Dalip Tahil on Rajiv Kapoor not facing camera for 30 years: ‘What is all this talk about nepotism?’

Actor Dalip Tahil has opened up on working with his close friend, late actor Rajiv Kapoor for the first time in Toolsidas Junior in a new interview with Hindustan Times. Toolsidas Junior landed online on Netflix on Monday and features Rajiv, Dalip and Sanjay Dutt, among a few others. (Also read: Toolsidas Junior review: Rajiv Kapoor’s final film is a delightful watch)

Recalling how they would often go to bars as friends, Dalip said, “Rajiv and me we had been to several bars in our personal lives. Then, we were doing this scene in Toolsidas where I call him to the bar and get him to drink too much. Rajiv asked me ‘we have done this so many times, but this scene is slightly different, how do we do it?’ I told him that I was feeling the same but we should just relax and pretend…just be ourselves. It was strange and fun.”

Talking about Rajiv, Dalip said, “I had the pleasure of working with my dear friend Chimpu, Rajiv Kapoor, to whom I dedicate this film, who, unfortunately and sadly, will not be here to see how much the audience is going to appreciate him. It was such fun to work with him.”

Recalling Rajiv on sets of the film, Dalip said, “He had so many doubts. He told me ‘I have not faced camera for 30 years’ and I thought ‘what is all this talk about nepotism and aap kiske bacche hain (whose kid are you)? Here was Raj Kapoor’s son, Raj Kapoor the legend and he has not faced the camera for 30 years’. He last worked in Ram Teri Ganga Maili Ho Gayi, which was such a successful film.”

He added, “He (Rajiv) was very excited, and doing a great job after the first few days of nervousness. He was so keen to resurrect his career with Toolsidas Junior but, it is very sad that won’t happen.”

Talking about his role in the film, the actor said, “I love being the antagonist, it is so much more dynamic and also drives the story. I choose my films based on whether the story can be told without my character. I do films only when the story can’t be told without my character.”

Rajiv was supposed to make his onscreen comeback with Toolsidas Junior. However, he died of a heart attack in January last year, before the movie could see a release. He had finished shooting for the film shortly before his death.