. I don't know what to say, I am devastated. It's really heartbreaking. I can only imagine what his wife and kids must be going through. I can't talk much, I am sorry," said Vinay, when we contacted him for his reaction.

On the subject that Irrfan's demise is a big loss for the industry, he said: "All these are conversations. This is someone's personal tragedy because this news has shaken his family, his friends, and people like us who were very close to him. This we will debate after one month, on what the industry has lost. In my eyes, he was one of the most gifted and talented actors today," said Vinay.

Irrfan passed away in the wee-hours of Wednesday in Kokilaben Dhuribhai Ambani Hospital.

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Pakistani actor Saba Qamar, who starred opposite Irrfan Khan in 2017's "Hindi Medium", said she is at loss of words with the untimely demise of her co-star. The 53-year-old actor lost his battle with a rare form of cancer and died in a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday.

He was buried at the Versova graveyard in the afternoon. Saba said she does hope things were better between India and Pakistan as she wants to meet Irrfan's wife Sutapa and their two sons Babil and Ayaan. "I'm numb today. I still cannot accept the loss of a brilliant co-actor Irrfan. I really am at a loss for words. It's very heart wrenching for me to say rest in peace Irrfan. "I really hope things were better between our countries and I could go see his family but my heartfelt condolences to his family," Saba told PTI.

 

 

 

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Deeply disturbed to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. I still can’t absorb the news. It feels like yesterday coming back from the sets of Hindi Medium. You taught me a lot as an actor and a mentor. It is indeed a huge loss to the cinema world. Such a brilliant actor gone too soon. You left a huge irreplaceable void in Cinema Irfan. My heartfelt condolences to his family. May Allah give them strength to bear this loss. RIP Raj 💔 Yours Only, Meeta. 🌸

A post shared by 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐚 𝐐𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫 (@sabaqamarzaman) onApr 29, 2020 at 2:07am PDT

She said Irrfan's death is a huge loss to world cinema. "We lost a gem today. It's a huge loss to the cinema world and I hope we become able to bear that," she said. "Hindi Medium"', directed by Saket Chaudhary, marked Saba's debut in Bollywood. She received critical acclaim for her portrayal of a nouveau riche in the 2017 comedy drama. The actor had also paid tribute to Irrfan on Twitter. "Deeply disturbed to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. It feels like yesterday coming back from the sets of 'Hindi Medium'. You taught me a lot as an actor and a mentor. Such a brilliant actor gone too soon. I'm at a loss for words. RIP Raj Yours Only, Meeta #IrrfanKhan" she had posted.

Meanwhile, many other actors from Pakistan have also condoled Irrfan's sudden demise. Pakistani actor Imran? Abbas, who was seen in a cameo appearance in Karan Johar's "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil:, said art has no boundaries and he can feel the pain of his sudden demise. "Rest in peace the legend Irfan Khan!! You will surely be missed forever¿Since art has no boundaries, we can feel the pain and are equally grieved by your sudden demise...May Allah bless the departed soul. Undoubtedly, we all belong to Allah all mighty and have to return to HIM," he tweeted. Pakistani singer and actor Ali Zafar, who has acted in quite a few Bollywood films such as "Tere Bin Laden", "Mere Brother Ki Dulhan" and "Dear Zindagi", posted, "RIP #IrrfanKhan. You were inspirational and unparalleled." Pakistani actor Sajal Ali wrote, "Shocked and sad. What a brilliant actor he was! Rest In Peace #IrrfanKhan."

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Filmmaker Anurag Basu, who directed Irrfan Khan in his 2007 movie Life In A... Metro, said he was hopeful the actor will come out of the cancer battle. Irrfan died on Wednesday, losing a two-year battle with neuroendocrine tumour, a rare form of cancer that targets various organs of the body.

He was 53. Basu, who has himself battled cancer, said he hoped that Irrfan would also win his fight with the disease as he did. In 2004, the director was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia, a type of blood cancer. "I was hoping he would pull it off. I was hopeful because I had pulled through it. He was responding well to the treatment so we thought... This is very unfortunate. I couldn't meet him. I am feeling very very bad for it as I will never get to see him.

#Throwback to our Television days
It was always a challenge to capture your brilliance.
You left us too soon.
But then you were always gypsy at heart and never liked to stay in one place too long.
You lived a hundred in your 53 years . pic.twitter.com/rGipwSOZAD

— anurag basu (@basuanurag) April 29, 2020

"But I did meet Sutapa (Irrfan's wife) while the treatment was going on. It was a long, long fight. He fought this battle alone away from everyone," the filmmaker told PTI. Basu said when Irrfan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour in 2018, his wife Sutapa was shaken and had made several queries to ascertain how he got cured.

"After he was diagnosed, Sutapa had called me as she wanted to know the details because I had gone through the same. I didn't meet him in person after that. But I was in touch with him over phone when he was in London. When he came here sadly I couldn't meet him in person,' he said. The filmmaker, who has worked with Irrfan on 2007 movie 'Life in a... Metro', believes there will never be an actor like him.

"I have done some of my best work in television with Irrfan. People just know that we have worked in `Life In a Metro' but we have worked together a lot on television. Irrfan is a unique actor. "He has created a space for himself on his own here and in Hollywood. Nobody can take that space from him. There is no the other actor like Irrfan Khan and there will be no one like him. He was unique."

Basu also revealed that he had discussed the story idea about 'Life in a 'Metro' sequel with Irrfan, which the actor had liked. "I was supposed to start a film with him. We were talking about 'Metro' sequel. We were waiting for Irrfan and didn't start that film. We had discussed the idea back then and he loved the character and he wanted to do that again. This was one month before he was diagnosed.'

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The worldwide lockdown has forced us to stay at homes, stay indoors, and stay as far away from people as possible. Some are safe in their own homes and some are abroad with friends or alone. Jacqueline Fernandez, however, is locked down at a farmhouse and that farmhouse is at Panvel. Yes, we are talking about Salman Khan's very popular farmhouse where he celebrates his birthday every year.

How has the actress been spending time at that place and what exactly has the lockdown taught her? She has spilled the beans on all in her recent interview with Times of India. Speaking to the daily, she said, "At the farm, I ride horses, swim, run and do yoga to keep myself fit. Being amidst nature has never felt so good. This lockdown has helped me devote more time to activities that I enjoy. This includes reading, too."

And just like any other actor, she is also missing her closest friends and family, she says, "Earlier, I wouldn't be so much in touch with them, but lately, I have been spending a lot of time with them, though virtually." On the work front, she has films like Mrs. Serial Killer, Attack, and Kick 2. And this is what she has to say on getting back to work, "I am eagerly waiting to get back to shoots, get dressed and have fun… I am missing all that."

And Salman Khan took to his Instagram account to share a shirtless picture of himself that was slyly clicked by Jacqueline and don't miss the caption the actor has written:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Jacky got caught taking a pic chori chori Chupke chupke... she took one more after that which she will post on her own! @jacquelinef143

A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) onApr 28, 2020 at 10:30pm PDT

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Irrfan Khan, who was undergoing treatment for Neuroendocrine tumour for the last two months, passed away at the age of 53 on April 29, 2020. The talented actor was admitted to Kokilaben Hospital for a colon infection, and on Wednesday he breathed his last.

Irrfan in an interview on the chat show Son of Abish opened up about his 1993-release Karamati Coat. "I was very happy because one just wants to work in cinema. Everyone kept appreciating me in television but I wanted to become a cinema actor. No one was offering me roles, even though everyone was appreciating me. But I got this part. So I was very happy and I thought that this is my big break," the actor was quoted by Hindustan Times.

The Piku actor had even designed his own outfit for the film. "For this, I got so excited that I made my own costume, chose the colours and everything. And the film had a walking shot; out of the three minutes, one and a half minutes was just the walking shot," he said.

Irrfan then went on to give stellar performances in films such as Haasil, Maqbool, Paan Singh Tomar, The Lunchbox, Piku and Hindi Medium. His international projects include Slumdog Millionaire, The Namesake, The Amazing Spider-Man, Jurassic World and Life of Pi. His last release Angrezi Medium too gathered critical acclaim.

It's not just Bollywood, but Irrfan Khan also took over the West with his talent and impeccable acting. In his almost three-decade career, the actor established himself as one of the most dependable performers in the Indian film industry as well as in Hollywood.

You'll be truly missed, Irrfan!

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Hindi and world cinema lost a shining star when Irrfan Khan passed away yesterday, April 29, 2020. The actor, who was battling Neuroendocrine cancer for two years, left his fans and the industry in shock and sorrow after he passed away.

Irrfan Khan was admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Andheri, Mumbai, for a colon infection, where he breathed his last. Irrfan was laid to rest at 3 pm yesterday.

In a recent interview with ETimes, actress Mrinal Kulkarni opened up about Irrfan Khan, who was her TV show Shrikant co-star. Kulkarni shared, "The thing is, I am working with cancer organisations for the last few years and then I got to know about Irrfan. We were connected to each other when he was a cancer survivor but his cancer was of a rare type and even after being a strong-willed person he couldn't win the battle. Sometimes, there is nothing in our hands and that is true."

Mrinal Kulkarni, who worked with Irrfan Khan in another TV show, Sparsh, added, "Actually, I knew he was not well and it was a tough fight. After losing his mother, he became more weak and emotional. I somewhere felt that there were tough times ahead for him." Irrfan Khan's mother, Saeda Begum, passed away on April 25, 2020, at age 95.

Talking about Irrfan Khan as an actor and individual, Kulkarni shared, "He used to speak very less. I didn't know that we would ever become friends. After that, we worked together a lot and we became best friends."

