It took 36 years for actor Rishi Kapoor to land a role where he plays, guess what, Rishi Kapoor. In ChintuJi , the romantic hero of the ’70s is Chintu, also his pet name. Incidents from his life have been weaved into the plot and Kapoor mischievously says, “You need to see the film to believe it”.

Dressed casually, Kapoor seems quite flattered to have a movie named after him and about him, and remains unperturbed by issues like whether the film will do well, and if younger audiences would even be interested in a movie on him. “Regardless, it will be one of my most memorable roles,” he said. “I am grateful to Ranjit saab (Ranjit Kapoor) making a film on me at this stage of my life. But the film is about the character’s journey through politics and there are a few strange similarities with my life. The hero of the film however is not me, it is the storyline,” he adds.

Directed by veteran scriptwriter Kapoor, 61, the film also stars Priyanshu Chatterjee and newcomer Kulraj Randhawa with a dance number by Sophie Chaudhary. There is also a small scene between Kapoor and a Russian artist Kseniya Ryabinkina, who played a Russian trapeze artist in the ’70s film Mera Naam Joker who falls in love with his father

Raj Kapoor in the film. “We are meeting after nearly 40 years and she plays a pivotal role in the film in defining my character,” says Kapoor.

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