Monday Memories: Neetu & Rishi Kapoor's simple wedding invite from 1980 will remind you of their love story

Bollywood lost two of its finest talents in the last one week. In a span of 24 hours, Irrfan Khan and veteran actor Rishi Kapoor passed away after their respective battles with cancer.Not just in India, but the Hollywood film industry also paid their respects to these actors. Fans were left devastated and so were celebrities who could not properly bid goodbye to their favourite stars. Rishi Kapoor's wife Neetu Kapoor also took to social media to share a smiling photo of her late husband and wrote, "End of our story." However, Neetu's post was received with a whole lot of love with her fans and friends commenting that her and Rishi's story is indeed an eternal one.
 
Well, we definitely do not disagree. Rishi and Neetu, who celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary this year, have been through their highs and lows. But the couple have always been by each other's side, come what may. Rishi and Neetu's early romance days go way back when the actress had started acting in films after starring as a child artist. Turns out, Rishi had actually taken Neetu Kapoor's help in writing telegrams to win his girlfriend back.

Rishi Kapoor had once said, "I remember I had an argument with my girlfriend at the time and I was very heartbroken. Trying to win her back, I had taken Neetu’s help in writing telegrams to my girlfriend while the two of us were shooting for ‘Zehreela Insaan'."  This was their first film together and Rishi had revealed to a news agency before that as he fell for Neetu soon after. "As time passed, I began to realise that Neetu is the one for me as I began to miss her when I had gone to Europe for a shoot. Ironically, I sent her a telegram from Europe to Kashmir saying that I was thinking of her,” he had said. As the years went by, Rishi and Neetu grew closer and went on to act in numerous films. 

Their all-time hits remain  Khel Khel Mein (1975), Rafoo Chakkar (1975), Kabhie Kabhie (1976), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) and Duniya Meri Jeb Mein (1979). The couple was loved by their fans and after working with each other in so many films, the duo got close. Back in the day, their engagement set the entire tinsel town buzzing. 

We recently came across Rishi and Neetu's wedding invite and have to say it was a rather simple one. While their wedding was a grand affair, the invited was printed on a RK Studios letterhead. The invite reads, "Mr and Mrs Raj Kapoor request the pleasure of your company on the auspicious occasion of the marriage reception of their son RISHI (Grandson of Late Mr and Mrs Prithviraj Kapoor with NEETU (Daughter of Mrs Rajee Singh) on Wednesday 23rd January 1980. Between 6-30 PM and 9-00 PM at R.K. Studios, Chembur, Bombay 400071."

There are no two ways about the fact that Neetu and Rishi Kapoor's wedding was a grand affair. From presence of A-list Bollywood celebrities like Dev Anand and Rekha to that of Bollywood's first film family, The Kapoor's, the wedding was indeed a memorable affair.

The Kapoor family, which was known to be patriarchal, as women could not work after getting married seem to slowly bid goodbye to that rule. Speaking of quitting films after her marriage, Neetu had said, "My husband told me to finish everything, so we could eventually start a family. It wasn't that women couldn't work (after marriage) but I was tired working for 15 years continuously. I wanted a simple life." It was only after 26 years that Neetu made her comeback in Bollywood with films like Love Aaj Kal, Do Dooni Chaar, Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Besharam. 

Rishi Kapoor breathed his last on 30 April bringing his family's rich cinematic legacy to a brief end. While his son Ranbir Kapoor will carry on the legacy, we have to say that Rishi Kapoor's love story with Neetu is indeed an eternal one.