Irrfan Khan's last film, Angrezi Medium, released in March this year. He was known for his performances in films like Maqbool, The Namesake, A Mighty Heart, Paan Singh Tomar, Life of Pi, The Lunchbox, and Hindi Medium, among others.

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April 29 is going to be one of the saddest days for all the Irrfan Khan fans and even Hindi Cinema. His untimely and unfortunate demise has shaken and shocked one and all, especially the people from the fraternity who worked with him and knew him as a human and not just an actor.

Fans mourned the actor's demise by sharing videos of his iconic dialogue. One such viral video that caught our attention was from Life of Pi. In the scene, which occurs at the end of the oscar-winning movie, Irrfan, who played the role of Piscine 'Pi' Patel, says, "I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye."

Scene from "LIFE OF PI"

"I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye"

We love and will miss you #IrrfanKhan. #ripirfankhan 🙏💔 pic.twitter.com/BFz0kRGhis

— Devil V!SHAL (@VishalRC007) April 29, 2020

One fan shared the same video with the caption, "The legend #IrrfanKhan was suffering and now he is resting peacefully. You’ll be missed (sic)."

The legend #IrrfanKhan was suffering and now he is resting peacefully
You’ll be missed ❤ï¸Â pic.twitter.com/Q1IcJwIAzG

— AKU WANITA (@ricamenado) April 29, 2020

Another one shared the video with the caption, "Irrfan Khan Great actor. No more. Sad. I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye (sic)".

Irrfan Khan Great actor. No more. Sad.

"I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye".

Yann Martel, Life of Pi #RIP #IrrfanKhan #Bollywood#quotes #life #Pi pic.twitter.com/8htsdXivU5

— Sunil Yash Kalra (@sunilykalra) April 29, 2020

Irrfan played the role of adult Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel in the 2012 adventure drama. Also starring Suraj Sharma, Tabu and Adil Hussain, Life of Pi won universal critical acclaim and won four academy awards.

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Rishi Kapoor passed away at the age of 67, Amitabh Bachchan confirmed the news via Twitter. Amitabh Bachchan had tweeted: "He's GONE .. ! Rishi Kapoor .. gone .. just passed away .. I am destroyed ! [sic]" A tweet that Big B deleted later. The actor was admitted to Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai. Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully at 8:45am in hospital on Thursday. A source told mid-day that he had been admitted around three weeks ago and was in a critical condition for quite some time.

Amitabh Bachchan's tweet on Rishi Kapoor, which he later deleted

Kapoor, 67, was diagnosed with cancer back in 2018. Sources further stated that Rishi was suffering from complications of cancer treatment. Considering his serious condition, Kapoor was being kept in the ICU and was on the ventilator. When contacted, the hospital authorities were unable to comment.

Brother Randhir Kapoor also confirmed the news of Rishi's passing. "He is no more. He has passed away," Randhir told PTI. Randhir had earlier told PTI, "He is in the hospital. He is suffering from cancer and he has some breathing problem, so he has been admitted to the hospital."  Rishi Kapoor's last rites to be performed at Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai.

In 2018, Rishi Kapoor was diagnosed with cancer for the first time, following which the actor was in New York for nearly a year to undergo treatment. He returned to India in September 2019 after recovering. Ever since, he and his family has been cautious about his health and fitness. Neetu Kapoor and the entire family never lost hope and shared positive pictures on social media.

In February, Kapoor was hospitalised twice due to his health issues. He was first admitted to a hospital in Delhi where he was attending a family function. At the time, Kapoor had said that he was suffering from an "infection".

The son of late legendary actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor was born on September 4, 1952, in Chembur, Mumbai. The veteran actor had his big breakthrough in Bollywood with the 1973 film Bobby opposite Dimple Kapadia. He was the leading man in a number of popular films like Khel Khel Mein, Rafoo Chakkar, Do Premee and many more. In the latter part of his career, Rishi Kapoor went on to play a mixed bag of positive and negative characters in movies like Karz, Prem Rog, Chandni, Bol Radha Bol, Do Dooni Chaar, Agneepath and Kapoor & Sons.

May his soul rest in peace.

- With inputs from Arita Sarkar

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Rishi Kapoor passed away on Thursday morning, April 30, 2020. Sources said that he had been admitted at H.N Reliance Hospital around three weeks ago and was in a critical condition for quite some time. Kapoor, 67, was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer back in 2018 and was being treated in New York for about a year. Sources stated that Kapoor was suffering from complications of cancer treatment.

Neetu Kapoor and Rishi were in the US for the actor's treatment for almost a year. The duo returned to the bay in September 2019, and ever since then, he made frequent visits to the hospital.

On Tuesday, April 30, 2020, the actor breathed his last. Amitabh Bachchan, a dear friend of the veteran, shared the news and expressed shock on social media. Let's take a look at some tweets posted by the Bollywood celebrities.

Heartbroken ... Rest In Peace ... my dearest friend #RishiKapoor

— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) April 30, 2020

A genre of films has ended.
A school of acting gone. #RishiKapoor

— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) April 30, 2020

Totally gutted. This is the unkindest April ever 😢😢 Rishi Kapoor ji à¥Â शाà¤Â‚ति 🙏🏼🙏🏼

— Renuka Shahane (@renukash) April 30, 2020

Been trying to write something n I can’t put my mind n hands in sync. More like the heart in between is just not able to comprehend this. That laugh, that sense of humour, the honesty and even the bully he was , will be missed. No one like you #RishiKapoor

— taapsee pannu (@taapsee) April 30, 2020

Rest In Peace Sir ... #RishiKapoor pic.twitter.com/S4RmJzg3gn

— John Abraham (@TheJohnAbraham) April 30, 2020

Ekta Kapoor, whose father Jeetendra has been friends with the actor, posted on Instagram:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

They will never party again like this! Goodbye uncle and actor par excellence!!#riprishikapoor

A post shared by Erk❤ï¸Ârek (@ektarkapoor) onApr 29, 2020 at 10:01pm PDT

Kuch samay pehle Rishi ji ne mujhe unki aur meri ye tasveer bheji thi.wo sab din,sab baatein yaad aarahi hain. Main shabdheen hogayi hun. pic.twitter.com/IpwCKMqUBq

— Lata Mangeshkar (@mangeshkarlata) April 30, 2020

Jeetendra and wife Shobha Kapoor shared, "The magnitude of his loss and the void he leaves behind will be felt forever. We've lost one of our closest friends, our very dear brother and one of the finest human beings. It was an honour to be a part of his life. Our deepest condolences to Neetu, Riddhima, Ranbir and the entire Kapoor family."

Calling it a pandemic of sadness, producer Anand Pandit said, "Two days and two big shocks. It's a pandemic of sadness. Rishi ji was an extraordinary actor and an unforgettable human being. Larger than life and evergreen. I grew up watching his films and learnt more about life from the films during his second stint. Mulk,102 Not Out, Kapoor & Sons to name a few showed me and his fans how an actor can transform. We will miss you Rishi ji. We have lost a gem today."

Deepshikha Deshmukh shared, "News of Rishi Uncle's passing away is devastating. It seems unreal, untrue. It feels like somebody hit your heart with a cold rod. I will remember him for his beautiful movies, his larger than life persona and sharp wit. Farewell Rishi Uncle. You lived life king-size. My prayers with Ranbir, Neetu Aunty and Riddhima." 

She also tweeted about Rishi Kapoor's demise. This is what she wrote:

💔 cant even get myself to write a tweet #RIP Rishi uncle

— Deepshikha DDeshmukh (@honeybhagnani) April 30, 2020

Rishi Kapoor had 51 films as the solo lead hero from 1973 to 2000, but many aren't aware that 40 of them were box office flops and only 11 managed to be successful at the showbiz and make it through the audience's heart. They were Bobby, Laila Majnu, Rafoo Chakkar, Sargam, Karz, Prem Rog, Nagina, Honeymoon, Chandni, Heena and Bol Radha Bol, Yeh Vaada Raha. He had the lead hero roles in two-hero films only 13 times, in Khel Khel Mein, Kabhi Kabhi, Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, Badalte Rishtey, Aap Ke Deewane, and Saagar, and then from 1989 with Ajooba, Chandni, Deewana, Damini - Lightning, Gurudev, Daraar and Karobaar.

In 1999 he directed the film Aa Ab Laut Chalen, starring Rajesh Khanna, Aishwarya Rai and Akshaye Khanna in pivotal roles. In 2019, the actor appeared in The Body, also starring Emraan Hashmi which was released on 13 December 2019. Incidentally, it was his last released film before his death on April 30, 2020. Sharmaji Namkeen directed by Hitesh Bhatia, with Juhi Chawla, was under production at the time of his death. Rishi Kapoor was also going to be a part of the popular Hollywood remake "The Intern," also starring Deepika Padukone.

You'll be truly missed, Rishi Kapoor!

Veteran Actor Rishi Kapoor last rites to be performed at Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai.

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When an actor wins the National Award for his first film, you know he has it in him to hook the audiences with his performances. We are talking about Rishi Kapoor, arguably one of the greatest actors to grace the silver screen. He made his first celluloid appearance in 1970 with his father and filmmaker Raj Kapoor's Mera Naam Joker, where he played his younger version, a boy who has fallen madly in love with an older woman. The naïveté helped and so did the raw innocence, the emotions felt real and so did the heartbreak.

Raj Kapoor's greatest validation was to see his son being awarded the prestigious National Award and making an impression right from his debut. It was 1973's Bobby that made him a sensation and a scintillating star. He was the new romantic hero on the block. When Amitabh Bachchan was enjoying his Angry Young Man persona, Kapoor gave Hindi Cinema the world of romance.

