"LBC has given me a chance to showcase my talent" - Rishi Kapoor
To watch Rishi Kapoor being interviewed is a fascinating experience. His face speaks volumes about his life and career. Ordinarily, he's hugely affable, beaming and joking, delivering a succession of super-cool one-liners, giving the people what they want. His smile, his openness and generosity reveal a man who is exactly where he wants to be, a filmstar who appreciates his status and privileges. Then sometimes, when the questions get too tawdry or silly, you'll see a flash of fire in those eyes, a sudden rage that tells of a long road hard-travelled. Because our cute Chintu ji of all Bollywood's biggest stars, has probably endured the toughest route getting there. Getting a personal invite from Excel Entertainment to meet Rishi Kapoor at their Bandra office for the promotion of Zoya Akhtar's Luck BY Chance proved to be lucky in more ways than just one. Our correspondent met the ever so jovial and ever so energetic Rishi Kapoor and spoke in depth about luck, his happy-go-lucky role, his lucky film Bobby and how every time he has been at the right place at the right time to do the right film.
We
hear
you
play
an
old
school
type
of
a
naughty
ziddi
producer
in
Luck
By
Chance.
It's
a
take
on
a
producer.
When
I
was
narrated
this
part
of
a
producer
by
Zoya
which
was
written
by
Javed
saab,
it
came
to
me
as
an
interesting
role.
In
my
35
years
of
working
in
the
Indian
Film
Industry,
I've
worked
with
several
film
producers.
Some
of
them
have
been
happy,
some
decent,
some
eccentric,
some
were
weirdo's
as
far
as
their
dressing,
speaking
and
their
way
of
thinking
was
concerned.
So
what
I
did
was,
I
amalgamated
all
those
characters
to
paint
one
character
called
Romi
Rolly,
which
is
my
name
in
the
film.
So
what
does
the
weirdo
Romi
do?
(laughs)
He
believes
in
astrology,
numerology
and
all
the
"logies" you
can
think
of,
more
than
his
ability.
Romi
is
running
on
luck
just
like
all
the
films
are
running.
Romi's
films
work
on
luck
and
if
his
stars
are
correct.
The
way
he
functions
as
a
producer
is
by
bullying
a
new
comer
because
he
does
not
want
to
pay
him
as
much
of
money.
I
am
also
a
weirdo
who
is
passionate
about
films
and
food.
And
what
about
your
attire.
I'm
sure
that
was
inspired
by
someone.
You're
right
but
he
wasn't
a
producer.
I
wouldn't
name
anyone
but
he
was
my
co-actor.
In
one
of
the
publicity
pictures,
I'm
seen
wearing
a
kaftaan.
But
that
scene
from
the
film
is
cut
off.
It'll
be
there
in
the
DVD.
But
imagine
someone
wearing
a
kaftaan.
That
in
itself
speaks
volumes
(laughs).
My
fellow
colleague
used
to
wear
that
while
coming
for
work.
Can
you
believe
it?
I
was
inspired
from
him.
Even
Juhi
Chawla
has
taken
inspiration
from
some
producer's
wife
in
our
industry
and
she
is
playing
that
role.
But
having
said
that,
it's
a
good
take
on
each
of
them
because
they
are
sincere
people.
How
was
your
interactions
with
a
first
female
director
you've
worked
with.
Good
research.
This
is
my
first
film
where
I
have
worked
with
a
female
lead
director.
Zoya
Akhtar
is
a
very
focused
girl.
A
girl
who
is
absolutely
living
on
her
film.
I
was
told
that
she
wanted
to
make
Luck
By
Chance
since
the
last
two
years.
She
stuck
on
to
it
and
never
gave
up.
She
has
been
sincerely
involved
in
making
this
feature
and
with
the
able
support
of
Farhan
Akhtar
and
Ritesh
Sidhwani,
she
has
excelled
with
Excel.
I
am
very
happy
to
work
with
her
because
she
knew
clearly
what
she
wanted
to
extract
from
me
and
others.
Though
I
should
say,
she
has
been
painfully
demanding
which
is
why
I
am
always
fighting
with
her.
She
won't
leave
me
till
the
time
she
is
not
absolutely
satisfied.
She
does
allow
you
to
be
spontaneous
and
gives
you
that
space
but
she
is
very
much
there
while
you
want
her.
