Bollywood was for a second time in two days mourned the second loss of popular Bollywood star Rish Kapoor a day after celebrated actor Sahabzade Irrfan Ali Khan passed away on Wednesday, April 29.
Actors including Amitabh Bachchan, Anushka Sharma, Manoj Bajpayee took to social media platforms to express their condolences. In the span of 24 hours, Bollywood lost two legends back to back.
Khan and Kapoor were cancer warriors and had acted together in the gangster epic D-Day.
Rishi Kapoor, whose career spanned half a century, died Thursday aged 67 after a prolonged struggle with cancer.
His death came as a severe blow to the Hindi movie industry and film lovers, who were already reeling from the passing of Irrfan Khan, one of the country’s most feted actors.
“Our dear Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully today after a two-year battle with leukemia,” his family said in a statement.
Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor died on Thursday morning in Mumbai at 8.45 am. He was admitted in Shri HN Reliance Foundation hospital on Wednesday. Talking about the last moments of Rishi Kapoor, his family revealed how he kept one and all entertained. Rishi Kapoor garnered praise for his films like Bobby, Heena, Mulk, Deewana, Housefull, Student of The Year, Amar Akbar Anthony, Nagina, Laila Majnu etc.
He played leading roles as the romantic lead in 92 films between 1973 and 2000. Some of his notable films during this period were Khel Khel Mein (1975), Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Karz (1980), and Chandni (1989). Since the 2000s, he played character roles to critical acclaim in Love Aaj Kal (2009), Agneepath (2012), and Mulk (2018.
Kapoor often collaborated with his wife, the actress Neetu Singh, with whom he had two children, including Ranbir Kapoor.
His death is a tragic loss to the Bollywood industry, he is known by many of his fans as an exceptional and jovial character who brought panache to Bollywood viewing globally.
Sahabzade Irrfan Ali Khan born 7 January 1967, known professionally as Irrfan Khan or simply Irrfan, was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi cinema as well as British and American films. Cited in the media as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema.
Irrfan Khan who died of Neuroendocrine tumor had a career of over 30 years.
Which earned him numerous accolades, including a National Film Award, an Asian Film Award, and four Filmfare Awards. In 2011, he was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour.
Khan made his film debut with a small role in Salaam Bombay! (1988), which was followed by years of struggle. After starring in the British film The Warrior (2001), he had his breakthrough with starring roles in the dramas Haasil (2003) and Maqbool (2004).
The Slumdog Millionaire star went on to gain critical acclaim for his roles in The Namesake in 2006, Life in a Metro in the year 2007, and Paan Singh Tomar in 2011. His other notable roles were in Slumdog Millionaire in 2008, New York in 2009, Haider in 2014, and Gunday in 2014, and the television series In Treatment 2010
“Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him,” a statement released by the actor’s team said.
Khan in 2018 was diagnosed with a rare neuroendocrine cancer and underwent months of treatment in the United Kingdom.
“I trust, I have surrendered,” he wrote in a heartfelt note after he broke the news of his battle with cancer.
Tributes came from Bollywood, including from fellow actor Amitabh Bachchan, who said Khan was an “incredible talent” and “a prolific contributor to the World of Cinema.”
Khan “left us too soon,” Bachchan wrote on Twitter.
In an interview with The Associated Press in 2018, Khan said: “I’ve seen life from a completely different angle. You sit down and you see the other side and that’s fascinating. I’m engaged on a journey.”
Khan’s last Bollywood movie, “Angrezi Medium,” a sequel to one of his biggest hits, “Hindi Medium” (2017), was released before India went into a lockdown in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to give his condolences over Rishi Kapoor’s death. “Multifaceted, endearing and lively…this was Rishi Kapoor Ji. He was a powerhouse of talent. I will always recall our interactions, even on social media. He was passionate about films and India’s progress. Anguished by his demise. Condolences to his family and fans. Om Shanti.”
Popular Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra commenting on the death of Rishi Kapoor on her Twitter handle said, “My heart is so heavy. This is the end of an era. #Rishisir your candid heart and immeasurable talent will never be encountered again. Such a privilege to have known you even a little bit. My condolences to Neetu maam, Ridhima, Ranbir and the rest of the family. Rest in peace Sir.”
Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan also commented on the death of Irrfan, “My friend…inspiration & the greatest actor of our times. Allah bless your soul Irrfan bhai…will miss you as much as cherish the fact that you were part of our lives.”
