End of an Era: RK Bungalow Falls, But Kapoor Legacy Lives On

This month's 14th would have been Raj Kapoor's 99th birthday. However, the final component of his renowned RK bungalow has been demolished, replacing the passionate festivities that once united the entire industry. The property that RK had purchased from the Hitkari family will be overrun by demolition cranes, site engineers, and hard hats in place of festive lights, flashy cars, and a packed bar. It will become a landmark.

When RK stood here in 1969 as the father of Ritu, who married industrialist Rajan Nanda, he was receiving chief ministers and commissioners. The bride and groom shifted as the years progressed into the 1970s. Son Randhir, Babita, Rishi, and Neetu took turns, but the host and the venue stayed at the post.

Receiving an invitation to the festivities on December 14 felt like stepping through a portal to fame. From one corner of the lawn, the birthday boy would energetically hold his ground and hardly move. He'd say, "I invite; Krishna takes care of the rest." Krishna, along with her daughters and daughters-in-law, particularly Neetu, were indeed the hosts with a fine sense of humour. An RK rule was in place. You could never again ask a guest what his preference was once he asked for a drink; that information had to be stored away.

Krishna also had a set of rules. You had to help yourself from a laden table if you and the crew weren't leaving after stopping in for a picture with Chintu or Chimpu.

Nostalgia lingers as December 14 draws closer and the bungalow becomes a distant memory. "It's sad; everything is gone, leaving only memories," The youngest daughter, Rima Jain, is wistful because she has seen and felt everything. Her lone surviving sibling, Randhir, is so mired in his own mental fog that he no longer notices much of the change.

However, it was inevitable. Back in 1988, when RK was lying motionless in the spacious living room, we had all gathered here to say our final goodbyes. The history of everything, including Ritu, Chintu, Chimpu, Krishna, and the studio and bungalow.

One feels a wrench in the heart for the past. On the other hand, there are joyful applause for the new, as Ranbir's Animal is the greatest hit of his life, his young daughter Raha has made her first move, and his nephew Agastya has started his professional career.

As the Kapoor family gathered in Mumbai this December for Ritu's grandson Agastya's first Archies premiere night, the mood was upbeat once more. Agastya had mentioned grandma Ritu as the person he really looked up to in his first interview. The marriage of Amitabh Bachchan's daughter Shweta to Ritu's son Nikhil, as is well known, united the Nandas, Bachchans, and Kapoors into a single large family, all of whom supported Agastya. The family's octogenarian matriarch, Neila Shammi Kapoor, explained that since everyone was in the city, everyone was taking turns being the host, saying, "You know how we Kapoors are." Always up for a party, Christmas is quickly approaching, and it's when the whole Kapoor clan gets together for lunch.

The Archies' closing credits include a "Thank you" to Neila Shammi Kapoor, establishing a connection between the past and present. In a scene in the movie where Shammi Kapoor is on the cover of a magazine, there is a beauty parlor. Mrs. Kapoor was taken aback to see her name listed among the credits. Zoya's gesture was really kind. She asked me to give her the magazine from my collection since she is a big fan of my husband, she said.

Regardless of how The Archies is received, the movie's release at the exact moment the RK bungalow is being demolished serves as a moving reminder of life's cycle. The clan gathers to welcome grandson Agastya into the world as the house where grandmother Ritu was raised and married is being demolished.

The established order is evolving.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.