When Ranbir Kapoor Recalled The 'Very Scary' Holi Parties Of Raj Kapoor, 'Sabko Truck Mein...'

Raj Kapoor was not only an ace filmmaker and actor — he was known as one of the most legendary party hosts as well. For several years, the Kapoor family used to host grand parties at RK Studios, attended by the who’s who of Bollywood. However, it might not have been such a fun experience for his grandson, Ranbir Kapoor. As we head towards the festival of colours, let’s look back to the time when Ranbir shared some amusing anecdotes from Raj Kapoor’s iconic Holi parties, also revealing why they used to scare him.

Ranbir Kapoor on Raj Kapoor’s legendary Holi Parties

Ahead of Raj Kapoor’s 100th birthday party in December 2024, Ranbir Kapoor attended the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), paying a special tribute to his legendary grandfather. During his conversation at the event with filmmaker, Rahul Rawail, Ranbir spoke about Raj Kapoor’s legendary Holi parties at RK Studios. These celebrations were monumental events in Bollywood, bringing together the biggest names from the film industry, from superstars like Amitabh Bachchan and Nargis to production staff and crew members.

While these parties were known for their grand scale and unfiltered fun, Ranbir revealed that, as a child, he found them overwhelming, and sometimes even frightening. Ranbir recalled how the celebrations were so vibrant and chaotic that it was hard to recognise anyone. He shared:

“I was really young, so it was a very scary environment for me. Everyone was coloured in black and many other colours, sabko aise truck mai fenka jaa raha hai. You might have better memories, I guess… You were right about that, sab kaale neele peele hote the. It used to be a day celebration."

Despite his occasional dislike for these parties during his childhood, Ranbir fondly acknowledged how those gatherings were rare moments of unity. The party was attended not only by Bollywood’s stalwarts but also by other crew members, including cameramen and production personnel, and they all used to celebrate together. The Animal actor recalled:

“What I have heard is that not just the actors and actresses, it was everybody in the film industry. Even the people working in camera, production, everybody used to come and celebrate together." 

Why Raj Kapoor stopped hosting the Holi Parties

As the crowds grew larger and harder to control, Raj Kapoor eventually had to discontinue hosting the Holi parties. The open-door policy that once made the celebrations famous also became their downfall, as the joyous chaos turned into an unmanageable crowd. Rahul Rawail, who himself attended those parties, reflected on why they were stopped and shared:

“Gradually, why those parties stopped was because it became too much of a crowd. It was unmanageable because anyone used to just walk in."

Raj Kapoor’s cinematic legacy

Raj Kapoor was an iconic figure in Indian cinema who delivered several blockbusters even before turning 30, including Andaz, Barsaat, and Awaara. He directed hits like Bobby and pioneered Indian films globally, with Awaara and Boot Polish competing at Cannes. 

Raj Kapoor has helped shape Bollywood's storytelling, influencing future filmmakers like Yash Chopra and Manmohan Desai. While his legacy remains unmatched in Indian cinema, the industry also can’t help but miss his iconic Holi parties.

Also Read: Raveena Tandon's Nasty Dig At Ajay Devgn For Cheating On Her With Karisma, 'Babies Will Look Zebra'

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