Raj Kapoor, who introduced many dreams floating in blue eyes through films, dared to portray social inequalities on the screen with entertainment. In keeping with Nehru’s socialist concept, Raj Kapoor made entertaining films with social messages to take the country forward in the path of progress after independence. Be it unemployment or circus artists, or widow weddings, Raj Kapoor wrapped them in the fabric of entertainment and presented them on the screen beautifully.
Raj Kapoor’s life
Born to the home of renowned actor Prithviraj Kapoor and grew up in a cinematic environment, Raj Kapoor had a fondness for films since childhood. Raj Kapoor was born on 14 December 1924 in Peshawar. His childhood name was Ranbir Raj Kapoor. He came to Mumbai with his father in 1929 and following his footsteps, made himself great in the cinema world. He first worked in the film “Inquilab” in 1935, when he was just 11 years old. His first actor film was “Neelkamal”. Kedar Sharma recognized the talent hidden within Raj and took the film as a hero in 1947 with Madhubala in the film Neelkamal.
Raj Kapoor, the youngest director of his time, produced R. K. Films was founded in 1948 and directed the first film Aag. Between 1948 and 1988, as a hero Raj Kapoor made R.K. K. He made several films under the banner of Films, in which his pairing with Nargis was one of the successful pairs of screen.
Life management lessons from his movies
1.Simplicity –
In Shree 420, Mr. Kapoor portrays a simpleton who wears joota Japani, patloon Englistani and a laal topi Russi, yet his heart is Hindustani.
He is the straightforward Raj, a graduate who travels to Mumbai searching for prosperity. He falls in love with teacher Vidya (played by Nargis) but is soon seduced by the greed of wealth… That’s when the dishonest businessman Sonachand and the seductress, Maya (Nadira) make him into a crook known as ‘420’.
Eventually, Vidya persuades Raj to stop earning money fraudulently. Nowadays, we all are determined to earn money and make a living. Interestingly, Mr. Kapoor also says in the movie: “Aaj gareeb bhi gareeb ko nahin pehchanta.”
2.Real beauty is inner-
In movie ‘satyam shivam sundaram’ a girl with burnt face falls in love with handsome boy.
3. Show must go on –
‘Mera nam joker’ movie had message that every one has 3 stages childhood,youth & old age.Death is inevitable so one must continue even if our near dear ones pass away.
4. Victory of good over evil-
This message in movie brought optimism in life of Russians , who had war with Germans in early fifties. Raj kapoor was popular in Russia also because of the lyrics ‘ Hat is Russian whereas the shoes are Japanese. Russia and Japan had never been the best of friends. So the Russians where quite thrilled to see that in the song, a Russian product is on top .
5.Generation gap –
Older generation must adapt to new generation was message of movie ‘Kal aaj aur kal’.
