Zeba :Whenever Ranbir’s film released, Rishi would ask me to watch it

The Pakistani actress had made her film debut opposite Rishi Kapoor with Henna in 1991 and had remained in touch with the actor ever since

Pakistani actress Zeba Bakhtiar

, who made her film debut in 1991 with the movie Henna opposite Rishi Kapoor, has expressed grief at the actor’s demise. Sharing her fond memories of the time spent with Rishi, Zeba said the news of his demise is yet to sink in.

A still from the movie Henna which was released in 1991

“It was an unfortunate day when I woke up to this sad news. I got a call from a journalist, who informed me about Rishi’s death. It was heart-breaking. All the good old memories came flooding back. I am yet to believe that my dear friend has gone. He will always remain a mentor to me,” she said. The actress had been in regular touch with Rishi through phone calls and messages. “Whenever Ranbir’s film released, he would ask me to watch it. I met him last almost a decade ago, in 2010, in India. He was as charming and jovial as ever,” she added.

Recalling her debut with Rishi, Zeba shared, “Henna will always hold a special place in my heart and life. It was a dream come true for me. The title role demanded a girl from Pakistan and for authenticity, Raj sahab and Randhir, too, wanted an actress from Pakistan. It was 1989 and I was in London when I got a call from Randhir. He asked me to come to Mumbai for a screen-test. I took my father’s permission and the rest is history.” “I didn’t know much about Bollywood then but I had seen Rishi’s films and loved Bobby. I was literally in awe of him. At the screen-test, Randhir introduced me to him and our bond grew stronger with time,” she added.

Praising the actor and his family for making her feel at home at the time, Zeba said, “From Day one, Kapoors became my extended family. Away from his stardom, Rishi was a very kind-hearted and warm person. I remember we went to Austria to shoot a few songs there and Rishi’s family, too, accompanied us. It became a family holiday for all of us.”