- Every year around Holi, stories from Bollywood's golden days begin to resurface
- Among the most talked-about memories are the legendary Holi parties hosted by showman Raj Kapoor
- These gatherings were known for their scale, colour and unmatched energy
Every year around Holi, stories from Bollywood's golden days begin to resurface. Among the most talked-about memories are the legendary Holi parties hosted by Raj Kapoor. These gatherings were known for their scale, colour, and unmatched energy.
Years later, his grandson Ranbir Kapoor recalled what it was like to witness one of those iconic celebrations as a child - and his memories were far from calm.
A 'Scary' Childhood Memory
Speaking at the International Film Festival of India, Ranbir shared that he had attended the Holi celebration when he was very young. While many remember those parties with nostalgia, for him, the experience felt overwhelming.
He said, "I was really young, so it was a very scary environment for me. Everyone was coloured in black and many other colours, sabko aise truck mai faika jaaraha hai (everyone was being thrown into trucks). You might have better memories, I guess."
The image of people completely drenched in colour and being tossed into trucks clearly left a strong impression on him.
Filmmaker Rahul Rawail, who was present at the interaction, agreed with Ranbir's description. He added, "You were right about that, sab kaale neele peele hote the (Everyone used to be drenched in different colours). It used to be a day celebration."
What made these Holi parties special was not just the star presence. According to Ranbir, the celebrations were open to the entire film fraternity.
He explained, "What I have heard is that not just the actors and actresses, it was everybody in the film industry. Even the people working in camera, production, everybody used to come and celebrate together."
It was a rare occasion where actors, technicians, production teams, and crew members all came together as one. The festival became less about status and more about shared joy.
Why The Grand Parties Stopped
However, the growing popularity of the events eventually made them difficult to handle. As more and more people began turning up, managing the crowd became a serious challenge.
Rahul Rawail explained the reason for their end, saying, "Gradually, why those parties stopped was because it became too much of a crowd. It was unmanageable because anyone used to just walk in."
What once started as a grand but controlled celebration slowly became overwhelming due to the sheer number of attendees.
Ranbir Kapoor's Upcoming Films
On the work front, Ranbir has an exciting line-up ahead. He will be seen alongside Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal in Love & War, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
He is also set to reunite with Sandeep Reddy Vanga for a sequel to Animal, where he is expected to play a dual role.
Another highly anticipated project is Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari. Ranbir will portray Lord Ram opposite Sai Pallavi as Sita, while Yash will play Ravana. The film is expected to release during Diwali 2026 and is already one of the most awaited films in Indian cinema.
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