Raj Kapoor’s extra-marital affair once led his wife Krishna to leave home with their children, reveals Rishi Kapoor’s book

Bollywood’s history is full of tales that blur the line between reel and real life. Some of these stories, though decades old, continue to fascinate fans even today. One such account involves none other than Raj Kapoor, often called the “Showman of Indian Cinema,” whose personal life was as dramatic as the films he made.

The story resurfaced when Rishi Kapoor, his son, mentioned the turbulent phase in his autobiography Khullam Khulla. He recalled how his mother, Krishna Kapoor, once left their home with the children after discovering Raj Kapoor’s extramarital affairs. “There was a lot of fight between mummy and papa. This time, mother was not ready to step back, and she left the house with me. For some time, we stayed in a hotel, and later we had a flat in Chitrakoot,” wrote Rishi.

The account gives a rare, intimate glimpse into the personal struggles of one of cinema’s greatest icons. Though Raj Kapoor had always claimed to keep his professional and personal lives separate, his relationships with actresses disrupted his marriage. According to an excerpt in Rishi Kapoor's book, his mother’s patience reached its breaking point when the affairs became impossible to ignore.

Rishi further revealed, “When I was young, my father’s name was in the news for his affairs with many actresses. But the memories of the disputes in the house faded with time.” He admitted that the turbulence eventually subsided when Raj Kapoor realized his mistake and made efforts to reconcile.