What
she
wants,
she
gets.
That's
Zoya
for
you.
Is
LBC
a
serious
take
on
the
Hindi
Film
Industry
or
a
laugh
riot
which
is
going
to
pull
everyone's
leg?
It's
an
interpretation.
It
can
be
funny
at
times
and
also
serious.
It's
about
a
struggler
trying
to
make
it.
In
any
field
or
sphere,
luck
plays
a
vital
role.
To
be
there
at
the
right
time
at
the
right
place
is
essential.
In
films
too,
it
is
very
important
how
and
where
things
happen.
It's
happened
with
everybody.
If
Rajkumar
had
said
'yes'
to
Prakash
Mehra
for
Zanjeer,
how
would
have
Amitabh
Bachchan
risen
from
the
same
film?
If
Danny
and
Premnath
would
have
said
'yes'
to
Gabbar's
role,
how
would
Amjad
Khan
come
in?
So
that
element
of
luck
played
a
very
important
factor.
What
about
you?
Were
you
lucky
at
the
right
time
at
the
right
place?
I
may
be.
May
be
all
the
time
or
may
be
none
of
the
time.
I
refused
Yash
Chopra's
Darr.
The
film
was
a
turning
point
in
SRK's
career.
When
Yashji
came
to
me
with
Darr
I
told
him
that
my
earlier
film
Khoj
where
I
played
a
negative
character
didn't
do
that
well.
So
I
told
him
that
he
should
not
take
me
in
Darr.
Before
that,
I
had
worked
in
Chandni
which
worked
very
well
and
I
wasn't
going
to
play
a
second
role
in
Darr.
I
wasn't
happy
doing
that.
It
had
to
be
in
SRK's
favour.
That
is
Luck
By
Chance.
But
Bobby
proved
lucky
for
you,
isn't
it?
Absolutely
right.
If
Mera
Naam
Joker
would've
been
a
super
hit,
my
father
would've
made
part
two
of
it
which
was
supposed
to
be
made.
But
Mera
Naam
Joker
flopped
and
my
father
was
in
problems.
So
inspired
by
the
first
love
story
of
Mera
Naam
Joker,
he
made
a
teenage
love
story
called
Bobby.
That
was
my
luck.
I
was
just
twenty
years
of
age.
I
was
made
a
star
by
luck.
Raj
Kapoor
didn't
make
Bobby
to
launch
me
as
an
actor,
he
made
it
for
himself.
He
proved
to
the
world
that
he
didn't
need
a
star
face
to
make
a
hit.
Bobby
had
Dimple
and
me
who
were
nobodies.
Wasn't
I
lucky
then?
Your
part
as
a
producer
must've
made
you
interact
with
all
your
co-stars.
How
was
the
experience?
Yes,
I
did.
But
I
must
say
this.
In
the
whole
film
I
don't
have
a
single
shot
with
Konkana
Sen
Sharma.
I
have
never
even
met
that
girl
who
is
working
with
my
son
Ranbir
in
his
next
film.
There
is
no
common
platform
in
the
film
with
her.
My
interactions
were
more
with
Hrithik
Roshan
and
Farhan
Akhtar.
Tell
us
honestly.
Is
Luck
By
Chance
your
best
film
in
the
last
decade
or
so
because
we
haven't
seen
you
in
such
a
mood
before.
In
my
long
career
I
was
only
singing
songs
and
doing
romance.
Perhaps,
from
Namastey
London
time
and
now
Luck
By
Chance,
it
has
given
me
a
chance
to
showcase
my
actual
talent.
Not
that
I
wasn't
talented.
I
became
a
hero
in
three
rupees
fifty
paise,
my
son
became
a
hero
in
two
hundred
rupees.
People
who
can
afford
to
buy
two
hundred
rupees
ticket
are
not
of
the
same
sensibilities
as
that
of
the
auto
rickshaw
drivers.
So
one
is
making
a
film
keeping
in
mind
those
sensibilities.
It's
2009
and
we
are
not
making
redundant
films
like
we
used
to
make
in
the
70's
and
80's.
The
socio-economic
structure
has
changed
of
India
and
so
has
our
audience.
So
you're
employed
again?
Of
course.
People
like
me
who
are
fifty
plus
are
getting
employed
again
because
such
kind
of
subjects
are
being
made.
