Raj Kapoor discovered Dimple Kapadia when she was 14 years old. The director cast her in the title role of his teen romance, Bobby. The movie was a gateway for Dimple's Bollywood success, but did you know she always believed she was a star, even before the film was released? In an interview with Bhawana Somaaya from The Movie Moth, Rishi Kapoor once shared some funny anecdotes.
Rishi Kapoor would share his experience on the set of his debut film, Bobby, with great delight. Kapoor revealed that the set used to be filled with laughter and joy. However, when it came to Dimple Kapadia, who was also starting in the industry, the actress would roll onto the set in a fancy imported car. Meanwhile, Rishi Kapoor experienced something significantly different when he joined the film.
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Sharing an incident from the set of Bobby, Rishi Kapoor recalled how Amitabh Bachchan, filming Bombay To Goa nearby, would tease him about Dimple's fancy ride. The Sharmaji Namkeen star shared that while Dimple had her posh imported car, Amitabh Bachchan would show up in a modest Fiat, and Rishi had a rundown version of the same vehicle Amitabh would drive. In conversation with The Movie Moth, Rishi shared:
"When we were working for the film, Dimple used to come in a huge imported car. Around the same time, Amitabh Bachchan was shooting for Bombay To Goa on the adjacent floor. And we had just met, so he used to say, ‘Your heroine comes in a huge car.’ Those days, Amit ji used to come in a fiat and we also had a tooti footi fiat."
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In the same interaction, Rishi Kapoor shared how he used to make fun of Dimple Kapadia for her luxurious imported car. He further shared that they would tease her, and Dimple would, in return, say that she was already a star, that she was Raj Kapoor's heroine, and it didn't matter if the movie did well or not, she would always be a star. The Chandni actor recalled:
"We used to rag Dimple. And she used to tell us, ‘I am Raj Kapoor’s heroine, I am a star. If the film becomes a hit, I am a star, and even if not, I am still a star. I travel in a huge car.’ Now that I look back, I think she was right. She is a star."
Neetu Singh and Dimple Kapadia both reportedly auditioned for the lead role in the romance musical Bobby. Neetu auditioned for the role because her mother, Raaji, wanted her daughter to be launched as the film's lead. However, the former had already worked as a child artist in a few movies, so Raj Kapoor turned her down and ultimately picked Dimple for the role.
Dimple Kapadia's debut film, Bobby, was a huge commercial success. However, even before the film was released, she decided to quit the industry. Dimple married superstar Rajesh Khanna shortly before her debut film was released and left acting after just one film. Nonetheless, this was not the end of her career. Dimple returned in 1985 in the romantic musical Saagar, which revived her career.
Dimple Kapadia has had an off-and-on career ever since her comeback after separation from Rajesh Khanna. In 1995, she took a break from movies, sharing that she was emotionally exhausted. However, her comeback film, 1997's Mrityudaata with Amitabh Bachchan, was a commercial failure. The coming years proved to be equally difficult for her.
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She finally found her footing again with Farhan Akhtar's director debut, Dil Chahta Hai. Over the years, Dimple Kapadia has been lauded for her diverse roles and powerful portrayals. The actress was last seen in the romantic comedy, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya and will next star in Saurabh Shukla's Jab Khuli Kitaab.
What are your thoughts on Dimple Kapadia's journey in Bollywood? Let us know.
Read More: Shah Rukh Khan's First Raw Interview From 1991: Balancing Career And Family, Losing Parents And More
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