This continued for as many as 25 years. It was then time for him to take a sabbatical from films since he was too exhausted playing the same hero who was romancing his heroines on the mountains, wearing designer sweaters, and playing the guitar. It was only after the millennium that he began to get roles that were both unique and unconventional. It was now time to tap inside the actor who was till now a shining star.

The nation finally realised how Kapoor could be an actor of all seasons and the master of all genres. Let's talk about Do Dooni Chaar first, a delightfully warm film about a teacher and his slice-of-life drama. He aspires to buy a car for himself and his family and tries every trick in the book to fulfil this dream. For all those who have seen this little gem, they would know what it takes to be a part of a middle-class household and how expensive dreams can be. The crippling fear of unfulfilled dreams and desires can emotionally break you.

Another such emotionally-driven performance was in Zoya Akhtar's greatest film, Luck By Chance. He played filmmaker Romi Rolly, a happy-go-lucky narcissist who takes a lot of pride in making the career of his protege, Zafar Khan. He's hit by a reality check when he encounters the brutal reality of the glamour world and how it can be driven by callousness and selfishness. It was a memorable performance in a memorable film.

In 2012's Agneepath, he played Rauf Lala, and it was after ages that we saw him in the role of an antagonist. There was something very chilling about his cold-bloodedness. His unkempt aura and deep baritone added to his character's hideousness, and not to forget, his despicable demeanours. A year later in D-Day, he modelled his character on the Underworld Don, Dawood Ibrahim, and it was a charismatic and controlled performance, never once going overboard or out of control. The man knew his craft and characters and also the fact that it takes a lot more than a good story to charm the audience.

In 2016's Kapoor & Sons, he took up a tricky part, he played an 86-year old grandfather in a film about a dysfunctional family. He was the happiest character of this film. All the other characters had their own conflicts, chaos, and confusions. He was the only one perpetually smiling and spreading happiness. His was such an adorable performance that we could weep at his shenanigans at times. Who said only comedy can make you laugh and drama can make you cry?

It's still impossible to believe he's no longer with us to give us some more exemplary performances. He passed away peacefully today morning at 8:45 in hospital after a two-year battle with leukaemia. 

With all these films, Rishi Kapoor proved he was an actor who could pull off any role with effortlessness and enigma. Today, as he departs, he leaves behind some unforgettable characters, some blockbuster films, and legendary music. Rest In Peace!

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Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, who was admitted to H.N Reliance Hospital for the past three weeks, passed away on Thursday morning at 8:45 am. The 67-year-old was suffering from leukaemia, and he died with wife Neetu Kapoor by his side. Amitabh Bachchan was one of the first to confirm the news of Rishi's passing. The Hindi film industry is devasted by his loss, and this came a day after we lost yet another gem - Irrfan Khan.

The bereaved Kapoor family issued a statement on Rishi's passing, which read, "Our dear Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully at 8:45 am IST in hospital today after a two-year battle with leukaemia. The doctors and medical staff at the hospital said he kept them entertained to the last. He remained jovial and determined to live to the fullest right through two years of treatment across two continents. Family, friends, food and films remained his focus and everyone who met him during this time was amazed at how he did not let his illness get the better of him."

The statement further said, "He was grateful for the love of his fans that poured in from the world over. In his passing, they would all understand that he would like to be remembered with a smile and not with tears."

The Kapoor family has also requested Rishi's fans and well-wishers to abide by the rules, amid the Coronavirus outbreak, "In this hour of personal loss, we also recognise the world is going through a very difficult and troubled time. There are numerous restrictions around movement and gathering in public. We would like to request all his fans and well-wishers and friends of the family to please respect the laws that are in force. He would not have it any other way."

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Actor Priyanka Chopra on Wednesday extended condolences to the Kapoor family over the demise of legendary actor Rishi Kapoor. He breathed his last at a hospital here on Thursday. The 37-year-old actor took to Instagram and shared a heartwarming picture with Rishi Kapoor and his wife Neetu.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

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. #rishikapoor

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) onApr 29, 2020 at 9:27pm PDT

"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. #rishikapoor," she captioned the photo.

The picture shared by Priyanka was taken when she visited the couple in New York where Rishi was undergoing cancer treatment. In September 2019, the veteran actor returned to Mumbai after staying in New York for almost a year for treatment.

Earlier today, actor Amitabh Bachchan confirmed the news of the demise of the 67-year-old Rishi Kapoor. Rishi Kapoor was admitted to the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday. He was last seen in the 2019 film 'The Body' alongside Emraan Hashmi and Shobita Sobhita Dhulipala.

Often branded as Bollywood's first chocolate boy, Rishi touched heights of stardom in the film industry with numerous iconic roles in blockbuster hits like 'Bobby', 'Chandni', 'Karz' and many others.

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It's another dark day for Indian cinema. Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor passed away this morning, April 30, 2020, after a long battle with leukaemia. He was 67.

Akshay Kumar, who worked with Kapoor in Namastey London and Patiala House, took to Twitter to express shock and sorrow at Kapoor's passing. He wrote, "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."

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 🙏🏻

— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 30, 2020

It truly feels like a nightmare of the worst kind, one we can't seem to wake up from. Indian and global cinema has lost a true doyen of the art, and the loss has hit us hard.

Yesterday, the brilliant Irrfan Khan, too, left us after battling neuroendocrine cancer for two years. He was 53.

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April has turned out to be the most devastating month of the year. On April 29, the world lost an actor par excellence, Irrfan Khan. And today, the world has lost another gem of an actor who could do any role with ease, Rishi Kapoor. He passed away at 8:45 IST in hospital after a two-year battle with leukemia.

Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani, who directed both of them in D-Day, took to his Twitter account to recount the experience he had working with this legendary star. Sharing an anecdote on Twitter, Advani wrote- "No one treated me with the respect an actor gives a director more than you did, that too being who you were. You were my friend sir. I'm sitting, remembering and just chuckling, laughing. Waiting for your booming voice to say "boy... make me one more drink!" (sic)

Have a look right here:

No one treated me with the respect an actor gives a director more than you did, that too being who you were. You were my friend sir. I’m sitting, remembering and just chuckling, laughing. Waiting for your booming voice to say “boy... make me one more drink!” #RishiKapoor #RIP

— Nikkhil Advani (@nikkhiladvani) April 30, 2020

And then came a picture that could surely leave you teary-eyed. It was a scene from the film that had both Rishi Kapoor and Irrfan Khan in the same frame. Sharing this priceless moment that the world will never see again, he wrote- "At least one thing is for sure. There will be jashan in the heavens tonight." Have a look right here:

At least one thing is for sure. There will be jashan in the heavens tonight. #RIPLegend #RishiKapoor #IrfanKhan pic.twitter.com/V4qXyWjeqp

— Nikkhil Advani (@nikkhiladvani) April 30, 2020

The entire Bollywood industry is currently in shock as it has lost two legends who went too soon. We shall never forget their contribution to Hindi Cinema!

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Rishi Kapoor, the romantic star of many a Bollywood film who was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2018, died in a Mumbai hospital on Thursday, his brother Randhir Kapoor said. He was 67. Rishi, a third-generation actor of the famous Kapoor dynasty, is survived by his wife Neetu Kapoor, actor son Ranbir and daughter Ridhima. "He is no more. He has passed away," Randhir told PTI. Rishi was taken to the H N Reliance hospital by his family on Wednesday. His death comes a day after his "D-Day" co-star Irrfan Khan passed away, also of cancer. Three months ago, the disease claimed his sister Ritu Nanda.

"Our dear Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully at 8:45am IST in hospital today after a two-year battle with leukaemia. The doctors and medical staff at the hospital said he kept them entertained to the last. 'He remained jovial and determined to live to the fullest right through two years of treatment across two continents. Family, friends, food and films remained his focus and everyone who met him during this time was amazed at how he did not let his illness get the better of him,' the family said in a statement. Rishi returned to India last September after undergoing treatment for his cancer in the US for almost a year.

In February, he was hospitalised twice. He was first admitted to a hospital in Delhi where he was attending a family function. At the time, he had said he was suffering from an "infection". After his return to Mumbai, he was again admitted to a hospital with viral fever. He was discharged soon after. Rishi made his first screen appearance as a child artiste in his father Raj Kapoor's film 'Shri 420', where he appeared in the song 'Pyaar hua ekraar hua'.

This was followed by "Mera Naam Joker". But it was in 1973, with the blockbuster 'Bobby', again directed by his father, that he made his debut as a romantic hero. He continued to be a favourite romantic hero for almost three decades. His notable films as a romantic hero are "Laila Majnu", "Rafoo Chakkar", "Karz", "Chandni", "Heena" and "Saagar". He was, however, more proud of his second innings as an actor, which he found more satisfying. His notable films as a character artiste are "Do Dooni Chaar" with wife Neetu, "Agnipath" and "Kapoor & Sons".

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Actress Divya Dutta worked with Rishi Kapoor in films like "Delhi-6", "Manto" and "Chalk n Duster". The news of of the veteran actor's demise on Thursday left her "speechless" as she found the news "tough to digest" and got emotional as she reminisced the days she worked with him."

"I am speechless. It's tough to digest. This man was just full of life. He knew how to live life king size absolutely. Even in his last years. I just met him recently when he came back. It never looked as if he was sick. He was so happy, vibrant and spreading smiles all over," An emotional Divya with a shaky voice told IANS.

