Neil Nitin Mukesh Recalls His  Association With ‘Father Figure’ Rishi Kapoor

Neil Nitin  Mukesh’s closeness to  Rishi Kapoor  goes back to many generations. “My grandfather(the great singer  Mukesh) was  Chintu Uncle’s  father’s ghost voice. It’s well known that Raj Saab  considered my grandfather  his voice. The association continued  with my father(singer Nitin Mukesh) and Chintu Uncle. They  were  very close friends.Our families are very close  to one another over generations.”

Neil  fondly recalls his proximity to Rishi Kapoor. “He was a father-figure to me . I remember moments of my childhood clearly even now on the sets of Yash Chopraji’s Vijay. I was in awe of Chintu Uncle. As an actor I have always maintained that one of the biggest inspirations for me has been Chintu Uncle. I’ve always drawn inspiration from his effortless performances.”

Neil  recalls Rishi  Kapoor and  family attended all the functions at Neil’s residence. “There was not a single significant occasion or celebration    in our family without Chintu Uncle. He was always there to spread the love and joy  that came naturally to him . He always called me Beta and said I was like his son.I felt nothing less than paternal  vibes from him.”

More than  Neil, his father  is  affected  by Rishi Kapoor’s sudden departure. “We are deeply saddened. My father is shattered and all at home are very very upset . We have lost someone very dear. But like he always said, ‘Remember me with a smile.’This  is exactly what I will do . I am so happy that my daughter Nurvi met him and was blessed by him.”

Asked  to  pick his  favourite Rishi Kapoor films, Neil  says, “Oh difficult one. All of them.From his  first  film  Mera Naam Joker to his last The  Body .But my most favourite have been Karz, Chandni,  Yeh Vada Raha ,Amar Akbar Anthony, Deewaana and Heena. I took a lot of inspiration from Chintu Uncle  in  Chandni for my portrayal in my recent film Bypass Road.”