Riddhima Kapoor Sahni remembered her late father and veteran actor Rishi Kapoor on his birth anniversary on Friday, sharing a heartfelt tribute and recalling their cherished bond.
Riddhima took to social media to share a monochrome childhood photograph featuring herself with Rishi Kapoor, along with a family picture of her parents, Rishi and Neetu Kapoor.
Alongside the childhood photograph, she wrote, “Happy Birthday Papa The stars will shine a little brighter today for you I miss you every day.”
Riddhima has often spoken about her close relationship with her father. Rishi Kapoor also wrote about his bond with his daughter in his autobiography, Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored. In the chapter on fatherhood, he described his pride in both his children and recalled how his relationship with Riddhima grew particularly close after her marriage.
Neetu Kapoor has also spoken about Rishi’s efforts to spend time with Riddhima after her marriage. In earlier interviews, she recalled that he would look for opportunities to travel to Delhi to meet Riddhima and his granddaughter, Samara.
During a conversation on Soha Ali Khan’s podcast All About Her, Neetu discussed Rishi’s relationship with their children, Riddhima and Ranbir. She said Rishi had consciously maintained a certain distance from them while they were growing up because he wanted them to retain a sense of respect and fear towards their father.
Rishi Kapoor, born into the legendary Kapoor family, began his career as a child artist in his father Raj Kapoor’s Mera Naam Joker in 1970. He made his debut as a leading actor with Bobby in 1973, opposite Dimple Kapadia.
He went on to become one of Hindi cinema’s most recognised leading men, appearing in successful films including Khel Khel Mein, Laila Majnu, Amar Akbar Anthony, Sargam, Karz, Prem Rog, Saagar, Naseeb, Chandni and Bol Radha Bol, among many others.
In the later phase of his career, Rishi demonstrated his versatility through performances in films such as Agneepath, Do Dooni Chaar, Aurangzeb, D-Day, Kapoor & Sons, 102 Not Out and Mulk.
His final film, Sharmaji Namkeen, was released posthumously in 2022. Rishi had completed a substantial portion of the film before his death, with Paresh Rawal subsequently stepping in to complete the role.
Rishi Kapoor died on April 30, 2020, at the age of 67 after battling leukaemia.