Noo noo rishi ji!!! You were synonymous with life itself!!My legend.. my inspiration.. my most favourite!! You truly lived life ! Will cherish my most precious moments with you.. you were so so kind n warm .apne se.#RishiKapoor .. you in my heart always.bas ya2020. Go away pic.twitter.com/CaAejejF5j

— Divya Dutta (@divyadutta25) April 30, 2020

He was encouraging, she said.

"I have worked with him twice and every time he was so encouraging. He would say 'yaar! tu badhi achi actor hai tere saath aur kaam karna hai (you are a good actor I want to work with you more'. Coming from someone whom you have grown up watching, who's a legend, who I think has just... He's been my inspiration and it's too tough."

Divya, who has also worked with actor Irrfan Khan, who passed away on Wednesday, found it tough to bid goodbye to both the actors.

OMG..look at that.. both gone together.. heartbroken. https://t.co/uzGO4qxEqW

— Divya Dutta (@divyadutta25) April 30, 2020

"Two loses in two days. Both people whom you are so fond of its tough to bid goodbyes like that," she said.

She went down the memory lane of the days when she was working on the sets of "Delhi 6" with Rishi, was hospitalised on Wednesday morning after complaining that he was not feeling well. The 67-year-old actor was admitted to Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai. Wife Neetu Kapoor was at his side.

"There was not a single dull moment with him. I loved sitting with him. He used to share such amazing anecdotes with full enthusiasm. I still remember each and every story he told... I remember we were shooting once in 'Delhi 6' and the entire night we all sang Rishi Kapoorji's songs and then we went sat with him that's for me the most cherished moment. He was just smiling.

"After that I have worked in two-three films with him. Just sitting with him was a delight. He was a delightful man."

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Rishi Kapoor's death will always be remembered as one of the most devastating news the Hindi film industry woke up to. He passed away today morning at 8:45 am in hospital after two years of battle with leukaemia. Tributes from the industry have been pouring in since morning and his presence will always be felt.

Coming to the tributes, Janhvi Kapoor wrote a heartfelt note on the actor and all his fans will surely get teary-eyed. Sharing a classic photo of the actor from his early days in Hindi Cinema, the actress wrote - "An icon. In every way. You've left a ceaseless void in this industry and world- somehow even for those who never had the chance of really knowing you. But you have also left with us a plethora of legendary work and innumerable stories of your candour, humour and zest for life that'll remain with us forever. Rest in peace." (sic)

Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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An icon. In every way. You’ve left a ceaseless void in this industry and world- somehow even for those who never had the chance of really knowing you. But you have also left with us a plethora of legendary work and innumerable stories of your candour, humour and zest for life that’ll remain with us forever. Rest in peace 💔

A post shared by Janhvi Kapoor (@janhvikapoor) onApr 29, 2020 at 11:08pm PDT

Kapoor was an actor par excellence and also very witty and full of life in his real life. He was always honest and humorous and lived his life on his own terms. His contribution to Hindi cinema was, is, and will always be etched in people's hearts.

An unforgettable career that spanned over five decades, the man and his legacy will always continue to shine and scintillate. His last rites will be performed at the Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai.

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Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor passed away on the morning of April 30, 2020, after a two-year battle with cancer. The actor passed away peacefully in a hospital in Mumbai with wife Neetu Kapoor by his side. The Indian film industry has witnessed another dark day after the demise of Irrfan Khan, who passed away yesterday, April 29.

Rishi Kapoor's frequent co-stars Madhuri Dixit-Nene, Juhi Chawla and Hema Malini took to social media to express their shock and sorrow at his passing. Madhuri Dixit, who worked with Kapoor in several films including Sahibaan, Yaraana, and Prem Granth, tweeted, "I've had the honour of working with Rishi Ji. A larger than life person, so outspoken yet so warm. We have lost a brilliant actor today. Still can't believe it... absolutely heartbroken. My prayers are with the family during this tough time."

Another one of Rishi Kapoor's 90s co-stars, Juhi Chawla, couldn't believe the news that he passed away. The actress, who worked with Kapoor in films like Eena Meena Deeka, Saajan Ka Ghar, Daraar, Bol Radha Bol, among others, tweeted this:

No no no no .... this is not happening ...!! This is sad ............... ... very very very very very sad...!!! 🙈.... I'm shocked beyond words .....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

— Juhi Chawla (@iam_juhi) April 30, 2020

In fact, Rishi Kapoor was working on a film with Juhi Chawla titled Sharmaji Namkeen before he passed away.

Veteran actress Hema Malini, too, expressed grief over the demise of Rishi Kapoor who passed away at the age of 67. "I am deeply saddened. I woke up and got the news and I was shocked because we thought that Rishi Kapoor is recovering. His departure is a very big loss," the Dream Girl told ANI.

Both tragedies have happened in ths terrible time of corona & it is too much to digest.Such a wonderful actor,Rishi, snuffed out just whn we thot he was recovering.Sad tht we cannot pay our last respects to this lovely person.We are all with the Kapoors in spirit in ths tragedy🙏

— Hema Malini (@dreamgirlhema) April 30, 2020

Hema Malini and Rishi Kapoor worked together in some hits film in the late 70s and 80s, like Ek Chadar Maili Si, Naseeb, among others.

Rishi Kapoor was admitted to Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai on Wednesday. The actor is known for his many iconic roles in blockbuster hits like Bobby, Chandni, Karz and many others.

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As the country mourned the loss of one of the finest actors of the Indian cinema industry, Malayalam actor Prithviraj Sukumaran on Thursday took to social media to express grief on the demise of 'legend' Rishi Kapoor.

The south Indian actor, director, and producer took to Twitter and wrote: "This is a sad sad week for cinema. Rest in peace [?]#RishiKapoor sir."

This is a sad sad week for cinema. Rest in peace ⁦#RishiKapoor sir. Had the absolute privilege of working with him in #Aurangzeb Used to tell me he can’t call me by name as I shared it with his grand father. Farewell legend. We will miss you! pic.twitter.com/VSZHRqNks9

— Prithviraj Sukumaran (@PrithviOfficial) April 30, 2020

The 37-year-old star who had shared screen space with the veteran actor in 2013 drama-thriller 'Aurangzeb,' also recalled his conversations with the late star.

"Had the absolute privilege of working with him in #Aurangzeb Used to tell me he can't call me by name as I shared it with his grandfather."

He wrapped up the post by saying: "Farewell legend. We will miss you!"

Rishi Kapoor passed away at 8:45 am IST at Mumbai's Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital after a two-year battle with leukaemia, his family said in a statement. He was admitted to the facility on Wednesday. Earlier today, actor Amitabh Bachchan confirmed the news of the demise of the 67-year-old.

In September 2019, Rishi and his wife Neetu returned to Mumbai after staying in New York for almost a year for cancer treatment. He was last seen in the 2019 film 'The Body' alongside Emraan Hashmi and Shobita Sobhita Dhulipala.

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Rishi Kapoor wasn't just a phenomenal actor but also a very lively and lovable human. As exhilarating was his on-screen persona, his real-life demeanour was just as entertaining. In a devastating piece of news, he breathed his last today in hospital at 8:45 IST after a two-year battle with leukemia.

All the Bollywood celebrities began sharing their memories with this iconic actor and how he was one of a kind. And now, taking to his Twitter account, Salman Khan has also offered his condolences and also offered strength to his family and friends.

Have a look at his tweet right here:

Rest in peace chintu sirrr, kaha suna maaf , strength , peace n light to family n friends...

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) April 30, 2020

Salman Khan and Rishi Kapoor worked together in David Dhawan's Yeh Hai Jalwa in 2002 and both of them shared fantastic chemistry in that comedy. Also, if you remember, in 2015, Rishi Kapoor tweeted that If there's one actor after Shashi Kapoor who's handsome and has some blessed looks, it's Salman. The tweet isn't available anymore but you can have a look at it here:

Kapoor's loss, as everyone has stated, has left a void that can never be filled. His last rites will be performed at the Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai.

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Actor Taapsee Pannu shared another throwback picture from her archives on Thursday and spoke of how technology can take us over.

In the capture, the actor, clad in a white and black polka-dotted outfit, is seen caught in a moment while using a VR headset.

 

 

 

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Trying VR for the first time on a holiday was quite disorienting. Bumping into walls n people around made me feel how technology can take us over n make us run into a wall, literally! N losing the level in the end didn’t really redeem technology for me 🤷🏻‍♀ï¸Â #Throwback #Archive #QuarantinePost

A post shared by Taapsee Pannu (@taapsee) onApr 29, 2020 at 8:29pm PDT

Along with the picture, the 32-year-old actor revealed that she was trying the VR for the first time during a holiday, and the process was 'quite disorienting.'

"Bumping into walls n people around made me feel how technology can take us over n make us run into a wall, literally!," the 'Badla' actor captioned the post.

As wrapping up the post, the 'Pink' actor also mentioned that she lost the level towards the end and added: "losing the level, in the end, didn't really redeem technology for me."

Last week, the 'Manmarziyaan' actor shared an exquisite throwback picture from her trip to Rome.

Lately, the 'Thappad' star has been sharing many throwback pictures as she earlier announced on Instagram that she will be posting a series to refresh some memories during the coronavirus lockdown.

Taapsee is currently at home like many other celebrities as the country is under lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

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Poonam Dhillon and Rishi Kapoor were a popular pair of the eighties. They starred together in around 10 films, notably Sitamgar, Yeh Vaada Raha, Zamana, Biwi O Biwi, Ek Chadar Maili Si, and Tawaif. The actress looks back at working with the late Rishi Kapoor, and is too shocked to express her grief.

It is difficult at this moment for me to even talk about Rishi. It is very painful to talk about him in the past tense. So many images of him are coming in my mind.

