Rishi Kapoor with his brothers Randhir and Rajiv, and son Ranbir during Ganpati Visarjan in 2016.
Highlights
- RK Studio was built by Raj Kapoor in 1948
- Fans want the Kapoors to convert the studio into a Raj Kapoor museum
- Some fans suggested that the property can be turned into a school too
'RK Studio On Sale' - this headline shook the Internet from the core, which is not yet ready to watch the iconic studio built by Raj Kapoor in 1948, run over by the bulldozers. Rishi Kapoor, one of Raj Kapoor's five children, confirmed the sale of the studio, which is spread over 2 acres in Mumbai's Chembur area, to Mumbai Mirror saying that the operations cost won't keep the establishment running even after renovation. RK Studio was gutted by fire last year, which destroyed most of the property along with memorabilia and costumes of all RK Films. Speaking about the sale of her family studio, Kareena Kapoor told reporters at an event, "I think it's probably something that the family has decided, so it's upto my fathers, his brothers and up to them... If that's what they have decided, so be it," reported IANS.
However, fans of Raj Kapoor, who have emotionally invested in the studio, have alternatives to keep the late actor's legacy alive. After all, the Prithvi Theatre (started by Shashi Kapoor and maintained by his children Sanjana and Kunal Kapoor today) is alive and thriving. On Twitter, several users suggested that RK Studio be adopted by the government (if it cannot be maintained by the family) and be converted into a Bollywood museum or a film school.
Director Rahul Dholakia (Raees and Parzania) also joined Twitter's suggestion committee: "...Imagine the young talents exploring cinema on Raj Kapoor's playground," he tweeted.
And here are some tweets, who'd rather see the studio turning into a museum:
A Twitter user suggested Kareena and Ranbir Kapoor (grandchildren of Raj Kapoor) should take the initiative to develop the property and keep it running:
This Twitter user, with 1,000 followers conducted a poll to figure out the options of how to give RK Studio's a new lease of life - A Bollywood museum, an acting school, a hi-tech studio or others. Here's the result of the poll:
In case, none of the options are feasible and RK Studio must be sold, then this Twitter user requested the family to keep the "iconic sculpture" (which imitates the poster of Raj Kapoor's 1949 film Barsaat) and auction it.
Clearly Twitter, like the Kapoors, have given a fair bit of thought about selling the RK Studio.
RK Studio started a year after India gained Independence and the first film made under RK Films, headquartered in the studio was Aag, which did not perform to well at the box office but it found success a year later with Barsaat.
In the last few years, RK Studio was rented by production houses to film television shows and a few commercials.