Ranbir Kapoor’s uncle had everything to become Bollywood superstar, but fate had other plans. Later, he got 'addicted' to alcohol. Divorced wife after 2 years, lived alone and died at just 58

Rajiv Kapoor, the youngest son of legendary filmmaker Raj Kapoor and the younger brother of Randhir Kapoor and late actor Rishi Kapoor, was born into one of Bollywood's most celebrated families. Fondly known as "Chimpu", he became an overnight star with his father's 1985 blockbuster Ram Teri Ganga Maili. However, despite the film's huge success, Rajiv could not turn his early popularity into lasting stardom. He later moved behind the camera as a producer and director, but his career and personal life took several difficult turns.

Born in August 1962, Rajiv always wanted to become a leading actor. However, his father reportedly had different plans for him and wanted him to focus on filmmaking. According to reports, film critic Jayprakash Chouksey had revealed that Raj Kapoor advised his son several times to choose direction over acting. Rajiv, however, decided to follow his own path and entered the film industry as an actor.

Rajiv Kapoor became a star with Ram Teri Ganga Maili

Ranbir Kapoor's uncle made his acting debut with Ek Jaan Hain Hum in 1983. He subsequently appeared in films including Aasmaan, Lover Boy and Zabardast. While these projects gave him opportunities to establish himself, none could match the success that came his way with Ram Teri Ganga Maili.


Directed by Raj Kapoor, the 1985 film became a major box-office success and turned Rajiv into a popular star almost overnight. For a brief period, it appeared that another member of the Kapoor family had emerged as a leading man.



However, the success did not continue. His subsequent films failed to create the same impact, and Rajiv struggled to find roles that could establish him as a consistent Bollywood star. The expectations created by Ram Teri Ganga Maili also made it difficult for him to maintain his position in the industry.

Rajiv eventually decided to explore filmmaking. He took on production responsibilities and later directed Prem Granth, which starred his brother Rishi Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit. The film attempted to bring the emotional drama and scale associated with the Kapoor family's filmmaking tradition. However, it did not perform well commercially.

Marriage, alcohol struggle and a life away from the spotlight

Rajiv's professional difficulties were accompanied by challenges in his personal life. He married architect Aarti Sabharwal in 2001. Their marriage, however, lasted only two years before the couple divorced.

In the years that followed, Rajiv largely stayed away from the limelight. Reports have also spoken about his struggle with alcohol dependence and declining health.

In a 2025 interview with Vickey Lalwani, actor Khushbu Sundar spoke about Rajiv's final years and said his addiction to alcohol had become a serious concern.

She recalled, "He did have a heart issue, but because of his addiction to alcohol, we knew that it could create a huge problem. We were not successful in making him quit this habit. He (Rajiv) was keeping extremely low. He had a major issue with his knee, so he underwent a couple of surgeries. But that didn’t help him at all. We were definitely aware that Chimpu was unwell. I was in Bombay when Chimpu died. I was informed about his death by Boney Kapoor. He called me and said, ‘Chimpu is no more’. It came as a rude shock to me."


She said she had spoken to him just a day before his death, when he was suffering from a high fever during the Covid-19 period.

She recalled Rajiv remaining cheerful despite being unwell and said that he had promised they would meet soon. His sudden death therefore came as a major shock to her and those who knew him.

Rajiv Kapoor died at 58, final film released after his death

Rajiv Kapoor died on February 9, 2021, at the age of 58 after suffering a heart attack. His death marked the end of a career that had begun with the promise of a major Bollywood star but eventually took him in a very different direction.

Despite stepping away from the spotlight, Rajiv continued to have a connection with the film industry. His final acting project was Toolsidas Junior, which was released in 2022, more than a year after his death. The film was received positively and gave audiences one final opportunity to see the actor on screen.

Rajiv's journey remains one of the more bittersweet stories from the Kapoor family. He had the surname, a legendary filmmaker for a father and a major blockbuster early in his career. Yet sustaining that success proved difficult. His move into direction, failed marriage, health struggles and battle with alcohol eventually overshadowed the stardom he had briefly achieved.