Prem Sagar
, son of the legendary filmmaker Ramanand Sagar, opened up about the profound bond between the Kapoor clan and his father. In a heartwarming account to
ETimes
, Prem revealed how Raj Kapoor‘s father, Prithviraj Kapoor, extended a helping hand to Ramanand Sagar during his struggling days by offering him a job at
Prithvi Theatre
, giving him Rs 500, and helping him join Shalimar Studio in Pune. This gesture marked the beginning of a lifelong friendship between the two families.
According to Prem, Raj Kapoor sought his father’s guidance for a love story that could unite him with Nargis on screen. Prithviraj Kapoor directed Raj to Ramanand Sagar, stating, “There’s only one man who could help you, and that’s Ramanand Sagar.”
At the time, Sagar was staying in an attic in Malad, accessible only by traversing a jungle from Andheri West. Determined, Raj Kapoor made the journey to meet him. Ramanand Sagar narrated a story he had written in Lahore, which later become the iconic Barsaat. “Papaji told him, ‘I have an ideal love story with all the Navrasas described by Bharat Muni. I wrote it in Lahore and brought it with me during the partition,'” Prem recalled. The narration moved Raj Kapoor to tears, and the project was greenlit.
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Released in 1949, Barsaat became a monumental success, earning Rs 1.25 crore at the box office – equivalent to approximately Rs 700 crore today. The film not only established Raj Kapoor and Nargis as an iconic on-screen pair but also brought Kashmir’s scenic beauty to the forefront of Indian cinema.
Ramanand Sagar was paid Rs 7000 for penning the story, which he used to buy a modest flat of 625 sq. ft. in the Bhatia building where his family lived for 20 years and struggled their way up. Raj Kapoor remained an integral part of the Sagar family, attending all their functions and maintaining a close bond until the end.
“Raj Kapoor had great respect for Papaji and my mother Lilavati. He always did a dandak pranam whenever he met my mother. Raj Kapoor attended all our family functions. He was family,” Prem concluded.