Exclusive: I'm looking forward to 101 Not Out with Big B, says Rishi Kapoor

If there’s anyone who is in an interesting career phase right now, it is Rishi Kapoor. In the last seven years, the actor has experimented with roles such as the barely recognisable 90-year-old in Kapoor And Sons, and the pimp in Agnipath remake. He will finish almost 45 years in the industry, but wants to stay away from the maudlin. He says, “I started with Bobby in 1972 and ended up working in many films that proved to be a hit and a few films that were a flop at the box office. At the same time, I have thoroughly enjoyed playing all these roles. Even the third generation in our family watches my yesteryear films today. What more can I wish for? It is a pleasure that even the current generation loves me and knows me from my old films.”

Rishi is thrilled with the fact that actors his age still have an audience. And for this, he credits Amitabh Bachchan. “Today filmmakers wish to cast us in various roles. I turned a villain in Agnipath. It was a path-breaking role for me. However, I wasn’t confident enough to portray this character and felt insecure thinking if I could do justice to the role of a pimp.” Today, cinema has changed, and love stories have gone beyond the rich-girl-poor-boy plot. This is something that Rishi is grateful for, “Today the stories are different and challenging. Audiences are smart and we need to cater to them with alluring stories since they can differentiate between good and bad cinema. So filmmakers need to come up with refreshing stories. They cannot fool the audiences today.”

Rishi’s upcoming film projects are an indication that he wants to continue having fun as an actor. In his kitty are Jhoota Kahin Ka, 101 Not Out and Patel Ki Shaadi in which Rishi and Paresh will come together. He says, “I am looking forward to 101 Not Out, for which I have already finished shooting. I am looking forward to this film with Amitabh. We are coming together after so many years. It was great doing films together.” Even as there are chances of us to watch Amitabh and Rishi coming together, the actor reveals it is unlikely that the Kapoor family will share screen space together. “Presently, there is no chance for audiences to watch us together. The three of us haven’t signed any films together. Though if the script is good, then we will surely take up a film,” he concludes.