Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor's demise on Thursday, April 30, has left the entire nation in a state of grief. He was aged 67 and survived by his wife Neetu Kapoor, daughter Riddhima Kapoor and actor-son Ranbir Kapoor.
Rishi was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and underwent treatment in New York for close to a year. He returned to India in September last year after he was announced 'free of cancer'. During the long months of treatment in the US, Neetu stood by him all throughout the tough times.
Back then in an interview with Times Now, the yesteryear actress had opened up on his battle with cancer and how the family dealt with it.
'I was devastated, my kids were devastated'
Talking about her first reaction when Rishi was diagnosed with cancer and how she dealt with it, Neetu had said: "My first reaction was, obviously very bad, I was devastated, my kids were devastated. We didn't know what to do.
But then we thought to ourselves that this is it, we have to deal with it. Where he (Rishi) is concerned, he was in denial. For 4-5 months, he was not himself. I think when you start accepting that this is your issue, then you are stronger. I feel he is much stronger for the past, maybe 5-6 months."
Ranbir's mother further added that during the course of treatment, she turned a mother to Rishi. "Mujhe laga, I became his mother. Like, like he was my third child...khana, sona, dawaiyaan...jaise bacche ko look after karte hain. I just became a mother. A mother wants to do the best," said an almost choking Neetu.
There were times when Rishi didn't want to eat anything for several days and Neetu had to trick him to eat. "My worry was when he didn't eat. Around January, I think in every treatment there are days when you don't want to eat...Then I thought what do I make to get him to eat? I used to play tricks around him, talk to the nurse about some restaurant and some good dish they have and then he would chip in saying 'really?, ok let us try that," Neetu concluded.
Rishi Kapoor will be missed by all his fans, RIP sir.
