In picture: Rishi, Rajiv and Randhir Kapoor at the IIFA ceremony
In a warm gesture of welcome to Indian Cinema, the City of Brampton in Ontario, Canada, hosts of the 12th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend and Awards, named a street after the ultimate Showman – Raj Kapoor. Introducing a new street into the infrastructure of the city, when constructed it will be named, the ‘Raj Kapoor Crescent’.
The Mayor of Brampton was present at the ceremony that took place on the main stage of Rose Theatre on the 2nd day of the Videocon d2h IIFA Weekend. She expressed the city’s commitment to honouring the cinematic genius and also presented a replica of the street sign to the Kapoor family.
With a career spanning over five decades, Raj Kapoor achieved great success and became the youngest director of his time at age 24 when he opened his own studio, RK Films. Aptly called ‘The Showman’, Raj Kapoor won a large number of awards and was nominated for the ‘Palme D’or’ at the Cannes Film Festival, which is the highest honour awarded to competing films at the festival.
He was also awarded the ‘Padma Bhushan’ and the ‘Dadasaheb Phalke Award’ for his contributions to Indian Cinema. It is the magnitude of his accomplishments and a symbol of the place he has etched in the hearts of cinema lovers all over the world that this tribute aims to portray.
Text & images: Sify.com