Devastated !!! Rishi kapoor gone !! What terrible news today!! No words to express. My heart breaking for Neetu, Ranbir, Riddhima ,Daboo, Chimpu & Rima !!

— Poonam Dhillon 🇮🇳 à©´ (@poonamdhillon) April 30, 2020

He really was one of my favourite actors. Over the years people would ask me which co-star have you been a fan of or admired. I have always said Rishi Kapoor and Kamal Haasan. They are my two co-stars from whom I have really learnt a lot. I have been a grear fan of both of them.

Rishi really is one of the finest, most effortless and natural actors we had. All through his life he had this romantic and loverboy image. But the variety of roles he did -- whether it is playing a villain or a bad guy or an old man, any kind of role, put him in any role and he would shine in it. He really was a complete actor and I think the most shining star of the Kapoor family.

We have done quite a number of films together. Anywhere in the world I have traveled to, people would tell me "Yah vaada raha" is one of their favourite songs. People would even convey the same on Insta and Twitter. It has been an immortal creation of R D Burman featuring Rishi Kapoor and myself.

As a person, he was somebody with an amazing sense of humour. He would always reply to texts or WhatsApp messages with something whacky or funny. He was a person who had a zest for life. He was full of life. He enjoyed everything from his work to even being on Twitter! Sometimes he wrote very meaningful and great comments (on social media).

He really lived his life to the fullest. I just wish he had not gone so soon. He still had a lots to do. It is very sad.

When I last met him, he was looking so good and nice. We would text each other on occasions like birthdays, Diwali, New Year and other festivals. I had recently sent him a message wishing him good health. Today, I am going through my old messages with him, our conversations.

It is not an easy time to talk about him like this but he is really a person I would miss as a friend, as a co-star. I would sometimes jump into him asking why are we not doing any film together and we would have a banter about it. He would sometimes say, maine ek do film ki, achha role tha, mujhe laga tu karegi nahi!

I don't think he was ready to go. I don't think this is the perfect time. It must be so very traumatic for his children Riddhima and Ranbir. I can't imagine what his entire family must eb going through. Unfortunately, this is such a time that I can't even go and meet his family, share their grief and pay my last respect to him. I am sitting alone at home and thinking about him.

He will always be immortal. He has given such a fantastic body of work. He was outstanding in every role. I wish I could spend some more time with him after he came back from New York. When I met him a few months ago, he told me tu ghar nahi ayee mujhse milne ke liye! He was an old friend and we could tell each other things as it is! I regret not meeting him recently. God bless him and his family. He was a tremendous actor and will always be remembered for his roles!

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April 30 will be one of the saddest days in Hindi Cinema as one of its most beloved actors Rishi Kapoor left for the skies. He passed away today morning at 8:45 IST after a two-year battle with leukaemia. He has left a void that will never be filled.

His last rites will be performed at the Chandanwadi Crematorium in Kalbadevi, Mumbai, near the H.N Reliance hospital where he was admitted. Alia Bhatt arrived at the hospital who came to pay her last respects to the veteran actor. Her car was spotted outside the hospital.

Have a look right here:

Alia Bhatt: Picture Courtesy/Bipin Kokate

Rajiv Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor's younger brother, was also seen arriving at the hospital. Take a look right here:

Rajiv Kapoor: Picture Courtesy/Bipin Kokate

Saif Ali Khan was also seen arriving at the hospital and pay his last respects. He could be seen inside his car:

Saif Ali Khan: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Kareena Kapoor Khan was also spotted arriving at the hospital and could be seen wearing a mask:

Kareena Kapoor Khan at the hospital: Picture Courtesy/Ashish Raje

Armaan Jain was seen arriving at the hospital with fiancee Anisha and brother Aadar Jain:

Armaan Jain with and wife Anissa Malhotra and Aadar Jain: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Abhishek Bachchan, who shared the screen with Rishi Kapoor in films like Delhi-6 and All Is Well, could also be seen arriving at the hospital to pay his respects to the veteran Bollywood star:

Abhishek Bachchan arriving at the hospital: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Preparations for his funeral have begun outside the Chandanwadi Crematorium, here's a picture:

Rishi Kapoor Cremation: Picture Courtesy/Shadab Khan

Rishi Kapoor's body has now been taken for the last rites at the crematorium. May his soul Rest In Peace!

Rishi Kapoor's Body Being Taken For The Last Rites: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

His family members also proceeded to the Crematorium for his last rites. This included Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Armaan Jain, and Aadar Jain.

Saif Ali Khan Going For Rishi Kapoor's Last Rites: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Ranbir Kapoor was also seen going for his father's last rites. He had the company of his mother Neetu Kapoor and Alia Bhatt.

Ranbir Kapoor Going For Rishi Kapoor's Last Rites: Picture Courtesy/Yogen Shah

Rishi Kapoor has gone too soon and we were hoping he would entertain and charm us with a lot more exhilarating and enigmatic performances. But he has left behind millions of memories for all his fans and Cinema lovers that can never be forgotten. With a career of over five decades and tons of blockbusters and classics, we shall make sure he's always alive and among us!

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Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor breathed his last in a hospital in Mumbai on the morning of April 30, 2020. His passing has left a huge void in the film industry and in the lives of his family, close friends and millions of fans across the world. Tributes have been pouring in for the original chocolate hero of Bollywood, and Aamir Khan, too, took to Twitter to bid a final goodbye to his Fanaa co-star.

Aamir wrote, "We have lost one of the greats today. An amazing actor, a wonderful human being, and 100 per cent a child of Cinema. Thank you for all the joy you brought to our lives. Thank you for being the actor and human being that you were. You will be badly missed Rishiji."

We have lost one of the greats today. An amazing actor, a wonderful human being, and 100% a child of Cinema.
Thank you for all the joy you brought to our lives.
Thank you for being the actor and human being that you were.
You will be badly missed Rishiji.
Love.
a.

— Aamir Khan (@aamir_khan) April 30, 2020

Rishi Kapoor passed away at the age of 67 after battling cancer for two years. The actor was suffering from leukaemia, and he died with wife Neetu Kapoor by his side. Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor's co-star in a number of films, was one of the first to confirm the news of his passing.

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Rishi Kapoor, known for his chocolate boy persona in the old days, and for his witty tweets and character roles more recently, passed away this morning. The film industry has lost another gem after the tragic demise of Irrfan Khan on April 29, 2020. 

Rishi Kapoor's daughter, ace jewellery designer Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, took to Instagram to share a sweet picture of herself with her dad. She wrote, "Papa I love you I will always love you - RIP my strongest warrior I will miss you every day I will miss your FaceTime calls every day! Until we meet again papa I love you - your Mushk forever."

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Riddhima Kapoor Sahni (RKS) (@riddhimakapoorsahniofficial) onApr 30, 2020 at 1:13am PDT

Riddhima also shared a couple of photos on her Instagram story, which will bring tears to your eyes.

Rishi Kapoor's niece, Karisma Kapoor, shared a black and white throwback photo and wrote, "Always looking over family... chintu uncle will miss discussing food and restaurants with you... #uncle #legend"

 

 

 

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A post shared by KK (@therealkarismakapoor) onApr 30, 2020 at 1:06am PDT

Karisma and Kareena Kapoor are Rishi Kapoor's brother Randhir Kapoor's daughters. Kareena, too, remembered her uncle through a sweet photo. 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

The best boys I know... Papa and Chintu uncle ❤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Â

A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan) onApr 30, 2020 at 2:02am PDT

Alia Bhatt, who is dating Rishi Kapoor's son Ranbir, shared a family statement on Instagram. Check out her story below:

Later, she took to her Instagram handle and shared a heartfelt note.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

❤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Ââ¤ï¸Â

A post shared by Alia Bhatt ☀ï¸Â (@aliaabhatt) onApr 30, 2020 at 7:15am PDT

She also shared throwback picture of Neetu and Ranbir with Rishi Kapoor.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

love you ❤️

A post shared by Alia Bhatt ☀️ (@aliaabhatt) onApr 30, 2020 at 7:14am PDT

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

beautiful boys 🤍

A post shared by Alia Bhatt ☀️ (@aliaabhatt) onApr 30, 2020 at 7:19am PDT

Rishi Kapoor had been battling cancer since 2018 and had spent a year in New York seeking treatment for the same. He breathed his last at age 67.

He made his breakthrough in Bollywood with the 1973 film Bobby opposite Dimple Kapadia. Rishi Kapoor was the leading man in a number of hit films like Khel Khel Mein, Rafoo Chakkar, Do Premee and many more.

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The Delhi Police has granted permission to Riddhima Sahni, daughter of actor Rishi Kapoor who passed away on Thursday morning, to travel to Mumbai for his last rites amid the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, officials said.

"Along with Ridhima, five other people -- Bharat Sahni, Samara Sahni, Akshay Sahni and Drigalakshmi Rai -- got permission to travel to Mumbai," Deputy Commissioner of Police (southeast) R P Meena said.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Papa I love you I will always love you - RIP my strongest warrior I will miss you everyday I will miss your FaceTime calls everyday! I wish I could be there to say goodbye to you ! Until we meet again papa I love you - your Mushk forever ❤ï¸ÂðŸ˜¢

A post shared by Riddhima Kapoor Sahni (RKS) (@riddhimakapoorsahniofficial) onApr 30, 2020 at 1:13am PDT

The 67-year-old actor, who was suffering from cancer, died in a Mumbai hospital. His death comes a day after his 'D-Day' co-star Irrfan Khan passed away due to cancer. Rishi Kapoor, a third generation actor of the famous Kapoor dynasty, was taken to the H N Reliance Hospital by his family on Wednesday

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- By RJ Archana Pania

It hasn't yet sunk in, and I wonder if it ever will that Rishi Kapoor ji is no more.

