Raj Kapoor Death Anniversary: ​​This Russian actress worked with Raj Kapoor, where is she today?

'Main Tumse Bahut Pyar Karti Hoon'

When I asked Russian actress and famous ballet dancer Kseniya Rebenkina if you could speak anything in Hindi, she said this line I can speak in response.

Kseniya has worked in Raj Kapoor's famous 1970 film Mera Naam Joker. In the movie, he played the role of a dancer working in a circus who falls in love with Raju (Raj Kapoor).

I thought it would be exciting if we talked to Kseniya about Raj Kapoor and her experience working with him. But it was going to be very difficult to find out about her. Where is she now, what does she do and would she like to talk to me or not, because despite her famous role in 'Mera Naam Joker', Kseniya has disappeared from Hindi films.

This is how the contact happened.

I also tried to get in touch with the Kapoor family and wanted to know from their son and famous actor Rishi Kapoor whether he was in contact with Kseniya. Still, Rishi Kapoor replied that at the moment, he did not have any information related to Kseniya.

Then I contacted the BBC Russian service, and I finally found out the number of Kseniya. I hesitated and messaged her on the phone, asking if she would like to talk to us about Raj Kapoor. Within half an hour of sending the message, her reply came, "I will be pleased to talk about Raj Kapoor, but at the moment I am in Italy and celebrating holidays. You can call me after three-four days. By then I will return to Moscow and talk to you leisurely. " When I called a week later, she spoke to me in very broken English and said, "See, my English is very bad. How can I talk to you? I speak Russian." I replied that you at least speak poor English, but I cannot speak even a single word of the Russian language, so I will be forced to speak in English. I permitted him to speak broken English, which he happily accepted, and our conversation started. Kseniya currently lives in her native Russia, and at the age of 74, she has kept her the hobby of ballet dancing alive.

Meeting Raj Kapoor

Kseniya said that she was 24-25 years old when she met Raj Kapoor for the first time. Raj Kapoor was preparing for 'Mera Naam Joker' and was in Moscow. One evening, he saw Kseniya's ballet dance and was impressed by her. He proposed to Kseniya to act in his film. Kseniya was known by the name of Raj Kapoor because his films 'Awara' and 'Shree 420' were viral in Russia, and their songs used to be humming by the Russian people. Kseniya accepted the offer, and she came to India to shoot.

'Raj Kapoor used to care for everyone.'

Although she did not have a significant role in the film, she considers this experience memorable. She says, "Raj Kapoor used to take great care of everyone on the set. Whether he was a significant artist or a junior on his set, everyone used to get the same treatment, but once the camera was on, they would become very rigid, and until someone got the best Don't give the shot, you were not satisfied. " Kseniya says that the youngsters in Russia now watch Hollywood movies more, but in the 60s and 70s, Raj Kapoor was a big name in Russia, and his films were a big hit there.

Friendship with the Kapoor family

Kseniya left for Russia after shooting for 'Mera Naam Joker' and continued her career in ballet dancing. She also kept in touch with Raj Kapoor and his family.

She says that whenever she comes to India, she meets Raj Kapoor's family. She is very appreciative of hosting the Kapoor family. When he got the news of Raj Kapoor's death in 1988, he was shocked. Kseniya says that even after Raj Kapoor's death, whenever she came to India to attend many film festivals, she would meet Raj Kapoor's sons Randhir, Rishi, and Rajiv Kapoor. In 2009, 39 years after 'Mera Naam Joker', Kseniya Rebenkina played a small role in her son Rishi Kapoor's film Chintu Ji.

'Dharmendra is an amazing handsome person.'

Dharmendra was also playing an essential role in 'Mera Naam Joker'. "Dharmendra was an amazing handsome hero. I am convinced of his smartness," says Kseniya Rebankina. Apart from these, which other Indian artist does she know about? When asked, Kseniya said that she knew filmmaker Satyajit Ray and had seen some of his films. She has also met Satyajit Ray. She also knows Amitabh Bachchan. Apart from this, she is not aware of any other Indian artist.

Finally, I asked if she would like to sing a song for Raj Kapoor? In response, Senya sang a hesitating song, "Live here, die here; go where else."

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