MUMBAI: Veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor, who was 67, breathed his last on Thursday morning after a long battle with cancer. “Our dear Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully at 8:45am IST in hospital today after a two-year battle with leukemia. The doctors and medical staff at the hospital said he kept them entertained to the last,” confirmed his family in a statement.
His wife Neetu Kapoor was by his side when he breathed his last in the morning. Rishi Kapoor is survived by wife, actress Neetu Kapoor, daughter Riddhima and son Ranbir.
Riddhima lives in Delhi and had to secure a special pass from the police to travel to Mumbai. With all forms of public transport such as trains and flights suspended, she will travel over 1,400 kilometres on road by car from Delhi to Mumbai.
Mumbai Police have reportedly requested the actor’s family not to take his mortal remains home owing to the lockdown. Instead his body was driven directly to a crematorium in Marine Lines Chandanwadi, close to HN Reliance Foundation Hospital where he was admitted. The last rites were performed there at around 4 pm. He was cremated in an electric chamber.
Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Aadar Jain and Abhishek Bachchan turned out to provide moral support and strength to Ranbir Kapoor at his father, veteran actor Rishi Kapoor’s funeral. Celebrity photographer Viral Bhayani took to Instagram, where he shared a video of Rishi’s last journey. All family members and friends who were at the funeral turned out wearing masks and gloves, amid the COVID-10 lockdown.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday condoled the demise of Rishi Kapoor, terming it as a huge loss for the entertainment industry and that the nation lost a beloved son and the film industry a gem. Union Home Minister Amit Shah dubbed Kapoor as an institution in himself. (IANS)
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