Veteran Indian actor Rishi Kapoor dies at 67, battling cancer

Veteran Indian actor Rishi Kapoor, who starred in celebrated movies such as "Bobby" and "Mera Naam Joker" made by the Bollywood film industry, died on Thursday after a two-year battle with leukemia, his family said.

News Deskbdnews24.com
Published : 30 April 2020, 04:38 AM
Updated : 30 April 2020, 05:56 AM

Kapoor, 67, the scion of a famed industry family, is survived by his wife and two children, and had been diagnosed with cancer in 2018.

"He remained jovial and determined to live to the fullest right through two years of treatment across two continents," the family said in a statement.

Kapoor's death followed that on Wednesday of another Indian actor, Irrfan Khan, 54, who had roles in films such as "Life of Pi" and "Jurassic Park", and had also suffered from cancer.

Kapoor belonged to a film dynasty that spans several generations - his father, Raj Kapoor, was among India's most revered actors and filmmakers.

Kapoor spent almost a year in New York being treated for cancer and returned to Mumbai last September, reports NDTV.

He was taken to hospital twice in February this year - first in New Delhi, where he was attending a family event, and then in Mumbai.

Kapoor began his career with roles in his father Raj Kapoor's films, reprising the role of a younger version of his father in 1970 film Mera Naam Joker, winning the National Award for Best Child Artist for his performance. He made his debut as a leading man in Bobby in 1973, quickly establishing himself as the top romantic hero of his day with films such as Rafoo Chakkar and Karz.

Kapoor worked throughout his life and delivered some of his best performances in the later films like 2012's Agneepath and 2018's Mulk.

He is survived by his wife Neetu Kapoor, son Ranbir and daughter Riddhima. Last seen in the 2019 films The Body and Jhootha Kahin Ka, Kapoor was meant to star in a Bollywood adaptation of The Intern with Deepika Padukone, according to NDTV.