NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with the Kapoor family to honor the centenary celebrations of legendary filmmaker and actor Raj Kapoor. The meeting, held at Modi’s residence, was a tribute to Raj Kapoor’s contributions to Indian cinema and his lasting influence on the country’s cultural identity.
In the conversation Modi noted that it was Raj Kapoor who had set India’s soft power globally long before a concept was even coined, not only in Russia or Central Asia. Modi thanked the family for shaping India by making cinema. He urges the Kapoor family to develop a film exclusively for central Asian audiences. Raj Kapoor still captivates people in Central Asia, even after all these years,” Modi said. “There is a huge potential for Indian cinema in that region, and efforts should be made to engage the younger generation there.
The Kapoor family, who have been represented by Reema Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor, said that the time and the attention Modi paid to the legacy of Raj Kapoor would always be appreciated. The daughter of Raj Kapoor thanked Modi for the support given by him. During the meeting, Reema recited some lines from one of her father’s movies. She said Raj Kapoor can be termed as the “cultural ambassador” of India and offered the same tag to Modi and referred to him as the “global ambassador” of India.
Ranbir Kapoor announced that the Raj Kapoor retrospective would be held on Dec. 13-15. Restored versions of 10 of Raj Kapoor’s most cherished films, including “Awaara” and “Mera Naam Joker,” will be screened across 160 theaters in 40 cities throughout India. Kapoor thanked the Government of India, the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), and the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) for their assistance in restoring the films. “The premiere show will be held on Dec. 13 in Mumbai, and we’ve invited the entire film industry,” Ranbir Kapoor said.
Modi, in response, appreciated the Kapoor family for their commitment to preserving Raj Kapoor’s legacy and spoke about the role of research in filmmaking. He congratulated Raj Kapoor’s grandson, Armaan Jain, for his upcoming project, which involves researching and documenting his grandfather’s life journey.
The Prime Minister also shared personal anecdotes about the power of cinema, where he recalled how a film by Raj Kapoor had inspired the Jan Sangh Party during a difficult political time. Modi added that like yoga, Indian cinema had become a global phenomenon and that the contributions of the great Raj Kapoor continue to help in fostering cultural ties everywhere.
