Ranbir to remake at least one of Raj Kapoor's clas

By Subhash K Jha

There is no bigger fan of the legendary Raj Kapoor than his sparkling grandson Ranbir.

In fact when Ranbir came into the film industry with Saawariya he was fully clued into every aspect of Raj Kapoor's cinema and knew virtually every film of the great Kapoor back-to-front, and not just the ones that the illustrious RK had directed.

To no one's surprise in Saawariya Sanjay Leela Bhansali who is himself a diehard Raj Kapoor aficionado, fashioned Ranbir's entire endearing lovable vagabond-with-heart-of-gold act in Saawariya on Raj Kapoor.

Not only was Ranbir's character in Saawariya called Raj, he was seen to frequent a place called R. K Bar where all the romance with the mysterious girl Sakina (Sonam Kapoor) unfolded. Bhansali had even thrown a bit of Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Anari into Saawariya in the relationship between Ranbir and his anglo-Indian landlady Zohra Sehgal which echoed Raj Kapoor and Lalita Pawar's relationship in Anari.

And now Ranbir's undying passion to keep the RK legacy alive and burning gets another major boost in Raj Kumar Santoshi's Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani where the central character of the innocent endearing lovable nomad Prem has been inspired by Raj Kapoor Eternal Tramp in Awara and Sri 420.

Santoshi who's a diehard fan of the senior RK, cast Ranbir in the endearing vagabond's part after he was Saawariya.

"Immediately I could see Ranbir in same mould as Raj Saab. Yes, Ranbir's character in Ajab Prem Ki Kahani is modelled on Mr Raj Kapoor, " admits Santoshi.

If rumours are to be believed Santoshi has even designed a whole song sequence where Ranbir pays a homage to the songs and music of Raj Kapoor.

Determined to carry Raj Kapoor legacy forward as far as possible, Ranbir's father Rishi had even invited Raj Kumar Hirani to make a film in the Raj Kapoor mould for the RK banner.

And that's not the end of it. Ranbir when he turns director, would like to remake at least one of Raj Kapoor's classics in his own way.

How is that for carrying the legacy forward?