Rishi Kapoor once spoke about his bond with Ranbir Kapoor, how Raj Kapoor shaped his fatherhood: 'I am not your friend'

On his 73rd birth anniversary, we look back at Rishi Kapoor’s candid thoughts on fatherhood and his bond with Ranbir Kapoor—an approach shaped deeply by his own relationship with Raj Kapoor.

Back in 2015, on season two of The Anupam Kher Show – Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai, the veteran actor opened up candidly about his journey as a father. He reflected on how his own life experiences shaped his approach to parenting and explained why he deliberately chose not to play the role of a friend' in Ranbir’s life.

A parenting style shaped by Raj Kapoor

Rishi reflected on the difference in parenting styles within the film industry, noting that while many parents treated their children like friends, his own relationship with his father, Raj Kapoor, was never like that. He admitted that he had deliberately maintained a similar distance with Ranbir, describing their bond as one separated by an invisible glass wall.

Why he chose distance with Ranbir

He explained that while he and Ranbir could always see each other, there was an emotional distance that kept them from fully connecting. Rishi admitted this was intentional, as he wanted his son to acknowledge him first and foremost as a father and elder, not as a friend.



Justifying his stance, he explained that his approach to fatherhood stemmed from what he had observed in his own family. Having seen the dynamic between his grandfather and father, and having experienced the same with Raj Kapoor himself, he felt it was only natural to carry forward that pattern with Ranbir.

Instilling respect and boundaries

Rishi went on to share that the one thing he instilled in Ranbir was the importance of respecting elders, while giving him the freedom to live life on his own terms. However, he admitted he wanted the emotional wall between them to remain, as it defined the boundaries of their relationship.

Ranbir recalls his father’s strictness

Ranbir once shared with Nikhil Kamath that he grew up a little scared of his father. Even though Rishi Kapoor never shouted or hit him, his strong presence and temper were enough to keep him on edge. He also remembered how his father made sure he stayed grounded—taking away his car when he came back to India and never giving him extra money while studying in the US.

Rishi Kapoor died after battling leukemia on April 30, 2020.