Ranbir Kapoor, who recently became a parent himself, reflected on his troubled relationship with his dad, Rishi Kapoor. While speaking highly of his late father, Ranbir also confessed that there was always a distance between them, and that Rishi never really expressed his love for him. In a recent interview, the Animal star recalled a time when his parents were going through a rough patch, and Ranbir would often sit on the staircase of their bungalow and listen to them fight. “I have never seen the colour of his eyes, I was extremely scared,” said the actor.
In a recent interview with entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath on his YouTube channel, Ranbir Kapoor revealed how, despite hailing from a privileged background, he was never given an extra dollar when he was studying in the states. He also recalled how his father took away his car when he returned to India, because he wanted him to be grounded. When asked if his father did what he did for Ranbir’s benefit or his own, the actor said, “I believe my father was a short-tempered man, but he was a good man. He was somebody who loved his family, work, food, and alcohol. He was a very open person. He could speak up his mind.”
Expressing his fear for his father, Ranbir Kapoor confessed that he has never seen the colour of his eyes. “I always bowed down before him and said yes to everything he said. I was very scared.” When Nikhil asked if his life mirrored what was shown in the film Animal, the actor clarified that in Animal his character was obsessed with his father, but in real life, he was rather scared of his dad. “He never shouted at us, never raised his hand at us, but just because around us his temperament was so volatile that it always scared me.”
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Ranbir also recalled having to deal with his parents’ troubled relationship on his own, because his sister had left home for further studies. “Anybody who speaks in a louder tone, it disturbs me, since childhood.” He explained his reason behind the same, and said, “My parents went through a lot of fights. We lived in a bungalow, so I have spent most of my childhood on the staircases, hearing them fight. I was always scared and on the edge.”
He added, “I think they were both going through a rough patch. My sister wasn’t around, so I kind of felt responsible. My mother used to talk about her feelings to me. But, my father wasn’t that expressive. I never understood or heard his point of view.”
Ranbir also revealed how his parents eventually worked through their differences, and developed a warmth for each other when Rishi was diagnosed with cancer. “I saw the selfless service my mother was doing for him and that kind of love was something which I probably at that time couldn’t have imagined,” said Ranbir.
Asked if the culture of his dad’s era influenced his behaviours, Ranbir said, “I think that generation of men are scared of vulnerability. He never even expressed his love to me. He could never hold my hand. He did hug me, but it had more of pat than a real hug. Maybe I am blaming… it’s his generation, but I don’t know. He was very distant. I knew he loved me a lot and cared for me a lot but there was a distance.”
Rishi Kapoor did regret not sharing a closer bond with Ranbir, he had once shared. In his biography, Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored, the actor wrote, “The distance that exists between us is similar to the one between my father and me. Ranbir and I see each other through this space but can’t feel each other. At least, I can’t. There are times when I feel I’ve missed out on being a friend to my son.” In the book, Rishi Kapoor justified his strict attitude, and said “I was brought up to believe that’s how father should be.”
Ranbir Kapoor is married to his Brahmastra Part One: Shiva co-star Alia Bhatt. The couple welcomed their daughter Raha in 2022.
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