Mumbai: Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor recently shared a fascinating story about his grandfather, the legendary Raj Kapoor, and how a playful telegram led to the creation of one of Indian cinema’s most iconic songs.
During a session at Subhash Ghai’s ‘Celebrate Cinema’ festival at Whistling Woods International (WWI), moderated by Subhash Ghai and joined by filmmaker Rahul Rawail, Ranbir recounted how Raj Kapoor convinced veteran actress Vyjayanthimala to join the 1964 romantic musical drama Sangam.
“While composing the music for Sangam, my grandfather wanted Vyjayanthimala to play the role of Radha. She initially refused — I don’t know why. Back then, there were no phone calls, only telegrams. So, in frustration, Raj Kapoor sent her a telegram that read, ‘Bol Radha Bol Sangam Hoga Ki Nahi?’ She replied, ‘Hoga, Hoga, Hoga.’ And that’s how the song’s lyrics were born,” Ranbir revealed.
The Animal actor also opened up about his approach to acting and the influences that shaped him, citing filmmakers Guru Dutt and Raj Kapoor as his inspirations.
Acknowledging his privileged background, he said,
“I’m a product of nepotism — I got it easy. But I’ve always worked hard because I know that coming from such a family means I need to prove myself with an individualistic approach.”
Ranbir spoke about his early days in the industry, from studying at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York to assisting Sanjay Leela Bhansali on Black (2005).
“That experience taught me what it takes to be a professional. The method of acting keeps evolving — what I learned at Lee Strasberg didn’t make full sense until I saw Mr. Bhansali direct actors like Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukerji. There’s no fixed method; actors must adapt to each director’s vision.”
On the work front, Ranbir will next be seen portraying Lord Ram in Nitesh Tiwari’s much-anticipated two-part epic Ramayana. He also made a recent cameo appearance in Netflix’s The Bads of Bollywood*.
