Karan Johar recalls Idolizing Rishi Kapoor, “I felt like I lost my Piece of Childhood!”

Rishi Kapoor’s sad demise has shocked entire Bollywood and many have been sending condolences to his family. Co-stars and acquaintances remembered him with their sweet memories and even praised his art.

In a recent interview with NDTV, Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar poured his heart out and recalled some of his favorite memories of working with the actor, who died on April 30 this year. 

Rishi was actively a part of several films backed by KJo's Dharma Productions, such as Agneepath and Kapoor And Sons. 

However, Karan’s 2012 film - Student Of The Year was the first chance he received to direct Rishi Kapoor and since then they have made fond memories with each other. 

Rishi said, "Karan you are directing the film, you don't even have to narrate the part to me." 

He recalled his conversation with Rishi and also revealed getting extremely emotional while directing the song Radha.

He gave the first shot on the sets of Radha. It's so bizarre that my big song was Dafliwale that I used to dance to in my room as a child. I just burst out crying. I went in a corner, wiped my face and went to him and hugged him, and said, you don't know what this means to me. There were a few people on my emotional bucket list as a filmmaker that I wanted to work with and Rishi Kapoor was right there on top.

- Karan Johar

When the 47-year-old director asked what came to his mind now that Rishi Kapoor is no longer with us, Karan said that he felt like he lost a piece of his childhood. He said, "I knew that things were critical and things were tough for him. As a fan, not as a filmmaker or a friend of the family, just as a fan, I was heart-broken on that day because I felt like I lost my piece of childhood." 

He further explained how Rishi Kapoor's films were deeply embedded in his cultural consciousness.

I grew up wearing Rishi Kapoor's sweaters, dancing to his songs, idolizing him on screen. He was my hero and when I would tell him that, he would laugh it off. My childhood is all Rishi Kapoor.

- Karan Johar

Previously, Karan Johar posted a eulogy for Rishi Kapoor on social media with a reference to the evergreen actor's song Dard-e-Dil, from 1980 film Karz.