MUMBAI: When Raj gave tonga ride to unknown girls, left Dilip Kumar embarrassed

MUMBAI: Stardom and films did not turn Raj Kapoor into a charmer, he was already one. Late actor Dilip Kumar, in his autobiography, said that Raj Kapoor was “always at ease with the girls’ even when they were in college. Raj even tried to introduce Dilip to a few girls, the latter said in his book titled Dilip Kumar The Substance And The Shadow An Autobiography. Tuesday marks the birth anniversary of Raj Kapoor.

Talking about Raj Kapoor and the contrast in their personalities, Dilip Kumar said, “I envied Raj who had by then become a friend as the families had once again become close, carrying forward the friendship of the Peshawar days. Raj was always at ease with the girls in the college and his extrovert nature and natural charm earned him considerable popularity.”

Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar in their younger days.(Dilip Kumar’s autobiography)

He added, “With his handsome appearance and the twinkle in his blue eyes, he had made friends with many girls and he played (sports) with unusual élan when the girls cheered him. He was a born extrovert and charmer. When he introduced me to the girls from the college and from his class, I spoke less and preferred to let them talk. I always admired the ease with which Raj conducted himself in their company while I hesitated to be in their midst for too long.”

Dilip Kumar also recalled instances when Raj Kapoor tried his best to introduce him to girls. In one of the instances, Raj Kapoor offered a lift to two Parsi girls while on a tonga ride with Dilip Kumar.

Elaborating on how he adjusted for the girl sitting next to him while Raj did nothing of the sort, Dilip Kumar said, “I made ample space for the girl to sit comfortably while Raj did nothing of the sort.

He had the girl sitting very close to him and, after a minute, they were talking like long-lost friends. Raj had his hand around the girl’s shoulder and she was not in the least bothered. While I began to squirm with embarrassment, Raj was chatting away merrily. They alighted at the Radio Club and I heaved a sigh of relief.

It was Raj’s way of getting me to feel relaxed in the company of women. He was a natural charmer and he was anything but shy. Yet he was not disrespectful or uncouth. He was plain mischievous.”

“I remember an occasion when Raj tested my guts by telling me that a beautiful girl studying in the college wanted to be introduced to me and he pointed to one standing some distance away. He urged me to go and speak to her. There were quite a few boys and girls around us and Raj kept on urging me to walk up to her.”

Dilip further said in his book that he was embarrassed to do so, but Raj Kapoor tried his best to set up a suitable scenario. However, before Dilip Kumar could speak, she walked away.

On Raj Kapoor’s birth anniversary, we revisit what Dilip Kumar had said about his charming ways around girls; even at the time when they were in college.