How Rishi Kapoor fell in love with Neetu Singh while wooing his then girlfriend

If one makes a list of the most popular couples of Bollywood, Rishi and Neetu Kapoor's name would feature right at the top.

The evergreen couple not just captured the imagination of millions of fans with their hit films but their offscreen love story as well.

Married for over three decades, Neetu Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor's love story is a typical Bollywood film in itself.

The two met while working on a film called shooting of 1974 movie 'Zehreela Insaan'. It wasn't love at first sight, the two have admitted in later years. In an interview, Rishi Kapoor had recalled, “I remember I had an argument with my girlfriend at the time and I was very heartbroken. Trying to win her back, I had taken Neetu’s help in writing telegrams to my girlfriend while the two of us were shooting for ‘Zehreela Insaan'."

“As time passed, I began to realise that Neetu is the one for me as I began to miss her when I had gone to Europe for a shoot. Ironically, I sent her a telegram from Europe to Kashmir saying that I was thinking of her,” he had added.

Neetu, on the other hand, found him a bully and hated him initially. "I had a horrible first meeting with Rishi Kapoor. He had a habit of bullying, so he would comment on my make-up and clothes, and I'd feel so angry. He was actually a brat who would bully everyone and I was very young at that time. I used to be furious with him," Neetu said.

Love did happen eventually and the two starred in some popular films like 'Kabhi Kabhi', 'Khel Khel Mein' and 'Amar Akbar Anthony'.

Neetu also remembers that her over protective mother would send her cousin with her when she met Rishi Kapoor on dates. "I don't remember the exact moment. But I had signed a lot of movies. I was starting to gain confidence. My mother was very protective of me and used to send my cousin Lovely on my dinner dates with Rishi," said Neetu.

The actress quit acting after she got married to Rishi Kapoor in January 1980 and the couple had their first child Ridhima in September that year. Two years later they had their son Ranbir. Neetu states that she wanted to leave acting as she had to work in films since her childhood and wanted a break from it all and concentrate on her kids. She eventually made her comeback in 'Do Dooni Chaar' in 2010 opposite her husband.

The couple, despite a few years of trouble in between, remained by each other's side through thick and thin. When Rishi was diagnosed with Cancer in 2018, the couple moved base to New York and Neetu stayed by her husband's side throughout.

On Thursday, Neetu Kapoor not only lost her husband, but her companion and friend of mmore than forty years.