Jaipur (Rajasthan), March 9: Fashion designer Riddhima Kapoor recalled her memorable meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sharing how it was a momentous day for her, one she had waited a decade to experience.
Riddhima met PM Modi in December last year in New Delhi to extend an invitation to him for the celebration of legendary actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor’s 100th birth anniversary. During the ongoing IIFA 2025 silver jubilee celebrations in Jaipur, she reflected on the encounter, saying, “It was an amazing experience. He is magnetic. It was nice to meet him. I had waited for 10 years and it was a big day for me.”
Her husband Bharat Sahni also shared a heartfelt detail about the gift Riddhima presented to PM Modi. “She made something for him 10 years ago, which she gave as a present. It was touching,” he mentioned.
Members of the Kapoor family, including Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, were also present during the interaction.
During their brief meeting, PM Modi expressed admiration for Raj Kapoor’s lasting impact on Indian cinema, sharing an anecdote about the influence films had during the era. “I remember the impact of films in those days. It was during the Jana Sangh era, and there was an election in Delhi. After the party lost, Advaniji and Atalji said, ‘What should we do now?’ Then they decided, ‘Let’s watch a movie.’ They went to watch Raj Kapoor’s Phir Subah Hogi,” the Prime Minister recalled.
PM Modi also shared a personal memory involving Ranbir Kapoor’s late father, Rishi Kapoor. “When I was in China, a song by your father was being played. I told my colleagues to record it on their phones, and I sent it to Rishiji. He was so delighted by it,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister also reflected on Raj Kapoor’s significant role in establishing Indian cinema’s global influence, long before the concept of “soft power” became widely recognized.