Mumbai, Sep 4 : Filmmaker Rakesh Roshan has remembered his good friend and late star Rishi Kapoor on his 73rd birth anniversary on Thursday and said that his 'spirit still lives.'

Rakesh took to Instagram, where he shared a picture featuring him alongside his close friends, veteran star Jeetendra and late icon Rishi, who was fondly called as Chintu.

'Chintu your spirit still lives. Happy Birthday!' Rakesh wrote as the caption.

Rakesh, Rishi and Jeetendra collaborated for the film 'Aap Ke Deewane', which was released in 1980. The film was presented by Rakesh Roshan and directed by Surendera Mohan. It stars Rishi Kapoor, Rakesh Roshan and Tina Munim, while Jeetendra gave a guest appearance.

Rishi Kapoor and Jeetendra being off-screen friends of his, he had a song put in to ensure that the three get together on screen too, as Jeetendra did not have a role in the film and is present only in the song.

Rakesh's son Hrithik Roshan, who was six years old at the time of filming the movie, appears briefly in Aap Ke Deewane as the child-version of the character otherwise played by his father, sharing his tricycle with another child on a beach.

Rishi Kapoor was diagnosed with leukemia in 2018 and went to New York City for treatment. After successful treatment for a year, he returned to India a year later. However, he was admitted to Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital on 29 April 2020 owing to breathing difficulties. He died on 30 April 2020 from recurrence of leukemia.

Neetu and Rishi Kapoor got married in 1980. The couple have two children, Ranbir Kapoor and Riddhima Kapoor.

Talking about Rakesh, in April he announced Hrithik's directorial debut with 'Krrish 4' as he passed the baton of a franchise that he shaped and nurtured in the past 22 years.

The film is being produced by Yash Raj Films in association with Rakesh Roshan. The Indian superstar Hrithik Roshan will be swinging between the two departments of direction and acting for the film as he essays the titular superhero in the franchise. The shooting for the film is set to begin early next year.

/IANS