The young artistes of Jaipur fondly remembered the “Shahenshah” of cinema Raj Kapoor at his 19th death anniversary on June 2, by rendering evergreen songs from different films in their voice. The cultural evening, organized in the auditorium of the Pink City Press Club (PCPC), began with Prakash Panwar singing ‘Diwana leke aaya hai…’. Photo journalist Surendra Paras sang ‘Mere man ki Ganga…’; Manoj Manmani lent his voice for ‘Kabhi khud pe kabhi halaat pe…’; Md. Shahid sang ‘Pyar diwana hota hai …’, Madhu Bhat crooned ‘Zindagi pyar ka geet hai …’, Divya Khoobchandani lent her voice for ‘Ajeeb dastaan hai …’; and Vandana and Prakash Panwar paid musical tribute to the late Raj Kapoor through a duet ‘Jo vaada kiya …’ under the musical direction of S Babloo. Rajaram Meel, president, Rajasthan Jaat Mahasabha, was the chief guest at the cultural evening compered by Vikram Garhwali and Madhu Bhat.

It may be added that according to an assessment by the Appreciation Department of an American University, during the last 56 years, RK Film’s Awara was seen by the largest number of viewers on video and satellite TV. On its first showing, the film earned immense popularity only in Soviet Russia, China and the Gulf countries, but the Western countries have appreciated the film only now. The film has been quite popular with all classes of people all over the world.

Awara, produced in 1951, embalmed the wounded souls of the Soviet people, who had heavily suffered during World War II. They liked the film’s hero who sings ‘Zakhmon se bhara seena hai mera, hansti hai magar ye mast nazar …’and ‘Duniya mein tere teer ka ya taqdeer ka maara hoon, aawa ra hoon.’ The film’s music fuses the sweetness of the East with the symphony of the West.

The film, in a court scene, portrayed three generations: Basesharnath (Prithviraj’s father) in role of judge along with Prithviraj and Raj Kapoor. Likewise, the later Kal, Aaj Aur Kal too portrayed three generations: Prithviraj, Raj Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor . Interestingly, the RK Films, during the last 19 years, through their video and satellite rights sold at a larger amount every five years, have earned more than all the films produced during the entire lifetime of Raj Kapoor. The old films are a gold-mine for the descendants. R.K. Studio in Mumbai, which bears a deserted look now, needs to be revived as a hub of producing socially-relevant films as ever in the past: a genuine tribute to the memory of the late Raj Kapoor.