Rishi Kapoor No More: Veteran’s Friend Reveals Rishi Had Choked While Talking About Cancer Diagnosis

On April 30, from fans to the Bollywood industry were mourning when the legendary actor Rishi Kapoor left us for the heavenly abode after putting up a brave and a long battle with cancer. As people were in disbelief, actor’s friend and distributor Raj Bansal who has been friends with Rishi for almost three decades recently revealed an incident when Rishi choked while informing Raj about being diagnosed over a call in 2018. While speaking to Writersball, raj revealed the sad incident.

Speaking about the same, Raj was quoted saying, “His (Rishi) cancer was detected in 2018. No one knew about it, except for the family. It was September 2018. He was to fly to the US for treatment that evening. He rang me up the same day. He used to fondly call me ‘Thakur’. I took the call and greeted him. He said, ‘Thakur tere se baat karni hai (I need to talk to you)’. And then, he choked up. I sensed something was not right. Then he told me, ‘Thakur paanch minute mein call karna (Call me in five minutes)’. I waited for exactly five minutes and called back. I asked him, ‘Chintu sab theek toh hai (Is everything alright)?’ He was choking again. ‘Thakur, achchhi khabar nahin hai (I don’t have good news). I have been diagnosed with cancer. I’m flying to New York for treatment this evening,’ he told me.”

The portal also asked about his admission in the hospital before he breathed his last on April 30, Raj further told, “No. The reports circulating around are factually incorrect. He was admitted some days back. His hospitalisation itself was a surprise to me.” He also revealed that when he visited him at his flat, they “had spoken about our future, the lockdown and corona. We spoke for more than half an hour and, normally, both of us don’t speak over the phone for so long. That’s why I refused to believe he is no more.”

Rishi Kapoor’s last rites were performed at a crematorium in South Mumbai, in the presence of family and close friends. Rishi Kapoor's ashes were immersed at Banganga where Ranbir Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, Riddhima and Alia Bhatt performed pooja for the late actor. ALSO READ: Rishi Kapoor No More: Co-Star Shatrughan Sinha On Veteran’s Death, ‘Ranbir Has Big Shoes To Fill Because Baap Baap Hota Hai’