When Rishi Kapoor said he intentionally kept a glass wall between him, son Ranbir Kapoor: ‘Aapka baap hoon, dost nahi’
Rishi Kapoor had said that he made sure Ranbir Kapoor respected him as an elder and a father. He didn't want to have friendship with his son.
Late actor Rishi Kapoor had once spoken about his relationship with son-actor Ranbir Kapoor. During a chat on The Anupam Kher Show - Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai season two in 2015, Rishi said that he preferred a father-son relationship with Ranbir instead of friendship. (Also Read | Neetu Kapoor gets emotional on Rishi Kapoor’s birth anniversary: ‘Would have been 72 today’)
Rishi spoke about a glass wall between him, Ranbir
Rishi Kapoor had said, “Main jaanta hoon ki is film industry aese bohut se parents hai jo apne bacchon ko dost jaese maante hai. Mera rishta mere baap ke saath kabhi aesa nahi tha. Maine jaan bujh k yeh rishta maine apne bete se bhi nahi rakkha. Ho sakta hai ki humare beech mein ek sheesha ki deewar hai (I know there are many parents in the film industry who consider their children as their friends. I never had such a relationship with my father. I intentionally didn't keep my relationship with my son like that. Maybe there is a glass wall between us).”
He continued, "Hum dekh sakte hai lekin hum ek doosre ko mehsus nahi karsakte. Ho sakta hai. Maine yeh chahte huye ki, 'Aap mujhe woh position zaroor de ki main aapka buzurg hoon, main aapka baap hoon. Main aapka dost nahi hoon' (We can see but not feel each other. I wanted that, 'You give me that position that I'm elder to you, I'm your father. I'm not your friend')."
Rishi talked about his connection with Ranbir
When asked why he thought so, Rishi continued, “Kyuki shayad maine dada k saath apne baap ko dekha tha. Mere baap ne mere saath kiya tha. I wanted that with Ranbir (Maybe because I saw that with my grandfather and father. My father did that with me).”
Rishi continued, "Jab aapne pooncha, 'Aapne Ranbir ko kya diya hai?' maine yeh diya hai Ranbir ko ki, 'Tum apni badon ki izzat karo aur baaki tum zindagi mein jo chahte ho karo. Lekin yeh deewar jo hai jo humne khadi ki hai, main chahta hoon ki aese hi rahe' (When you asked, 'What have you given to Ranbir', I've given Ranbir that, 'You respect your elders and do whatever you want with your life. But this wall that we have made, I want it to stay)'."
About Rishi
Rishi married Neetu Singh (now Neetu Kapoor, in 1980. They have two children Ranbir and a daughter, Riddhima Kapoor. Rishi died on April 30, 2020, in Mumbai. His last film was Sharmaji Namkeen (2022).