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Bollywood Saturday: Bollywood Saturday this time brings to you a trivia about none toher than the Showman of Hindi Cinema, the Late Raj Kapoor. Raj Kapoor, who was always ahead of his times is still considered as an institution of filmmaking by many contemporary filmmakers and actors of Indian cinema. Raj Kapoor, who always had an urban perspective towards fashion and pop culture was the first Indian filmmaker to depict The Archies on-screen. The showman, who as find of the American comic series got inspired by Archie, Betty and Veronica’s characters as he came up with the idea of Bobby. Bobby was India’s first teenage love story with Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia playing the lead protagonists.
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Raj Kapoor, in spite of directing, acting and producing many classics also went through certain ups and downs. Mera Naam Joker, his most ambitious project that forced him to mortgage his bungalow and RK studio, turned out to be a debacle at the box office. Raj Kapoor was into an extreme debt as he had taken a huge loan for financing Mera Naam Joker. Raj Kapoor’s next production Kal, Aaj Aur Kal that was a launch pad for his elder son Randhir Kapoor’s acting and directorial debut also flopped miserably. The filmmaker distanced himself from socializing as well as the media in order to not get bogged down by negative criticism over his box office failures.
Raj Kapoor one day while reading Archie got the idea of a minor teenage boy who has just finished schooling falling for a girl. Scriptwriters Khwaja Ahmed Abbas and VP Sathe were briefed about the narrative and a script was finalized. The filmmaker went through many brainstorming sessions and after long discussions it was decided that the film will be titled on the name of the female protagonist, Bobby. Raj couldn’t find any established actor who could portray a teenager convincingly. Therefore, the show an decided to cast a fresh pair. Raj approached his younger son Rishi to play the male lead and told him that the latter would have to undergo weight loss. Rishi trained rigorously at Mumbai’s (then Bombay) Jassawala Slimming Centre.
Dimple Kapadia was finalized to play Bobby as she got selected in a nationwide audition conducted by Raj Kapoor himself. The film got completed and was released in theatres and became one of the biggest hits of all time. The costumes donned by Dimple in the film be it the sexy mini skirts in Hum Tum Ek Kamre Me, the hot polka dotted crop top or the sizzling red bikini became a rage. The costumes worn by the female lead had a huge influence from Betty and Veronica’s outfits from Archie.
Bobby was one of the biggest blockbusters of its time and Dimple and Rishi became an overnight sensation with the film’s release.
For more updates on Raj Kapoor and The Archies, check out this space at India.com.
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