The multi-hyphenate Raj Kapoor, who was one of the pioneers of Hindi cinema, established RK Studios at the age of 24, and by the 1950s, he was one of the most popular names in the film industry. It is well known that Raj Kapoor’s films were loved in the former Soviet Union, and he often represented India at the international stage after World War II. It is hinted that the government of India favoured Raj Kapoor in many ways. and he, too, served as a loyal ambassador. As per actor Kabir Bedi, Raj Kapoor believed that no matter how influential one might be, they still have to bow down in front of the government, and Bedi recalled their interaction in a recent interview.

In a chat with Bollywood Hungama, Kabir shared, “Raj Kapoor once told me, ‘Kabir, no matter how big a filmmaker I might be, I have to bow down in front of the government because censorship is such a thing that it can ruin a film. And if the filmmaker wants that their film must not be ruined, then they have to make the kind of films that are not disliked by the government’.” Raj’s output in the 1950s, like Shree 420 and Awara, among many others, were quite critical of the government as they often centered around the themes of unemployment and lack of education. Since India had just gotten its independence and was struggling with growing pains, these subjects often appeared in his films of that era.

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But, in his later years, Raj’s films focused more on other aspects of the society, and were not as directly critical of the government. Kabir said that Raj still supported the idea of films that might not be liked by the government and added, “(Raj Kapoor said), ‘But that does not mean that filmmakers don’t make a film that is disliked by the government. This is everyone’s right and they should do it because in a democracy, people have a right to speak’.” Raj Kapoor’s influence in Soviet Union was such that the actor made many trips to Russia in the 1950s. His popularity in the country also led to many cultural exchanges between the two nations, and cemented ties that remain to this day.

Raj Kapoor passed away in 1988, days after he received the highest honour in Indian cinema, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

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