Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor on Sunday announced that a film festival showcasing restored movies of his grandfather, veteran filmmaker Raj Kapoor, will be held across the country to celebrate his birth centenary in December.
Ranbir was in conversation with filmmaker Rahul Rawail at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here to honour Raj Kapoor ahead of his 100th birth anniversary on December 14.
The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), National Film Archives of India (NFAI), and Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) and his uncle Kunal Kapoor have started restoring 10 films of Raj Kapoor, the actor said.
“We are going to organise the Raj Kapoor Film Festival from December 13-December 15 all over India. We will show the restored version of 10 films of Raj Kapoor’s films,” Ranbir said to a jam-packed auditorium at the Kala Academy here.
“I hope you guys come as well (to watch the film festival). I remember the first time I met Alia, she asked me ‘Who’s Kishore Kumar?’ It’s just a circle of life, people are forgotten. It’s important we remember our roots,” he added.
The actor, who has often talked about his dream to make a biopic on his late grandfather, said he has discussed the potential project with his “godfather” and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
“I talk to a lot of people, including Sanjay Leela Bhansali, about how to make a biopic on Mr 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.
“It’s a very tough biopic to make. I don’t know if my family would also agree for most of the things, to show this side of Raj Kapoor. But I think it would really make a great movie,” he added.
Ranbir is also excited to reunite with Bhansali in Love & War. The director gave him his first break as an actor in 2007’s Saawariya.
“I’m excited to work with Mr Bhansali again. Even after 17 years, it still feels the same. I respect him so much, he hasn’t changed at all. All he thinks about is his movies,” he added.
The actor revealed that the first Raj Kapoor song he made his two-year-old daughter Raha listen to was Kisi Ki Muskurahaton Pe Ho Nisaar from 1959’s Anari.