Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Raj Kapoor’s centenary year as a milestone in Indian cinema and proposed that the Kapoor family continue his legacy by creating a documentary highlighting his international "soft power."
Modi met Raj Kapoor’s grandchildren and other family members, including daughter Rima Jain and daughter-in-law Neetu Kapoor, ahead of the filmmaker’s 100th birth anniversary on December 14."Raj Kapoor’s 100th birthday is an important milestone of India cinema’s golden journey. It began with 1947’s Neel Kamal and we are on course to 2047. It is such a contribution to the country when we look back at this journey of 100 years," PM Modi said.
"In the diplomatic world, we talk a lot about soft power. And at a time when this phrase didn’t even exist, Raj Kapoor sahab established India’s soft power all over the world. It was his big service to India," he added.
The prime minister then proposed that the family document Raj Kapoor's global influence and the impact of his films through a visual medium. "Can we do something, probably a film that captures Raj Kapoor’s imprint on the hearts and minds of people of Central Asia… He had a big impact on their lives in Central Asia and I think we should resurrect it and connect it with the new generation. We should do something to link this and I think it is possible," PM Modi stated.
Reflecting on the impact of Raj Kapoor's films, the prime minister shared a story involving former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his deputy LK Advani. "In the Jan Sangh era, there were elections in Delhi and they lost the election. So Advani ji and Atal ji said, 'We lost the elections, what should we do now? So let’s see a movie.' They went to see a movie and it was Raj Kapoor’s Phir Subah Hogi (1958) and then there was a new morning," he said.
He also shared an anecdote from his visit to China, where the hosts played songs from Raj Kapoor's films, remarking on the widespread influence of the legendary actor's work. "I asked my team to record it on a mobile and I sent it to Rishiji. And he was so happy," Modi told the family.
During the meeting with the Prime Minister, Alia Bhatt, who was with her husband Ranbir Kapoor, discussed the global impact of Hindi music. She asked PM Modi if he finds time to listen to songs. In response, Modi shared that he enjoys listening to music whenever he gets the chance.
Ranbir Kapoor expressed his gratitude towards PM Modi, saying that the family will always be thankful for the opportunity to interact with him. He shared that the meeting was enjoyable, as they had a chance to ask the Prime Minister several personal questions. Despite feeling nervous beforehand, Ranbir mentioned that PM Modi’s friendly demeanor helped put them at ease, and he appreciated how comfortable the interaction was.
The Kapoor family, including Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Aadar Jain, Armaan Jain, and Anissa Malhotra, extended an invitation to Prime Minister Modi for the Raj Kapoor Film Festival. The event, scheduled from December 13 to 15, will take place across 101 cinemas in 34 cities. Organized by PVR INOX Limited and the Film Heritage Foundation, it promises to be one of the largest retrospectives ever held in honor of Raj Kapoor’s iconic filmography.
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