There
are
different
stories
coming
out.
Father
is
no
longer
a
father.
He
has
become
a
friend
now.
Predominantly,
Hindi
films
are
youth
oriented.
By
the
time
the
hero
gets
forty
plus
and
fifty
plus,
he
retires.
Whereas
in
the
West,
you
peak
only
after
fifty.
Here
unfortunately
we
have
to
retire.
By
the
time
I
have
honed
my
acting
skills,
I
have
to
retire
in
this
industry.
But
no
more.
What
do
you
have
to
say
about
Farhan
Akhtar?
Farhan
is
a
multi-tasker.
He
started
off
as
a
producer
and
a
director,
then
an
actor
and
a
singer.
I
haven't
worked
with
him
under
his
direction.
But
I
have
worked
with
him
as
a
co-star.
He
is
easy
on
the
eye
and
doesn't
try
to
project
himself
as
an
actor.
He
is
a
kind
of
guy
who
comes
from
the
same
thinking
school
as
I
do,
like
being
spontaneous,
being
casual
about
acting.
He
puts
in
that
extra
effort
in
his
acting
to
make
his
performance
look
effortless.
But
it's
not
only
luck
Rishi
ji.
What
about
talent?
Of
course
that's
important.
SRK
and
Akshay
Kumar
had
no
godfather.
They've
come
up
on
their
talent
first.
There
must
be
some
kind
of
a
projection
in
you
too.
By
saying
'LUCK',
I
also
mean
that
you
get
the
right
film.
That
film
that
works
for
you.
Do
you
call
yourself
a
struggler?
I
am
always
a
struggler
and
a
beginner.
Today
when
I'm
giving
you
this
interview,
I'm
giving
it
with
passion.
You're
interviewing
me
and
I
am
learning.
Everyday
teaches
me.
What
has
gone
has
been
forgotten.
Now
I
am
waiting
for
what's
ahead
of
me.
I
am
waiting
for
my
reactions
to
Luck
By
Chance,
Delhi
6
and
a
small
film
titled
Chintuji.
What
is
Chintuji
all
about?
The
film
is
directed
by
Annu
Kapoor's
elder
brother,
Ranjit
Kapoor.
He
is
a
theatre
personality.
The
film
is
about
me,
about
Rishi
Kapoor.
It's
a
film
which
is
part
illusion,
part
reality.
The
film
has
a
great
message.
People
from
all
over
the
different
corners
of
India
come
to
Mumbai
city
to
make
money.
The
idea
is,
if
you
make
your
town
or
city
or
village
that
is
much
self
sufficient
or
capable,
they'll
never
come
to
Mumbai.
It's
about
how
I
was
born
in
a
place
and
I
come
to
Mumbai.
I
was
a
star
and
retired
and
now
want
to
become
a
politician.
And
how
my
home
town
calls
me
to
contest
elections
from
there
and
how
I
change
the
system
there
forms
the
story
of
Chintuji.
You're
also
doing
a
film
with
your
beloved
wife
Neetu
Kapoor
titled
Do
Duni
Chaar.
Brief
us
please.
The
film
is
about
a
teacher
and
a
family
of
four.
I
play
the
teacher
in
the
film.
I
have
my
own
Vespa
and
can
only
dream
of
having
a
car.
My
daughter
is
shy
to
go
to
the
school
on
my
scooter,
my
son
does
what
all
youngsters
do
to
make
a
fast
buck.
The
mother
is
always
in
the
kitchen
from
day
to
night.
The
film
is
about
how
a
teacher
should
get
paid
sufficient
money
so
that
they
do
not
take
bribe
to
pass
the
students.
If
you
do
wrong
to
give
wrong
marks
to
students,
you
are
spoiling
the
future
of
your
country
-
your
students.
The
ones
who
make
the
future
of
our
country
get
underpaid.
That's
ridiculous.
Any
message
for
your
fans?
Do
not
let
success
go
to
your
head
and
do
not
let
failure
go
to
your
heart.
That
is
what
I
tell
my
son
Ranbir
too.
I
thank
my
audiences
for
where
I
am
today.
I've
chased
girls
all
my
life,
I
leave
that
to
Ranbir
now
to
do.
Let
him
chase
the
chicks
(laughs).