Rishi Kapoor was born as Rishi Raj Kapoor on 4 September 1952 in Bombay, Bombay State, India (now Mumbai, Maharashtra). He was the son of legendary actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor and Krishna Raj Kapoor and belonged to the renowned Kapoor family of Indian cinema.
He made his first screen appearance as a child in his father Raj Kapoor's film Shree 420 (1955). He later played the younger version of his father's character in Mera Naam Joker (1970), a performance that earned him the National Film Award for Best Child Artist.
Rishi Kapoor made his debut as a leading actor with Bobby (1973) opposite Dimple Kapadia. The film became a major success and established him as one of the leading romantic stars of the 1970s. His youthful image and romantic performances earned him enormous popularity, and he became one of the defining "chocolate boy" stars of Hindi cinema.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, he appeared in successful films such as Khel Khel Mein, Rafoo Chakkar, Laila Majnu, Sargam, Karz, Prem Rog, Saagar, and Chandni. His pairing with actresses including Dimple Kapadia, Neetu Singh, Sridevi, and others produced many memorable films and songs.
In the later part of his career, Rishi Kapoor successfully moved into character and supporting roles, earning praise for films such as Hum Tum, Namastey London, Love Aaj Kal, Agneepath, D-Day, Kapoor & Sons, 102 Not Out, and The Body. This transition demonstrated his versatility beyond his earlier romantic-hero image.
Rishi Kapoor was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2018 and spent a significant period receiving treatment in New York before returning to Mumbai in 2019. He died in Mumbai on 30 April 2020 at the age of 67 after a two-year battle with the disease.