Randhir Kapoor and Babita Shivdasani’s marriage was one of those rocky ones. However, their love story has a lot of sweetness in it and is special for the reason that many a good thing came out of it, including the two lovely ladies that Bollywood is proud of – Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor.
Once upon a time, when a young and handsome Randhir Kapoor set his heart on the beautiful Babita Shivdasani, he did not realise that he would be setting new trends in the Kapoor household. At the time, such relationships were not allowed in the Kapoor clan, since the Kapoor men simply did not marry actresses. But it seems that many rules changed with Randhir and his love for Babita.
When Love Struck!
Cupid struck when the two worked together in their romantic flicks. Babita, who was veteran actress Sadhana’s niece and actor Hari Shivdasani’s daughter, was apparently a devoted but dominating girlfriend. Kapoor was so in love with her that he went to great lengths to get Babita and his dad the great Raj Kapoor, to bond. His plan was to cast Babita opposite himself in the movie Kal Aaj Aur Kal made by his grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor and dad Raj Kapoor.
In a way, his plan worked as the film was a great success and their crackling chemistry was noticed by many including his father. Still, the elder Kapoor approved of Babita as his heroine but not as a bahu. However, Randhir had set the ball rolling for now.
The two continued their affair secretly. However, Babita wanted to know where the relationship was heading towards. She therefore gave an ulitmatum to Randhir Kapoor, the date being January 1972. Well, it was do or die for this lover boy as he set out to confront his father on the biggest decision of his life.
Sacred Matrimony
We all know that Randhir was successful in convincing his dad as the two tied the knot in the November of 1971, much before his ultimatum date. The marriage was a grand affair, naturally, attended by the who’s who of the film industry.
However, one of the side effects of the shaadi was that Babita had to quit her blossoming acting career.
Trouble in Paradise
The two lovers were still happy to be united in holy matrimony. They lived at their sprawling Marble Arch flat in Napean Sea Road. However, unfortunately for them, this happiness did not last very long. By the time their first little one Karisma Kapoor, was born (1974), there appeared the first cracks of the marriage. Randhir’s declining interest in his film career and his alcoholism got to his pretty wife, who, like any other girl, could not endure it any longer. However, like most married couples, the husband and wife were trying to deal with their issues and make things better for their family.
By the time their second daughter, Kareena Kapoor, arrived in the September of 1980, things had gotten worse for these two. While Babita was bitter and to the end of her tether, Randhir sank deeper into the clutches of alocohol. At the time, there was also a rumour that Babita became close to a male friend, which further frustrated the lovelorn Kapoor.
Separation
In the mid-’80s, Babita asked Randhir to leave their home and get out of her life. Kapoor went back to his parents’ home in Deonar and Babita rolled up her sleeves to bring up two daughters on her own. News is that the Kapoor bahu also resented her in-laws for not trying to put their son back on the right track. She also cut ties with the rest of the Kapoors and isolated herself and her girls. This apparently was a rude shock to Randhir who tried his best to mend things between them but alas it was all too late.
The Kapoor Girls
We all know how the Kapoor girls took hold of their careers and their lives with complete success. Defying the myth about Kapoor ladies not pursuing an acting career, the next gen girls were hellbent to make a name for themselves and so they did!
Karisma and Kareena did not cut ties with their dad and through the years, managed to smooth things between their parents. We know that the senior Kapoor, is till today, a major factor in their lives. It is true when they say that children are sometimes the magnets that bring their parents together, come what may. It seems like this happened for the Kapoors, to the relief of their near and dear ones.
During Kareena Kapoor’s marriage with Saif Ali Khan, the senior Kapoor spoke about his wife. He said, “Babita is happy where she is. We are certainly together, it is just that we decided to stay separately. She is still my wife and I am her husband.”
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