The greatest showman of Indian cinema, Raj Kapoor, is one of the biggest names in the Indian film industry. The government of Maharashtra even established a special award titled the Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award in 2009. So far, it has been given to Aamir Khan, Shabana Azmi, Nana Patekar, J.P. Dutta, Sonu Nigam, and many more.
Indian cinema’s greatest showman, Raj Kapoor’s unfinished love story with the timeless actress, Nargis
December 12, 2024, marked the 100th birth anniversary of Raj Kapoor, and the entire nation came together to praise the legend. Raj Kapoor has won three National Film Awards, 11 Filmfare Awards, Palme d’Or nominations, Crystal Globe Award, Padma Bhushan, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, and many more. However, more than the awards, it was Raj Kapoor’s knowledge of filmmaking and the way he took Indian cinema to the world, for which he will always be remembered for generations to come.
Besides his professional life, Raj Kapoor’s personal life has always remained in the headlines for countless reasons. Over the decades, we have heard and read a series of lesser-known revelations about the iconic actor and filmmaker. For the uninitiated, Raj Kapoor was romantically involved with a series of renowned actresses in his life, but it is his affair with Nargis that overshadowed the rest.
Raj Kapoor and Nargis’ affair started on the sets of Shree 420, while he was a married man, she was just 16 at that time. Despite being married to Krishna Raj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor and Nargis’ relationship continued for the next seven years. However, there came a moment in their relationship when Raj Kapoor and Nargis parted ways because the former wasn’t ready to marry her. It was a heartbreaking phase for them, but soon, Nargis found Sunil Dutt and married him.
Raj Kapoor burnt himself with cigarette butts and collapsed in the bathtub after Nargis and Sunil Dutt’s wedding
When Nargis and Sunil Dutt got married in March 1958, Raj Kapoor was totally devastated and even harmed himself. According to Madhu Jain’s popular book, The Kapoor: The First Film Family of Indian Cinema, Raj Kapoor felt ‘betrayed’ after his ex-girlfriend, Nargis, got married to Sunil Dutt. The book also stated that Raj Kapoor was so stressed and heartbroken by Nargis and Sunil Dutt’s wedding that he reportedly burnt himself with cigarette butts. Also, the filmmaker started drinking a lot, which took a toll on his family.
The Kapoor: The First Film Family of Indian Cinema also mentioned that Raj Kapoor’s wife, Krishna Raj Kapoor, openly talked about her husband’s affair with Nargis in a conversation with author, Bunny Reuben. The doting wife recalled the time when Nargis got married, and Raj Kapoor started coming home drunk night after night for some time. She also added that her husband used to collapse in the bathtub while crying for Nargis. It was a turbulent phase for Krishna Raj Kapoor to see her husband cry for another woman.
Nargis went to India’s Home Minister, Morarji Desai, to know how she could marry Raj Kapoor legally
Nargis and Raj Kapoor were madly in love with each other. While it is often speculated that Raj Kapoor knew that he would never be able to marry Nargis, the filmmaker kept her in the dark. However, some reports blame Nargis’ brother for coming between her and Raj Kapoor. But one thing was crystal clear, and that was Nargis’ desperation to become ‘Mrs. Raj Kapoor’.
For the uninitiated, the iconic actress, Nargis even went to India’s then-Home Minister, Morarji Desai, to learn how she could legally marry Raj Kapoor, who was an already married man and a Hindu. However, things couldn’t materialised because Raj Kapoor wasn’t ready to give divorce to Krishna Raj Kapoor, hence, it was the end of their love story.
What are your thoughts on these revelations about Raj Kapoor? Let us know.
Also Read: When Ashok Kumar Made Raj Kapoor Angry For Life After Upstaging Him At His Own Wedding With Krishna
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