Rishi Kapoor: Bollywood’s quintessential dandy

Redefining 70s and 80s style - Rishi Kapoor was a true sartorial risk-taker with an incredible style carriage

From rocking oversized sunglasses in Bobby (1973) to effortlessly slipping into the period costumes of Laila Majnu (1976) to putting the blazers on the map in Doosra Aadmi (1977) , actor Rishi Kapoor redefined sartorial finesse in Bollywood over decades. Be it straight-out-of-the-school lad attires in Bobby or his iconic bell bottoms in Hum Kisise Kum Nahin (1977) or sweaters in Chandni (1989) or the charming cross-dressing act in Rafoo Chakkar (1975), he truly ushered in a distinctive style vocabulary for several generations of audiences.

Designer Manish Malhotra shares, “He was my most favourite actor and his films and songs are irreplaceable. He had a strong inherent sense of style - be it his bell bottoms or oversized sunglasses. For the classic song, Oh Hansini featuring him and Moushumi Chatterjee, he had picked up a pair of black pants from Brussels and later on, he realised that they were actually ladies’ pants. In the film, Hum Kisise Kum Nahin, the red locket heart he wore with the white outfit was borrowed from a friend of his. All in all, his style was blasé and enigmatic. Raj Kapoor was the metaphor for the timeless style which Rishi so seamlessly inherited. He had a tremendous carriage with clothes and wore everything with ease. Be it Deedar-E-Yaar (1982) or Laila Majnu or Sargam (1979) - each role was quite look-oriented yet very different from each other and he pulled it off with a lot of panache. Later on, sweaters and pullovers became a core part of his style. He also worked with the maximum numbers of newcomers like Urmila. His ivory shirt, pants and waistcoat combo remains epic and so does his Charlie Chaplin act in Naseeb (1981). Over the years, his personal style evolved and he was seen cutting a fine figure in an array of black and navy suits.”

Rishi Kapoor wore oversized sunglasses in the film Bobby (1973)

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Rishi continued to follow his own style rules in the eighties. His obsession with colourful, loud, sweaters and Jumpers, became signature Kapoor. And once again aspirational and trendy for his male audience.

“The ultimate romantic hero he would reunite with his ‘Bobby’ Dimple Kapadia in her comeback vehicle, Sagar and they set the screen ablaze once again. He was an absolute original both - on and off the screen. Never one to shy away from speaking his mind, refreshingly candid. His remarkable versatility as an actor, the sheer range of his performances, decade after decade. There will never be another like him,” says designer Sandeep Khosla.

Designer Suneet Varma shares that Rishi ji was his first crush. “His polka dotted shirt in Bobby became the go-to outfit for every romeo in India. He truly made polka dots relevant for men of that era. His oversized mufflers in Khel Khel Mein (1975) remain epochal. Also, the love affair between him and denims is worth mentioning here. His short leather jackets, argyle print sweaters, wearing ankle-length boots with bell bottoms and accessorising with big broad belts and brooches, his beret caps and scarves remain etched in everyone’s mind. When he was younger, he had a preppy, old English boy look and he would sport slim ties and then his style just evolved. I could still picture him dancing in Karz and one could tell you weren’t looking at a star, it didn’t look like that he had been outfitted for a movie. There was a sense of youthfulness to his dressing,” says Suneet.

Stylist Ami Patel seconds that. “His disco look in Karz comes to mind first as in those days when fashion was not out there like it is today. He pretty much defined the 70s and he wore clothes and clothes didn’t wear him. He was a bold dresser and also a risk-taker. How many men could rock printed sweaters or a tartan suit? Style arbiters will always look up to him as far as the history of Indian fashion is concerned as cinema is so indelibly linked with fashion,” says Ami.

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