Raj Kapoor, known as the Greatest Showman of Indian cinema, had an illustrious career. However, his personal life was not without controversy. Despite being married to Krishna Raj Kapoor, rumours about his relationships with actresses he worked with persisted throughout his life.
In a documentary produced by Prasar Bharti after the success of his final film, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, Kapoor addressed these rumours. He tried to explain the dynamics of his relationships with his wife and the legendary star Nargis, with whom he worked in 18 films. He mentioned that no one was cheated in these relationships, as both women were aware of their roles and importance in his life.
Raj Kapoor recalled his initial meeting with Nargis, when she was just 16 years old and he was already married with children. This meeting had such a deep impact on him that he recreated it in the film Bobby, with his son Rishi Kapoor and actor Dimple Kapadia. “She was very young. Angelic, absolutely… What a great actress she was,” he said, adding, “Films, for me, meant a complete, absolute, dedicated devotion and belonging. So, anybody and anything that revolved around it, very much became a part of my being. And I must say that (Nargis) contributed a lot to what RK (Studio) is.”
Raj Kapoor made it clear in the interview that he never had the idea of marrying Nargis. Interestingly, throughout the conversation, he refrained from mentioning her by name and referred to her simply as ‘the actress’. He went on to explain, “Right from the very beginning, from the word go, I drew a line. And it’s a very, very straight fact that my wife is not my actress, and my actress is not my wife. By my wife, I mean the mother of my children. So, my home life, somewhere or the other, was there. Krishna was the mother of my children. While here was my actress. She would share and have that satisfaction of having contributed to my creativity. That is her satisfaction.”
He said that the lines between his wife and Nargis were never blurred, as he never attempted to portray his wife as his actress or vice versa. This played a crucial role in maintaining a balance between their respective roles. Over the years, they continued to work together, each having their own domain without feeling like they were playing second fiddle. “One did not feel in any manner playing second fiddle, no! You are absolutely supreme where you belong. And then, another thing, the understanding part of it. Each one understood, and nobody cheated anybody. The mother of my children wasn’t meant to be my actress, so she didn’t feel cheated. I didn’t feel that way. And similarly, the actress came in to me being my actress, not the mother of my children.”
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