india

Updated: Apr 30, 2020 11:28 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday mourned the death of actor Rishi Kapoor, who after passed away in Mumbai after a two-year-long battle with cancer. He was 67.

“Multifaceted, endearing and lively... this was Rishi Kapoor Ji. He was a powerhouse of talent. I will always recall our interactions, even on social media. He was passionate about films and India’s progress. Anguished by his demise. Condolences to his family and fans. Om Shanti,” PM Modi said on Twitter.

Multifaceted, endearing and lively...this was Rishi Kapoor Ji. He was a powerhouse of talent. I will always recall our interactions, even on social media. He was passionate about films and India’s progress. Anguished by his demise. Condolences to his family and fans. Om Shanti. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 30, 2020

His wife and actor Neetu Kapoor was by his side. His brother Randhir Kapoor confirmed the news.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh said he is anguished by Kapoor’s death. “Anguished by the passing away of noted film actor Rishi Kapoor. He carved a special place in the hearts of his fans with his inimitable style and performances. My thoughts are with his family and fans in this hour of grief. Om Shanti,” Singh tweeted.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called him a wonderful actor and a legend. “This is a terrible week for Indian cinema, with the passing of another legend, actor Rishi Kapoor. A wonderful actor, with a huge fan following across generations, he will be greatly missed. My condolences to his family, friends & fans all over the world, at this time of grief,” Gandhi said on Twitter.

In 2018, Rishi Kapoor was diagnosed with cancer, following which the actor was in New York for more than a year to receive treatment. He returned to India in September 2019 after recovering.

Kapoor’s death comes a day after actor Irrfan Khan’s demise. Khan passed away on Wednesday after a two-year battle with a rare form of cancer. He was 53.

Rishi was the second son of late actor Raj Kapoor and the sibling of Randhir, Ritu Nanda, Rima Jain and Rajeev Kapoor. He made his film debut with Bobby opposite Dimple Kapadia in 1973 and was also seen as a child actor in films such as Shree 420 and ‘Mera Naam Joker’.

The actor was last seen in Emraan Hashmi’s The Body and had recently announced his next project, a remake of Hollywood film ‘The Intern’, also featuring Deepika Padukone.