Raj Kapoor Death Anniversary: Interesting Facts About The ‘Greatest Showman of Indian Cinema’

Raj Kapoor was amongst the pioneers of Indian Cinema. The actor-director-producer was known as the ‘greatest showman of Hindi Cinema.’ In his illustrious career, he gave Bollywood a bunch of cinematic flashes of brilliance in the likes of Awara, Barsaat, Shri 420, Sangam, and others. Raj Kapoor passed away at the age of 63, following a cardiac arrest, in Delhi on June 2, 1988.

On his death anniversary today, let’s take a look at some of the lesser-known facts about the actor:

1. Did you know that Raj Kapoor was the actor’s stage name? His real name was Ranbir Raj Kapoor. Raj was the middle name of all Kapoor brothers. Shammi Kapoor’s full name was Shamsher Raj Kapoor, while Shashi Kapoor’s actual name was Balbir Raj. Now, Raj Kapoor shares his first name with his grandson, Ranbir Kapoor.
2. Raj began his career as a clapper-boy from the sets of Vishkanya, which was helmed by Kidar Sharma. Despite the job profile, Raj ensured that he looked polished and often posed in front of the camera right before the shot began.
3. At Dilip Kumar’s wedding, one of the most glamorous of its time, the baraat was led by Prithviraj Kapoor, Dev Anand, and none other but Raj Kapoor.
4. After Raj Kapoor’s demise, Hrishikesh Mukherjee thought of making a film inspired by the life of the actor. And he did, the film was titled Anand.
5. Awaara was the first movie to cast three generations. Released in 1951, Awaara featured three generations of Kapoors – Dewan Basheshwarnath (Raj Kapoor’s grandfather), Prithviraj Kapoor, and Raj Kapoor. It was later repeated by Randhir Kapoor with Kal Aaj Aur Kal starring himself, father Raj Kapoor and grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor.
6. At the age of 24, in 1948, he established his own studios – RK Films. The first venture of the studio was Aag which ended up being a commercial failure.
7. RK Studios’ Mera Naam Joker was of 244 minutes. It was the first film with two intervals. Though Mera Naam Joker stumbled at the box office, it later became one of the most iconic films to be produced by Indian cinema.
8. The Russian song ‘Song About Yogis’ by Vladimir Vysotsky describes Raj Kapoor as one of the best-known symbols of Indian culture.
9. At the time of his death, Raj Kapoor was working on the film Henna. The project was later completed by his sons Randhir and Rishi Kapoor, and the film got released in 1991.