Published 17:08 IST, December 14th 2024 Raj Kapoor's movies were always heroine-oriented. However, he often faced criticism for the way he viewed actresses through a titillating lens. Raj Kapoor Birth Centenary: The Greatest Showman Of Indian Cinema, Raj Kapoor and his expansive cinematic legacy lives on through his movies.
After featuring as a leading hero, Kapoor pivoted to direction in his later years in cinema while continuing to work in front of the camera. What set his filmography apart as a filmmaker was the way women were presented onscreen. Often controversial (Ram Teri Ganga Maili and Prem Rog) but always progressive, Kapoor, through his lens, focussed on heroine-oriented cinema.
Changing cinema with the times: Ranbir Kapoor reflects on Raj Kapoor's movies Ranbir Kapoor, Raj Kapoor's grandson, participated in a retrospective of the showman at the recent International Film Festival of India (IFFI). He remembered Kapoor as someone who “constantly took risks and pushed the boundaries” of cinema. “Raj Kapoor, the filmmaker, always explored different themes at different times of his life.
If you see his earlier films, like Awara was based on casteism. If you see Shree 420, he spoke about greed and the underprivileged trying to make something of their lives. He made films with strong Indian moral values, spoke about society in such an honest and a frank way, while making it really commercial and really entertaining,” the Animal actor said.
Exploring sensuality and.