Hope to make biopic on Raj Kapoor, says Ranbir

Panaji: Ranbir Kapoor is keen on making a biopic on his grandfather Raj Kapoor, but is not sure his family will let him portray the legendary filmmaker’s “relationship dynamics”. 

The actor, lead in such hits as Barfi (2012) and Rockstar (2011), spoke on Sunday about his dream of trying his hand at directing.

His conversation with filmmaker Rahul Rawail, at the 55th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here, was a birth centenary tribute to Raj Kapoor.

“A biopic is not just something which highlights the success in a person's life… you truly have to portray someone's life honestly--the lows, struggles, relationship dynamics,” he said. 

Ranbir was just six when Raj Kapoor died, and he had initially known him only as a doting grandfather who bribed him and his cousins with sweets when they lined up, saluted him and sang a song from his film.

On the day Raj Kapoor died in 1988, Ranbir realised how big he was when he looked out from the balcony of his Chembur bungalow, and saw a “sea of people” surging to pay their respects. 

When Rawail asked him if he had inherited his grandfather’s love of food--he had once seen him eat a jalebi sandwiched in a pao dipped in tomato sauce--Ranbir said he had taken after his mother’s side, and was aware of the actorly “occupational hazard” of not paying attention to diet.

The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), National Film Archives of India (NFAI), Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) and Ranbir’s uncle Kunal Kapoor have been working on restoring 10 films of Raj Kapoor, he said, inviting the crowd to catch the Raj Kapoor Film Festival across India from December 13 to 15.

Ranbir said it was important to “remember our roots” and keep alive our memories of the stalwarts in the film industry. “When I first met Alia, she asked me 'Who is Kisore Kumar?’,” he said, revealing how his actor-wife had been clueless about the legendary singer.

Rawal, producer and director (Love Story, Betaab, Arjun) who started out as an assistant to Raj Kapoor, recollected how he was scandalised when he first sat in on a song-making session--Raj Kapoor and the music composers (then Shankar-Jaikishan) were using swear words as dummy lyrics to work on the tunes.

Ranbir fielded many questions, including one on the violent nature of his recent film Animal, and admitted he had to be more careful in choosing his scripts. He said Raj Kapoor’s biggest achievement was that he constantly tried new themes--casteism (Awara), greed (Shree 420), and exploitation of women (Ram Teri Ganga Maili). After the “colossal disaster” of Mera Naam Joker, he had the courage to take up Bobby, a teen romance, Ranbir said.

In an earlier session, actor Manisha Koirala and Vikramaditya Motwane discussed evolving challenges as filmmaking for cinema halls vies with filmmaking for streaming platforms. She also revealed her plans to write a humorous book about an actor of her generation adapting to “Gen Z culture”. 

The film festival, now in its 55th edition, comes to an end on November 28.

Actor Ranbir Kapoor at a session at the 55th International Film Festival of India in Panaji.

Actor Ranbir Kapoor in conversation with director Rahul Rawail during a session at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Panaji.