Raj Kapoor The Showman

Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM honoured the ultimate show-man, superstar and legend Raj Kapoor on his 24th death anniversary on 2nd June by screening ‘Awara’, one of the most iconic movies in Indian cinema at PVR Oberoi, Goregaon. Through the popular retro show Purani Jeans with Anmol, Radio Mirchi brings forth to the listeners the enigma of Raj Kapoor. The man who created ground-breaking movies, defined romance on celluloid, made millions swoon to his charm and dance to his steps came alive on the big screen. Present for the special screening were the Kapoor Brothers Randhir Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor, Yashpal Sharma, Amrita Rao, Gulshal Devaiah, Payal Rohatgi amongst the others. Lucky Mirchi listeners got the chance to witness the splendor and magic of this magnum opus on the big screen!

The Raj Kapoor classic – starring himself, Prithviraj Kapoor and Nargis – is one the most celebrated films worldwide and has been included in Time magazine’s All Time 100 list of the greatest films made since 1923.

Welcoming the Kapoor brothers for the screening, the audience present at PVR hummed the evergreen song ‘Awara Hoon’ from the movie Awara - the song that has become synonym with the actor Raj Kapoor.

Speaking on the screening of Awara, Randhir Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor said, “Raj Kapoor is truly an evergreen legend! There is no actor like Raj Kapoor today. He in his movie said, ‘The show must go on!’ And even after 60 years people watch and appreciate his films. Till the time people love him, he will always be with us. He is eternal for us. The movie Awara was one of its kind. To reproduce the same magic on silver screen will be impossible.”

RJ Anmol and Purani Jeans have always treated the Mirchi fans and lovers of the golden era with special surprises and engaging initiatives like the Purani Jeans Film Festival, tribute to legends series and even airing the show personally from listeners’ homes through Anmol Pahuncha Aapke Ghar. Mirchi yet again delighted the fans with this exceptional tribute that kick-started with Rajeev Kapoor coming on the Mirchi airwaves on ‘Purani Jeans’ as he treated RJ Anmol and the listeners with special anecdotes about the legend. For three days the Mirchi listeners got the exclusive chance to hear some hitherto unheard aspects of Raj Kapoor as Anmol guided them on a musical journey of melodious gems from his films. The nostalgic trip culminated into a grand celebratory occasion with the screening of ‘Awara’ in the presence of the near and dear ones of Raj Kapoor and none other than Bollywood’s first family as Mirchi listeners indulge in this memorable cinematic experience along with the stars.

And that’s not all. In the weeks to come, Purani Jeans will also pay homage to the musical maestros of yesteryears in a special series called ‘Agar Tum Na Hote’ , where prominent singers and eminent celebrities from the music fraternity like Shaan, Shreya Ghoshal, Swanand Kirkire and Shantanu Moitra will come on the Mirchi airwaves and pay a musical tribute to their own idols of the Golden Era.