What happens when an actor starts his career with a blockbuster, becomes an overnight sensation, and yet goes on to deliver nearly 20 box office disasters? You might think his stardom would fade, but not in the case of Rishi Kapoor.
The beloved Bollywood star first appeared on screen as a child artist in his father Raj Kapoor’s film, but it was his leading debut in Bobby that made him a household name.
The film didn’t just launch his career, it also rescued his father from serious financial difficulty. Bobby was a cultural phenomenon, and Rishi Kapoor’s charm lit up screens across the country.
And yet, behind the glitz of his early fame lies a lesser-known chapter of his career: one filled with a long list of box office flops — 19 in total.
In 2019, he starred in The Body alongside Emraan Hashmi, a film that unfortunately flopped at the box office. That same year, he also appeared in Jhootha Kahin Ka, which featured Jimmy Shergill and Sunny Singh in prominent roles, but this too failed to impress audiences.
Earlier, in 2017, Rishi Kapoor featured in Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi with Paresh Rawal, Vir Das, and Prem Chopra, another commercial failure. In 2015, Wedding Pulav failed to perform, and in 2014, films such as All Is Well, Kaanchi: The Unbreakable, and Tell Me O Kkhuda also flopped.
Other unsuccessful titles in his filmography include Sadiyaan, Chintu Ji, Kal Kissne Dekha, Love Ke Chakkar Mein, Pyaar Mein Twist, Raju Chacha, Karobaar, Jai Hind, and Kaun Sachcha Kaun Jhootha (1997).
His 1995 film Saajan Ki Baahon Mein, co-starring Raveena Tandon, also failed at the box office, as did Prem Yog Mohabbat Ki.
Yet, despite these commercial setbacks, Rishi Kapoor remained a beloved and respected figure in Indian cinema. His performance opposite Padmini Kolhapure in the 1982 classic Prem Rog is still remembered fondly, and the film itself was an all-time blockbuster.
It is for roles like these that Rishi Kapoor continued to be regarded as a superstar, even in the face of 19 flops.