I first met him at the special screening of Saawariya, and he was watching his son Ranbir turn into an overnight star in the auditorium post the show. He was so concerned that his son would be manhandled by the huge crowd! I walked up to Rishi ji to share that my family and I were his huge fans, and he in his inimitable Kapoor candour with outstretched hands smilingly said "thank you" while keeping an eye on Ranbir.

I still can't remember when our RJ to actor connect turned into friendship. During interviews at RK Studios, he would proudly show me around, and his eyes would light up while talking about his father, Raj Kapoor saahab, and his grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor Ji.

He had reservations about his own physique, and always said, "If I had maintained my weight I would give all the young guns a run for their money." It's not for nothing that the tag of a chocolate hero stayed with him for over three decades. His performances could very well range from an angry lover boy (Kabhi Kabhie) to the most caring sweetheart (Chandni).

In my almost two decades of a radio career, no actor brought us treats. In fact, invariably, we would be ordering food for them. Rishi ji and Neetu ji, however, came in for their film Do Dooni Chaar's promotions and got us all at Radio City studio a huge hamper of goodies from his favourite food joint. Croissants, pastries, puffs, muffins... you name it and he got it. That's when one could see the largess of his heart.

I had some of the best memories at his home during Ganpati celebrations. He loved the festival and had Bappa home for five days, and would say that he wanted Bappa to stay longer than that. Every year, promptly, his invitation would arrive. Post the aarti he would sit all of us down and we would indulge in some "gupp-shupp". Poonam Dhillon ji, Padmini ji would all be in splits thanks to his candid ways of recalling the times gone by.

My most favourite memory of him is how one day he called me to scold me for using "Tu" while addressing my listeners. He said, "Let that boy (my co-RJ Salil Acharya) with you do "tu-tadaka", you continue saying "aap" the way you do, you are from a good family." I wondered about the kind of care that call reflected, the concern he had for people he was fond of. Sometimes, I would call him on his landline to wish him on his birthday or to congratulate him for a great performance in a film. Typically, he would first express irritation like it's all an everyday thing. But then, he would oblige me with an interview with heartfelt involvement.

But no matter what our conversations would be about, we always ended up discussing Ranbir's projects (where he felt Ranbir should take up more work and not work on single projects for so long) and his one smile gave away how proud he was of his son.

I am sure the legendary actor will see his legacy being carried forward beautifully by Ranbir, who has never ceased to astound us with his talent.

Rishi ji, I know you had so much zest for doing more. No one romanced life and cinema as you did on an everyday basis. Thank you for giving us countless memories and conversations to remember forever. Our industry won't be the same after today...

Some of my favourite songs of RK ji:

Dafli Wale - Sargam
Hoga Tumse Pyaara Kaun - Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai
Chukkk Chukk Bombay Se Baroda Tak - Rafoo Chakkar
Om Shaanti Om/Kya Umar Thi - Karz
Humko Tumse - Amar Akbar Anthony
Chal Kahee Door - doosra Aadmi
Tu Tu Hai Wahi - Yeh Vaada Raha
Jeevan Ke Din Chhote Sahi - Bade Dilwale
Lambooji-Tinkuji - Coolie
Chandni - Chandni O Meri Chandni
Sochenge Tumhe Pyaar/Teri Umeed - Deewana

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Actor Rishi Kapoor died young, at 67. If he'd passed on few decades later, he would've still died young. And I don't mean that cliché about being 'young at heart' and all. I mean, literally, young in the head—where it counts.

Think he was between 25 to 30 years old; tops. This infused into his natural persona that casual aliveness of late youth—he's the guy you could chill at the corner-bar with, all through a party, as I did, couple of times. Feel blessed.

It also made him impulsive, tad impatient, moody, on occasion; unreasonable, even. Not an easy man to know and walk around, without care. Also he was therefore (mentally) a decade younger to me, and so there arose the minor/moral dilemma over what to call him! He didn't like Mr Kapoor ("Waddyathink, am an uncle or what?"). Rishiji wouldn't cut it. He preferred Rishi. I carried on with Mr Kapoor.

In the hierarchy of naam-karan (naming ceremony) in Indian popular culture, the apex of the pyramid belongs to the person the public bestows upon a common nickname, short-form, or epithet. It's not so much a mark of honour as it denotes the level of familiarity the public feels with a public figure!

This cuts across professions. It is most common in films—whether that be Shahenshah or Big B for Amitabh Bachchan; or Baadshah, King Of Romance, King Khan or SRK for Shah Rukh Khan. Tells you something about their image too.

Rishi went by the short, cute sobriquet, Chintu, at best, Chintuji—eternally that boy, at any rate India's first 'chocolate hero', who debuted as the National Award winning child-star of Raj Kapoor's magnum opus, Mera Naam Joker (MNJ; 1970). In fact, if you observed him closely, when he spoke with that impish smile—he still had a sweetly chubby face—it was quite easy to transpose him into the little Raju, besotted by his teacher Mary (Simi Garewal), from MNJ.

Thereafter he held a list of firsts for Bollywood that may not occur to you instantly, if I don't bring them to mind here. For one, up until Rishi's debut as the lead actor in Bobby (1973), he told me, Bollywood's heroes and heroines used to be men and women—holding books and going to college in their 30s and 40s! It's true. Rishi was 21; his leading lady, Dimple Kapadia, after whose character the film is titled, was 16.

While Bobby gave birth to a super-hit romantic pair, Dimple got married, and quit movies altogether. This posed a peculiar problem for Rishi. He was left to swim around a leading ladies' pool—Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi, etc—that was considerably older, and therefore unfit to be cast as his conventional, romantic leads. There was Neetu Singh, absolutely his perfect onscreen better-half— later his off-screen wife. "But then, how many films could I do with her? So it had to be Neetu, or a new girl," he said.

Don't know if such an entry is allowed into the Guinness book, Rishi held the glorious record of introducing 23 female leads as his on-screen partner in the movies. And even that number he wasn't sure about. Besides that he wished to add even Alia Bhatt (Student Of The Year; 2012), Taapsee Pannu (Chashme Buddoor; 2013), into the list, since they had debuted in Bollywood with him, although he wasn't the lead in those movies.

Did he even remember all those 23 heroines he worked with; was he in touch with any of them? "Don't know where's Kajal Kiran (Hum Kisise Kum Naheen; 1977), Shoma Anand (Barood; 1976), Bhavana Bhatt (Naya Daur; 1978)…" Gah! Would've been a great idea to click Rishi seated in the centre as the good old Casanova surrounded by his debuting leading ladies — an eclectic array, almost stacked up like sardines — to celebrate 50 years of his debut, which falls on September 28, 2020.

Bobby (1973)

A mart is really how the movie business/trade has traditionally perceived itself — setting a price for what sells, and a sell-by-date for what doesn't. This is as true for stars as the image or genres associated with them. In that sense Rishi, although he liked to call himself the "right person at the wrong time", had an absolutely uninterrupted 25-year run at the movies — between 1973 and 1998 (averaging around five to six films a year) — which for its time is also a record of sorts: "Shelf life for a hero then was 20 years; 10 years for heroines."

He said the reason to quit films was also his. He had just got bored of the proverbial dancing around trees. Nothing exciting seemed to exist in the horizon. And so one fine day, he rounded up the four to five producers he owed advances to, and simply returned them their money.

This is when Rishi was 46. Shammi Kapoor, Rishi's uncle, and the seminal singing-dancing star of the generation he took over from, had retired at 37. Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi's older contemporary, left films (to return only much later) at 40. Of course none of these age restrictions/rules for retirement matter anymore. Shah Rukh Khan, 54, has currently taken a break to recalibrate his leading man's career.

Note: I mention Shahenshah, and Badshah or King Of Romance, again! This is because in the pantheon of Bollywood stars, Rishi saw himself sandwiched between the two: "I should've entered films in the '90s," he said. The year of Rishi's debut, 1973, is also when Prakash Mehra's Zanjeer proclaimed Amitabh Bachchan as the 'angry young man'— simultaneously killing that flowery phase of Rajesh Khanna romances; and gently pricking at the bud the romantic Rishi Kapoor from coming into full-potential, glorious bloom.

At the box office, Rishi, in many ways, would've been Rajesh Khanna's natural successor. In terms of a female fan-following, he sort of already was — with hordes of women, by his own account, taking their clothes off, so he could autograph their bras! And special 'Bobby buses', matched with theatre timings, plying between Punjab, Faridabad and (what was then) Gurgaon, so people from far-off towns could catch his first film.

Except the phase that followed, especially in the '80s, was full of, as he put it, "B and C centre maar-peet; Lahu Ke Khoon [both mean blood] kind of films, and some skin-show. The ambience, mahaul, was only for action." Rishi, on the other hand, had been secure enough in his masculinity to go drag with Rafoo Chakkar (1975). One such "totally wahiyaat (crappy)" film, he told me about, was called Hawalaat (1987), where he starred alongside the 'action types', Mithun Chakraborty and Shatrughan Sinha. He was of course the "guitar and dafli playing type." When it came to promoting the film, the producer asked him "to pose with a chaku (knife)" for the poster, to draw in audiences!

It is in this backdrop that one has to register the fact that Subhash Ghai's cracker musical Karz (1980) had tanked at the box-office. Ghai recently sold its remake rights for Rs. 3 crore, which is a sum he'd not even come close to with the original. Likewise, Rishi's Tina Munim, Poonam Dhillon, Rakhee Gulzar co-starrer, Yeh Vaada Raha (1982), based on Danielle Steele's novel The Promise, showed no promise either. Neither did Zehreela Insaan (1974). Nor was Ramesh Sippy (1985) quite the Sholay!

