As the Kapoor family celebrates what would have been Raj Kapoor’s 100th birthday with screenings of his iconic films, a post featuring an excerpt from his thoughts on the 1978 film Satyam Shivam Sundaram has gone viral. The excerpt reveals Kapoor’s controversial views on the female body, which has stirred debate.
The excerpt, shared as part of the celebrations, shines a light on Kapoor’s complex and often contentious perspective on women. It specifically discusses the character of Roopa, the daughter of a temple priest, focusing on her scar and notably her “big breasts,” a feature that Kapoor claims “haunted” him. The post also refers to a 1986 interview in which Kapoor explained his fixation on women, linking it to his childhood relationship with his mother, whom he described as young, beautiful, and possessing sharp Pathan features.
The excerpt has sparked significant controversy, with many users on Reddit calling it “disturbing” and expressing difficulty processing it. Although the authenticity of the excerpt is uncertain, Kapoor’s portrayal of women in his films has long been criticized for its sexualized and provocative lens. Film historian SMM Ausaja notes the iconic yet controversial image of the “woman in white” in Kapoor’s films, such as Ram Teri Ganga Maili, which attracted much criticism. Meanwhile, Amrit Gangar offers a more nuanced view, describing Kapoor as an inventive showman and sensitive artist who sought to portray the complex roles of “mother” and “wife” through his female characters, whom he believed were multifaceted, not one-dimensional.
