Iconic RK studio is up for SALE

Iconic Raj Kapoor studio is up for sale confirms Rishi Kapoor...

Published: Monday,Aug 27, 2018 15:18 PM GMT-06:00

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Late Bollywood actor and producer Raj Kapoor's RK Studios is up for sale. The decision has been taken collectively by the late actor-producer's wife's Krishna Raj Kapoor and their sons Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor, along with daughters Ritu Nanda and Rima Jain. The major part of the studio got gutted in the fire on September 16 last year.

According to Mumbai Mirror report, on behalf of the family, Rishi Kapoor has confirmed the news and said: "For a while, we did juggle with the idea of renovating the place with state-of-the-art technology. However, in reality, it isn't always possible for a phoenix to rise from the ashes. We Kapoor's are a very emotional lot but then."

When he was asked about regaining his composure, he explained, "The investment in rebuilding the studio would just not have yielded sufficient revenue to keep it going. Believe me, we had to take the larger picture into account and take a level-headed decision. Even before the fire, for years R. K. Studio had become a huge white elephant, toting up losses. The few bookings we would get from films, TV serials and ad shoots would expect free parking space, air-conditioning, and discounts."

Rishi Kapoor also added saying "We brothers are strongly bonded. But who knows about our children and grand-children? What if differences crop up in the next generation? The studio would only end up in litigation as so many industrial and textile estates have. There would be family differences and only lawyers would end up charging heavy sums of a fee. Do you think my father would have liked to see his labor of love becoming the subject of courtroom proceedings?"

Last year, a fire broke out in the RK Studio building during the shoot of reality show Super Dancer 2, which destroyed invaluable RK Films memorabilia. All the costumes worn by the R.K. leading ladies from Nargis and Vyjayanthimala Bali to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, costume jewellery, the clown mask of Mera Naam Joker, the guns used in Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai, publicity material, and the grand piano used ever so prominently in 'Awaara', 'Sangam' and 'Bobby', were burnt to cinders.

When asked if Ranbir would want to preserve the studio, Rishi Kapoor responds by saying, "If he has the money, let him buy it from us then. But seriously, that's a silly question. It's Ranbir's time to concentrate on his career, Sanju has validated him as a commercially successful actor."

RK Films has produced films such as 'Barsaat (1949)', 'Awaara (1951)', 'Boot Polish (1954)', 'Shree 420 (1955)' and 'Jaagte Raho' (1956). The last film made under the banner was Rishi Kapoor-directed "Aa Ab Laut Chalen".

When Rishi was asked when the sale of the studio would commence? He replied, "In two days, two months, two years," Rishi Kapoor speculated. "We have no timelines."

Any mixed feelings about the studio where there were more stars in heaven once? "Not really," he said. "We had to place a stone on our hearts. Chhati pe patthar rakkhar, soch samajh kar decision liya hai."

(Credits: Mumbai Mirror)