Late Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor, known for his blunt nature, hesitated to share his honest opinions about son Ranbir Kapoor’s film choices. From predicting failures to advising against certain roles, his feedback often came with sharp observations and tough love.
Recalling his father’s unfiltered advice, the Animal actor shared an incident that took place at the 55th Film Festival of Indian (IFFI), reveling Rishi Kapoor’s knack for spotting potential hit and misses.
“Before ‘Barfi’ was released, my father called me after watching the preview and said, ‘Ranbir, you’re good at acting, but stop doing art films.”
Even during the making of Ranbir’s debut film ‘Saawariya,’ Rishi’s skepticism was clear.
On set he bombarded Ranbir with questions like, “Why are there so many windows in the frame? Why not more people? Why is it a night scene and not a morning one?”
His honest feedback often pushed Ranbir to think critically, though at times the younger Kapoor felt his father’s views were rooted in an outdated perspective.
The Tamasha actor admitted that he used to dismiss his father doubts as “old school”, but later realized how wise Rishi’s critiques were.
“He told my mom in the car, ‘This movie won’t work.’ Back then, I didn’t understand what he meant, but now it all makes sense,” Ranbir Kapoor shared.
Ranbir also spoke of his bond with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, whom he calls his Godfather. He credited Bhansali for shaping his knowledge of film and acting.
“I am extremely blessed to have him as my godfather. Everything I know about films, everything I know about acting, it is something I learnt from him,” the Sajnu actor shared. It merits a mention that he worked as an assistant director on Bhansali’s film ‘Black’ before making his debut with Saawariya in 2007.
Ranbir commended Bhansali’s steadfast commitment to his art, saying, “He hasn’t changed at all. He is extremely hard-working. All he thinks about is his movies. He just wants to speak about the character, he wants you to create, do something different.”
Bhansali’s upcoming film ‘Love and War’ features a star-studded cast that includes Ranbir, Alia and Vicky Kaushal. The film is expected to release by the end of 2025.
Rishi Kapoor passed away on 30 April, 2020.
