The Ultimate Heartthrob: Rishi Kapoor was born to the movies but his gift was entirely his own | Entertainment News,The Indian Express

The Ultimate Heartthrob: Rishi Kapoor was born to the movies but his gift was entirely his own | Entertainment News,The Indian Express

The Ultimate Heartthrob: Rishi Kapoor was born to the movies but his gift was entirely his own

Rishi Kapoor's passing is a huge loss. He was central to the 1970-80s Hindi cinema memories as its foremost romantic star but what was unusual was the way he made a comeback in recent decades, with gloriously newfound energy and a hunger for more.

First Irrfan Khan. And now, Rishi Kapoor. People often use the phrase ‘end of an era’ loosely, but in the case of Kapoor, who passed away on April 30 at a Mumbai hospital after a prolonged battle with cancer, it was more appropriate than usual. Only 67 and jolly as ever, he had arrived at a seductively productive second act in recent decades which made fans and critics look up to him in an altogether different light. The turning point in the new innings may have been Rauf Lala, the bearded Muslim gang lord from Agneepath (2012) who kills without compunction. The veteran star’s menacing badassery charmed the critics and enraged fans as much as it inspired but his good-boy image endured. Years later, he followed up Rauf Lala with advocate Murad Ali, totally on the opposite end of the ‘Good Muslim-Bad Muslim’ divide.