When I became a journalist Neetu Singh was the first film friend I made way back in the 70s.
We clicked in the very first meeting and have remained friends over the decades. I would often visit her home in Bandra and on her sets, where ever she was shooting. I was familiar with her family and her staff and whenever we met, we had a lot to talk about, which included her boyfriend at that time, Rishi Kapoor.
I wasn’t particularly fond of Kapoor in the good old days. He was a big bully and intimidating everybody without provocation. I often complained about him to Neetu and she always maintained that his arrogance was a façade. She was madly in love with him and whenever she traveled outdoors, she asked me to keep an eye on her boyfriend. Not that I did but that was her way of warning her beloved that he was being watched in her absence. This irritated him naturally and he looked for opportunities to fight with me.
In 1980 when Neetu and he got married however, Rishi Kapoor suddenly dropped all hostility towards me. He was concerned why I was no more coming home to meet his wife and family and now when he bumped into me suddenly at a shooting, he made it a point to smile and say, ‘meri bibi ki dost hai toh ab meri bhi dost banti hai..’
To be concluded…
@bhawanasomaaya