Subhash Ghai shared this photo. (Image courtesy: SubhashGhai1)
Highlights
- Rishi Kapoor was cremated in Mumbai on Thursday afternoon
- His family and just a handful of friends attended the last rites
- Director Subhash Ghai couldn't attend the funeral
Rishi Kapoor's death has left his Karz director Subhash Ghai devastated that he couldn't see his "dearest friend of 40 years" one last time because of the lockdown. Mr Kapoor, 67, died in a Mumbai hospital on Thursday after losing a two-year battle with cancer. He was cremated with family and just a handful of friends - Alia Bhatt and Abhishek Bachchan among them - attending the last rites. In a statement released after the actor's death, the Kapoors appealed for fans, friends and well-wishers to abide by lockdown rules. Subhash Ghai did so but wasn't pleased at all.
In separate tweets, Mr Ghai wrote, "I could never imagine that I won't be allowed to see my best friend with bonding of 40 years on his last day of departure coz of lockdown. Sad day for me."
"Saddest part of life today. We won't see the face of our best friend on his departure. Corona curse."
It's not clear if Mr Ghai intended to attend the funeral and was prevented from doing so.
Subhah Ghai's first tweet of the day mourned the late actor: "It's a disaster. Unbearable... shocking, unbelievable. My dearest friend of 40 years is no more. People call him Rishi Kapoor, I knew him as Chintu. My best friend. My best actor. My guide. Met him last at his home. A man of undying energy gone. Shocked. RIP dost."
Karz, released in 1980, starred Rishi Kapoor as a singer named Monty who discovers, in past life flashes, that he is a reincarnation of a man who was murdered by his wife soon after they married. Tina Munim, whose husband Anil Ambani attended Mr Kapoor's funeral, played his love interest; Raj Kiran was cast as the murdered man and Rishi Kapoor's Mera Naam Joker co-star Simi Garewal played the murderous bride. Karz also starred Premnath as the villainous mastermind Sir Judah and Pran as Kabira, Tina Munim's uncle who helps Monty get revenge.
Karz boasted a marvellous soundtrack that included the classic disco hits Om Shanti Om and Paisa Yeh Paisa as well as the melodious Dard-E-Dil and Ek Haseena Thi.
Rishi Kapoor was diagnosed with cancer two years ago. He flew home last September from New York, where he was being treated. On Wednesday, his brother Randhir Kapoor confirmed that the actor had been taken to hospital.
Rishi Kapoor's last film was 2019's The Body. He was to begin work on an adaptation of The Intern with Deepika Padukone.