The above is merely a short Spotify playlist I'm making for you, so after you're through with the Hum Kisise Kum Naheen medley, you check out the opening riffs of Karz's Ek Hasina Thi, the title track of Yeh Vaada Raha, and the finest RD Burman number, O Hansini, from Zehreela Insaan, or O' Maria from Saagar. These soundtracks have been around us all along. Post Rajesh Khanna, RD arguably equalled Rishi, on screen. RD is very much alive. So will Rishi. Music is the medium through which Hindi movies survive public memory.

Also, only a proper desi film aesthete would be able to tell how Rishi was uniquely gifted at lip-syncing, to perfectly own a song, before the camera. It's called song-acting—a talent that has no use in any another film culture. The first time Rishi was asked to perform a track (Main shayar toh nahin, from Bobby), he recalled, his father, Raj Kapoor, allowed him no choreographer. The logic being the choreographer would give him steps that other stars had already performed to. He would automatically be compared to them!

Even as an actor, it can be argued, Rishi looked and behaved like no one else—of his time, or from the generations before. Let alone other Kapoors. None of whom seemed like shadows of each other — carving niches of their own — while being raised under the banyan tree of Prithviraj, a full-time theatre and later film-studio actor, who began a four-generational legacy that Rishi was a proud and aware progeny of.

Contrary to popular perception — mainly because so many get to take a shot at stardom in the first place — most superstar-kids don't make it in the movies. Comparisons do them in. What separated Rishi from his father Raj, for one, was the lack of being — a word he used himself — the "stylised" actor.

By which you mean certain tics, manners, or andaaz, as it were, that instantly marked out say Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, and others. Rishi didn't have that. And this is what made his return to "character-driven" or more realistic films, at a larger stage, easily possible. Which wasn't the case with most others before him. It's the lightheartedness of his films that rendered him an underrated actor—hardly ever taken seriously by the critical establishment; something that bothered him much. He told me comedian Johnny Lever had a bone to pick with him. Rishi was the only star who'd been around for so long, that Lever couldn't find a way to mimic on stage! Fair point.

In 2017, I had the honour to host Rishi's first (and as yet only) retrospective of films at the Jagran Film Festival. From a filmography of over 150, we had to pick five. This was impossible. Going back and forth with his suggestions, we kept widening the quota. Until we reached a point that we could no longer accommodate more than eight films. And yet, how could MNJ be left out? We decided to play eight and half films in all—the half comprising Rishi's section from the three-part MNJ!

To be fair, an artiste/entertainer's self-perception should be at the core of his fan-base. And for this moment, don't care what Rishi Kapoor gems you've found — let's make it about the jeweller foremost. According to him, besides Karz and Bobby, Rishi's greatest works were—Habib Faisal's Do Dooni Char (2010), Raj Kapoor's Prem Rog (1982), Karan Malhotra's Agneepath (2012), Shakun Batra's Kapoor & Sons (2016), Manmohan Desai's Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), and Yash Chopra's Chandni (1989).

Notice his latent bias towards more recent releases. You can gauge the phase he was enjoying the most — placing his acting chops on display. It doesn't seem as if fate had mortally attacked a man who's young or old — just someone with such vitality and zest for life, that he was looking to soar. That's what hurts far more. Rishi had battled leukemia for two years.

The reason for his return to films, he told me, was a lovers' tiff of sorts that he'd had with his filmmaker buddy Rakesh Roshan, who'd pricked his ego with some loose talk about his career (or the lack of it). The expectedly emotional Rishi reasoned that he had retired from stardom, yes, but not from acting. He decided to stage a comeback — also to prove a point to Roshan, who, along with Jeetendra, Prem Chopra, and his Campion schoolmate, director Rahul Rawail, were known to be his close friends.

Basically the Rishi Kapoor I observed from a private quarter was no different from the Rishi Kapoor one experiences from a distance, in public. Meaning, what you saw is what you got. No overt agendas as such. This often cofounded political coteries on social media, with a lot of his tweets driving traffic to the Right, and then swerving conveniently to the Left-Liberal, as they say!

Guess if you've lived your adult life entirely in the public eye, you'll either always fake it, or just stop caring beyond a point. Of course he also had a socially well-connected, mature, adult side to him, with an eye on the lay of the land. But for the most part, it seemed, Rishi kept it real.

With personal disclaimers, he had no qualms admitting to the world he'd frickin' bought the Filmfare Award, for Bobby! He wrote it in his book, and explained further at an interview with me before a live audience. What're you gonna shame him for?

As a Bollywood star, he didn't think twice before drunk-dialing me past midnight, referring to how I had obliquely compared his son Ranbir's performance in Rockstar (2011) to Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan — "Abey, beta toh mera hai!" True.

He could get childishly excited even about wearing a delegate-badge at a film festival, given that he said, surprisingly (for me), he'd never been formally invited to one before. But then again, despite his first and only retrospective being held across 16 cities over three months, he could bail out a day before the all-important closing ceremony, for a conversation before a packed house.

Because? He had an issue with an absolutely random cartoon published in Mid-day, about the fire at RK Studio. No, you couldn't console him. Just couldn't. That was Rishi. His friends say the same. Everyone loved him just the way he was though. Good luck God. And thank you, Mr Kapoor.

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It is hard to believe that I will not see him again, in person. The worst part is that I couldn't be there with him and his family for the final rites. I met him in the latter part of 2019. He was jovial. I remember looking at him and thinking that the worst phase of his life is behind him. There wasn't an iota of [weakness] in his eyes. One couldn't, from his body language, gauge that he was enduring any pain or difficulty. The unfortunate turn of events was unexpected.

More than being his co-star, I was a fan. I loved Rishi and Neetu, as a couple, and wouldn't miss a single film of the duo. For me, the turning point [in my career] came when I signed a movie with him. Rishi was the one who recommended my name to Nasir Hussain, and that's how I landed up in Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai.
 
The first shot that we did together was for the song Poocho na yaar kya hua. I remember it vividly. I had to do a dance sequence and then hug him. I was shivering because I was a fan.

We shot [Hoga tumse pyara kaun] on a train, and it was a surreal experience. It was hot, and we were trying to look our best, and do the best that we could. Unfortunately, my scarf caught fire, and, like a true hero, Rishi ran towards me and rescued me. 

He was a foodie. I'd get prawns and fish curry to the sets and we would eat together. More than him, we loved his Punjabi lunch that Neetu would send. Neetu would send healthy food, but she never knew that he'd, in fact, be eating his co-stars' meals.

He is going to be missed. My heart goes out to Ranbir and Ridhima. 

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Our friendship lasted 45 years because we were similar in nature — we loved food and drinks, and were brimming with optimism. We grew close during the making of Khel Khel Mein (1975).

Eventually, Jeetendra joined us, and we three became inseparable. We would meet every day after our respective shoots.

Chintu and I did several movies together — Jhoota Kahin Ka (1979), Khel Khel Mein and Aap Ke Deewane (1980), among others. He would never prepare for his shots, and yet, when the camera rolled, he came alive! He was so spontaneous and natural. When we were shooting for Aap Ke Deewane, I asked him how he shone in each take without having prepped for it. With a smile, he said, 'Aise hi yaar, main camera ke saamne bas masti karta hoon…' He was such an integral part of my life that I couldn't imagine my first directorial venture without him. So, I requested Chintu to do a cameo in Khudgarz (1987).

[In 2018], our cancer diagnosis came months apart — his in August, and mine in December. But we both fought with a smile on our face. He was always brave and full of life. When I met him in March before the lockdown, Chintu, Neetu and I reminisced about our good old days.

I spoke to Neetu earlier this week when I learnt he was hospitalised and prayed for his speedy recovery. I woke up this morning to a message from a friend, asking if Rishi Kapoor was all right. When I called Dabboo [Randhir Kapoor], his number was busy. That's when my heart sank and I instinctively knew something was wrong. Then I rang up Ranbir who shared the news. It was so shocking that I started crying on the phone. Instead of me consoling him, Ranbir comforted me. He has been a pillar of strength to his father.

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My first directorial venture Andaz [1971] was with Shammi Kapoor. A decade later, I made Shaan [1981] with Shashi Kapoor. Babita was introduced by my father [GP Sippy] opposite Rajesh Khanna in Raaz [1967]. I made Saagar [1985] with Rishi Kapoor, so my association with the Kapoors goes back a long way.

My daughter, Sheena, was married to Shashi Kapoor's son, Kunal. We are related as well. How much closer can we get?

I was in touch with Rishi but not as much as I should have been. I remember catching a play at the Royal Opera House with his brother Randhir Kapoor. After the show, we sat down to chat and Randhir called Rishi who was at that time seeking treatment in the US. Rishi was sounding fine and kept a positive front. We were happy to know that all was going well until this sudden turn of events. I was shocked to hear of his demise. We had heard that he had been hospitalised. The awful part is that because of COVID-19 and social distancing, we could not go to pay our last respects. I feel miserable about it.

Ramesh Sippy

I thought of making Saagar after Dimple Kapadia expressed her desire to make a comeback after marriage and motherhood. I sat with Javed Akhtar saab and discussed the script and spoke to Rishi.

We decided to make it a love triangle and got Kamal Haasan on board. It was a lovely experience working with the three talented actors. Unfortunately, it wasn't a success when it released, but over time it lingered on and developed a cult following. Its songs are still a big draw.

