Veteran Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor bid a final adieu to his friends, family and fans today morning. He was 67-years-old. With his passing, another glorious chapter of Bollywood has come to an end.

Ramesh Sippy directed the legend Rishi Kapoor in Saagar(1985), a film that celebrated the actor's romantic swagger as very few Bollywood love stories could. Saddened by the actor's untimely demise, the filmmaker spoke to IANS about his memories with the brilliant artist. 

 

 

 

 

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Breaking: Superstar Rishi Kapoor breathes his last at the age of 67. . A message from Rishi Kapoor’s family Our dear Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully at 8:45am IST in hospital today after a two-year battle with leukemia. The doctors and medical staff at the hospital said he kept them entertained to the last. He remained jovial and determined to live to the fullest right through two years of treatment across two continents. Family, friends, food and films remained his focus and everyone who met him during this time was amazed at how he did not let his illness get the better of him. He was grateful for the love of his fans that poured in from the world over. In his passing, they would all understand that he would like to be remembered with a smile and not with tears. In this hour of personal loss, we also recognise the world is going through a very difficult and troubled time. There are numerous restrictions around movement and gathering in public. We would like to request all his fans and well-wishers and friends of the family to please respect the laws that are in force. He would not have it any other way. . . For more updates follow @peeping.moon . . #rishikapoor #ranbirkapoor #aliaabhatt #neetusingh #neetukapoor #rishikapoordemise #rishikapoordeath #riprishikapoor #chintu #ripchintu #bollywood #peepingmoon #peepingmoonbollywood

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The filmmaker said, "We made just one film together and it was a wonderful association. I was very happy with the turnout, and all the actors -- especially Rishi Kapoor. He contributed a lot in the romantic film. Rishi Kapoor was a very versatile and wonderful actor. A romantic lead in the earlier part of his life. Even at the time of "Saagar", he was still a romanticist. Later, he went on to do all kinds of roles and excelled in those. My associations and experiences with him were very good. Once he understood the role and what I was looking for, there was absolutely no need for me to tell him anything. I didn't need to direct him. He understood it and expressed it wonderfully. There was hardly any need to say anything to him." 

He further added, "He will stay with me in my memories, as a brilliant and wonderful actor, who gave me whatever I wanted with all his acting abilities, senses and feeling, in the professional side. On the personal side, I have known the Kapoors for a long time. From respecting his grandfather to Raj Kapoor ji, and working with his uncles, Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor, the association has been very long. He was a wonderful human being -- full of life. After work you could talk to him about anything in the world. He was much more communicative than I was outside of work. He loved life. He lived it well."

Given the lockdown and the tight restrictions, the director couldn't be with the family during the legend's last rites. "It is so sad that you can't pay respect to the family and can't be with them because of the lockdown and distancing restrictions," he signed off.