- Somy Ali has been searching for missing actor Raj Kiran since 2003 and urges public help
- She promised late Rishi Kapoor to continue the search for Raj Kiran, her Karz co-star
- Raj Kiran gained fame in the 1980s but disappeared from public life in the 1990s
Somy Ali, who is on a mission to find missing actor Raj Kiran, shared a new post about him, urging people to share information about his whereabouts. Somy Ali had earlier shared posts about Raj Kiran, who has been missing since 2003.
In her new post, Somy Ali wrote that she reached out to everyone in his family but didn't find a reliable answer.
Somy's search has been propelled by a promise she made to Raj Kiran's Karz co-star Rishi Kapoor.
"I made a promise to Chintu ji during a shoot and, before he left us, that I will never stop my search for Raj Kiran. This is my 16th year. I have knocked on random doors via addresses given to me by private investigators. I found an apartment in NY where the front-desk man told me that he never saw Raj Kiran, but his brother Gobind, Judy, Gobind's wife, and their daughter lived in that apartment for 11 years. I have reached out to everyone in his family, but to no avail. It's not just a promise I made to Chintu ji, but also — we were, and I am — concerned if Raj ji's okay and not being kept somewhere under coercion. While it's not a huge reward, if anyone can provide a legitimate residence, be it a mental-health facility or an apartment, you will be rewarded. Please help. Thank you," wrote Somy Ali while sharing documents related to her search.
Two months ago, Somy Ali shared a post in memory of Raj Kiran.
Recalling their last film together, "Agnichakra," Somy wrote on the photo-sharing app, "Raj Kiran ji... Where are you? As your film Arth is one of my all-time favorites, I've been carrying memories of our Bollywood days — especially our last film together, Agnichakra — like quiet treasures. The warmth, the laughter... my heart keeps pulling me back." (sic)
Somy revealed that she has visited Kiran's last known location, Atlanta, many times.
"I heard your last known whereabouts were in Atlanta, a city I've visited many times. If anyone knows how to reach him, please tag him or message me. Some connections deserve to be found again," she added.
Somy signed off, saying, "With love and hope, Somy Ali."
Where is Raj Kiran?
Raj Kiran made his acting debut in 1975 with B.R. Ishara's Kaagaz Ki Nao. Over the next two decades, he featured in several successful films and became a familiar face in Hindi cinema. He gained widespread recognition after starring alongside Rishi Kapoor in Karz (1980), followed by an acclaimed performance in Arth (1982). As film offers gradually declined during the 1990s, Raj largely disappeared from public life.
According to a report by the Deccan Herald, he was once detained and lodged at Bengaluru Central Jail after allegedly attempting to trespass into Sathya Sai Baba's Puttaparthi ashram. The report claimed he had hired a tractor and a ladder in an attempt to enter the premises at night.
Reports from that period also suggested that Raj later spent some time in the United States with his brother Govind.
Conflicting reports about his whereabouts
Years later, reports emerged that Raj Kiran had gone missing. In 2011, Rishi Kapoor, while visiting the United States, tried to trace his Karz co-star and contacted Raj's brother Govind.
Speaking to journalist Subhash K. Jha, Rishi said, "I was relieved when Govind told me Raj was alive. But he was confined to an institution in Atlanta because of health issues." Rishi further said that Raj was working at the institution to support his treatment and was financially secure because of investments made during his acting career.
However, Raj Kiran's daughter Rishika later denied these reports.
Speaking to Mid-Day, she clarified, "He is not in Atlanta. We have been looking for him for over eight years. We have involved the New York Police and hired private detectives to find him, but he has not been found." Remembering her father, she added, "He was the most loving father. Yes, he suffered from some mental health issues before he disappeared. We wanted to deal with this privately, but the false reports forced me to speak out. It was unfair to my mother."
Despite these claims over the years, none have been conclusively verified.