One didn't need to direct Rishi. He was such a consummate actor. Once the scenes were narrated to him, he understood it perfectly. He just needed to be ready and come on the set and perform the scene. I didn't have to say much to him about what to do and what not to do. We will miss presence but he will always be with us through his movies.

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I have lost count of the number of films I did with Rishi Kapoor, especially in the early '80s. There were movies like Biwi-O-Biwi (1981), Tawaif (1985), Sitamgar (1985), Zamana (1985), Ek Chadar Maili Si (1986), Dosti Dushmani (1986) and many more.

I was a newbie then, but he was willing to work with fresh faces. At that time, he was the only star who had no qualms about teaming up with novices. I would tell him that he deserved to be in the Guinness Book of World Records for collaborating with the maximum number of new heroines. He could rattle off names [of all those he worked with], and would often wonder where some of them disappeared.

He was a natural and spontaneous actor, one who would laugh and fool around with the unit off camera, but instantly [transform] into the character when [we] rolled.

You could see the passion in his eyes as he enacted scenes.

Like all Kapoors, he too loved his food. The most distinct memory I have is going to RK Studios and [enjoying] the lavish spread and hospitality of the Kapoors.

I was in touch with him even when he was in the US for treatment. If I messaged him late at night, he would wonder why I was awake at that unearthly hour. Former minister Arun Jaitley, who passed away last year, was also seeking the same treatment at the same hospital in New York. As I also knew him, Rishi would often tell me that he would invite Jaitley to his home for a meal.

When he came back, we caught up with each other. He was not pretentious. He would not hide that he loved his drink. His wife Neetu would ensure that he had healthy meals, but, as soon as she would leave the room, he would quickly take a bite of [the food he was forbidden from eating]. He was childlike.

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I worked with Chintuji in films like Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani, and Ghar Ki Izzat. As a newcomer, I would be in awe [of him]. An effortless actor, he would barely rehearse, but the director would always be happy with his first take.

Though a little detached, he was always friendly. Chintuji [would arrive on set] at 10 am. He would often sit outdoors under a tree to have his make-up done. His make-up artiste, Shashi dada, would set out a neat table with the [products]. A tiny transistor radio would be turned on while the make-up was done. When done, Chintuji would impatiently pick up the sponge, rub it all over his face, and undo dada's effort, and then announce that he was ready.

As time went by, and we worked on more films together, including Bol Radha Bol and Saajan Ka Ghar, Chintuji [and I] would play Scrabble on set. I played well, but he was too good, and would often beat me. Nonetheless, I kept trying to win!

In September 2017, a charming script [of the upcoming film, Sharmaji Namkeen] was narrated to me. It was about a middle-aged gentleman called Sharmaji. I liked it immensely and found it amusing and heart-warming. It was tailor-made for Chintuji. Producer Honey Trehan wanted to hold a joint narration with the entire cast and crew. It seemed like a good ice-breaker.

Chintuji was reluctant, but agreed, because he said Amitabh Bachchan would do such sessions often. He said [he'd leave early] too, however, when the reading began, it was so joyful that he stayed till the end, and was the last to leave.

I last met Chintuji at HK hospital, where he had gone for a routine treatment, in early March.

A few days ago, I thought I should check on him. I heard the news [of his passing] this morning, and was devastated. I have many happy memories of him, and have laughed so much on the sets with him. I am going to miss him very much.

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After singing an African lullaby, O lele, Kalki Koechlin is now singing a Portuguese lullaby, Nessa rua, to baby daughter Sappho. Taking to Instagram, the actor posted a video in which she is seen strumming the ukulele and singing to the two-month-oldKoechlin informed that she learnt it while playing the Portuguese character Tara in the web series, Smoke. It seems the baby does not sleep till mommy sings.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kalki (@kalkikanmani) onApr 27, 2020 at 10:39pm PDT

Kalki Koechlin is known to be an eco-warrior and the actress has many a time appealed to her fans to take care of the environment more. Looks like the actress believes in doing what she preaches!

Baby Sappho was both on February 7. Kalki, who turned mother, even shared a long post thanking everyone for her wishes and positive energy. She also gave all the respect to all the women who go through the intense and gruesome experience of birth.

On the professional front, Kalki Koechlin was last seen in Zee5's Bhram and Netflix' Sacred Games.

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For me, Rishi is more than a colleague. He has been a friend, for many years. His loss is a blow to all of us on both personal and professional levels. Rishi was a pure soul who was known not to mince his words. I am going to deeply miss him.

We have done five films together and I have some wonderful memories of us working. Bol Radha Bol was an experience I will always remember. The last few years was hard on Rishi but he never let people know what he was going through. It's hard to believe he isn't amongst us any more and it's a loss that I don't know how we'll recover from.

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Industry veterans such as Farida Jalal and Satish Kaushik, who not only worked with Rishi Kapoor but also knew him well, cannot get over the news of his demise. Filmmaker-actor Kaushik, who has worked with Kapoor in films like "Tehzeeb", "Saagar", "Aa Ab Laut Chalen" and "Wedding Pullav", says the late star made acting look like the easiest profession and that he ruled Bollywood with his charm and king size personality.

"Chintuji was a much-loved young icon of romance for me when I saw 'Bobby' in my college days in Delhi. After coming to Mumbai I kept on seeing him in various films as a huge star, and then got to work with him as a co-actor, and then he directed me in 'Aa Ab Laut Chalen'," Satish told IANS.

"He was a great friend, great company, always very jovial and very loving. A great person and actor, who ruled the film industry with his charm and king size persona," said Satish, who was recently shooting with Rishi for a film called "Sharmajee Namkeen".

An emotional Satish says that with Rishi the era of Romance has gone. "Yes, (the) era of romance is gone with him but his footprints will always take us to happiness and joy. Chintuji we will miss you and you will always remain the charming boy of Indian cinema. Rest in peace," he wrote.

While Kaushik was working with Rishi Kapoor in the film he would never complete, Farida Jalal recalled working with the late actor in his debut movie, "Bobby". She broke down over phone, while talking about Rishi Kapoor.

"Oh my god, what is happening? Yesterday Irrfan Khan passed away and today it is Chintu (Rishi Kapoor) I am really shocked. I was very close to Chintu. I worked with him in his first film, ‘Bobby'. I don't know what to say, I need to process this," she said.

In 2018, Rishi Kapoor was diagnosed with cancer for the first time, following which the actor was in New York for nearly a year to undergo treatment. He returned to India in September 2019 after recovering.

Post return to India, his health has frequently been in focus. The actor was admitted to hospital in quick succession in February.

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My Chintu baba! He was a nice and jovial person. He was good to each and every person. He came from a rich family -- the Kapoor family. Everyone knows who they are. He was so good and a comfortable artiste to work with. We used to call him Chintu baba.

"Bobby" was his first film. His father (Raj Kapoor) used to scold him, still he used to not feel bad. In such cases, kids get conscious but he never felt conscious. If his father would say something to him, he would say it's for his best. As an actor, of course, he was very good but he was also a very good human being. He used to never eat lunch on his own. He would sit down with everybody and eat. The dostana (friendship), yaarana... Where will you find it?

I have done many films with him. There's one incident. We had gone to some remote place for a film's shooting. There were so many mosquitoes that used to bite us. It was difficult to sleep because of that. Back then there were no good hotels also. We told Chintu baba that we will die. Even he said 'Aruna ji mai b mar gaya mujhe neend nai arahi hai (Even I am dead, I am unable to sleep). What should I do?' I said 'We can't say anything but you are the hero, so you only say something'. Then he told the film's producer. I don't remember the film's name. He said it was not possible to work in the morning like this, so shift the location. Then the location got shifted.

It's been many years since we worked together but he used to be so nice. We used to be in touch on WhatsApp. We spoke about his health. I was happy to see him return after his treatment. Then a few days later he said he was going to work. I was so happy then I stopped asking him because I thought he was out of this trap. He had started working, so I thought he had improved but he ditched us.

I still love him. May his soul rest in peace. He was a fabulous person.

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Late actor Irrfan Khan's wife Sutapa Sikdar took to social media to pen a healtfelt message for the actor, who passed away on Wednesday. She updated her Facebook display picture with an adorable picture of herself hugging Irrfan and captioned: "I have not lost I have gained in every which way...."

Reacting to the post, several users paid condolences to her and her sons, Babil and Ayan. "You are strong. Love," a user commented. Another user wrote: "Super salute to you."

Sutapa and Irrfan met each other during their college days at National School of Drama, Delhi where they fell in love with each other and later tied the knot in 1995.

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Riteish Deshmukh and Karan Johar have no inhibitions showing off their grey hair. KJo is unable to get his tresses coloured at a salon due to the lockdown. His kids, Roohi and Yash, call him 'buddha'. Deshmukh, too, sported his salt and pepper look on Insta and quipped, "Main celebrity hoon (sic)." Will the B-Town female brigade flaunt their grey locks?

 

 

 

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Ek Joke Saanga Na

A post shared by Riteish Deshmukh (@riteishd) onApr 27, 2020 at 5:36am PDT

On the professional front, Karan Johar will be next seen as a producer in Sooryavanshi and Brahmastra. Speaking of Riteish Deshmukh, the actor was last seen in Baaghi 3, along starring Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor and Ankita Lokhande.

Amidst the global outbreak of the Coronavirus, the entertainment industry has taken a hit. Several movies including the upcoming James Bond movie are being pushed back from their intended release dates and movies like Baaghi 3 saw a huge impact on their box office collections.

All the projects are currently on halt after the outbreak. People are waiting with bated breath for this lockdown to end and get back to business.

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