Pakistani actor Zeba Bakhtiar 'devastated' on learning of Rajiv Kapoor's death: 'I just don’t know what to say'

Pakistani actor Zeba Bakhtiar, who starred in Henna, was shocked to learn of the tragic news of Rajiv Kapoor's demise. Henna was produced by Rajiv.

On Tuesday, Rajiv died at his residence after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 58.

Speaking to Times of India, Zeba said: "I’m absolutely devastated to hear this sudden, very tragic news, I just don’t know what to say. I’m in touch with Daboo (Randhir), who has been through so much these past few years, losing his dear mother and siblings. Recently I was not in touch with (Rajiv) Chimpu directly but asked about him and Daboo always said that he was fine."

Recalling times spent together in 1991 while making their film Henna, Zeba continued: "Rajiv Kapoor, Chimpu, as everyone around him called him, was an adorable person, he was very sweet, sensitive and kind. We spent a lot of time together during the production of ‘Henna’ and had some great times. He had a wonderful sense of humour like all the Kapoors do, my memories with him are all of delightful times, fun and laughter.”

Zeba worked in a few Hindi films after that (with Sanjay Dutt in Jai Vikraanta and Jackie Shroff in Stuntman) but she is best remembered for Henna.

Rajiv was the youngest of late Raj and Krishna Kapoor's children. He made his acting debut in 1983 with Ek Jaan Hain Hum but it was with Ram Teri Ganga Maili that he gained popularity. Post that, he worked in a number of films as an actor - Aasmaan, Zabardast, Lover Boy and Hum To Chale Pardes - none of which met with much success.

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Post that, he took to direction and production. The first film he directed was Madhuri Dixit and Rishi Kapoor-starrer PremGranth.

Analysing his career, he had once said in an interview to Cinestaan, "As far as my career is concerned, Ram Teri Ganga Maili is the best film I did. The other films didn’t do well, but not all were bad. The sad part was that everybody wanted to project me like Shammi Kapoor, because I looked like him."