Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tributes to celebrated actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor on his 100th birth anniversary, hailing him as "the eternal showman". He said in a social media post, "Today, we mark the 100th birth anniversary of the legendary Raj Kapoor, a visionary filmmaker, actor and the eternal showman! His genius transcended generations, leaving an indelible mark on Indian and global cinema."
The prime minister had recently met members of the Kapoor family, which has produced several successful actors, to commemorate his legacy. Born on this day in 1924 in what was then undivided India and is now part of Pakistan, Kapoor was the son of stalwart actor Prithviraj Kapoor and grew to become not only a successful actor but also one of the greatest filmmakers of the Hindi film cinema.
His screen portrayal of a common man wedded to working-class values coupled with an eye for talent in various aspects of film-making, not least in music, created a popular cinema that won the hearts of people in India as well as abroad.
