Rishi Kapoor: I was inspired by Dawood Ibrahim

Rishi Kapoor reveals shocking details of his meeting with Dawood IbrahimNew Delhi Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor who among his many candid confessions about his life via his book Khullam Khulla has opened up about a past meeting with Indias most wanted fugitive Dawood Ibrahim says he has no regrets about having met the underworld donIn an interview on India Today TV Rishi Kapoor was asked by anchor Rajdeep Sardesai about his meeting with Ibrahim in Dubai in 1988What was regretful about it Rishi retortedHe narrated how when he had landed in Dubai for a show with RD Burman Asha Bhosle and Bittu Anand a person came to him with a phone and said Bhai baat karengeHe invited me over for tea I went to his house thinking there was nothing wrong because he is just a fugitive he had not done the menace Rishi saidWhen his comment was interrupted by Sardesai with but he Dawood was still a criminal Rishi said So what I meet so many criminals in my life Maybe I am also a criminal but I may have not committed any serious crime But yes as an actor I thought I would like to know his storyI did so much of him in DDay I was inspired by him for playing that roleRishi said he had a couple of cups of tea with Dawood in their around four hourlong meetingHe also said that he didnt think he would get justice in IndiaThe meeting happened before the 1993 Mumbai blasts But he was still a criminal wanted by the lawRishi said there was nothing wrong at all in meeting Dawood as he feels he can derive inspiration from these kind of people for films sometimesHe just asked me for tea and even said Sorry I didnt call you in the evening for a drink because I dont drinkAsked if he is still in touch with the don Rishi said No there is no contactThe veteran actor who belongs to Bollywoods famed Kapoor family also ruled out any underworld connect with the presentday film industryI dont think we have any connect with underworld We are a clean system with corporate money and bank finances nowBut Bollywood had strong underworld links in the 1990sMaybe so he said and then narrated how Dawood had sent one representative to his Mumbai house to pay condolence a day after his father Raj Kapoor had died in June 1988He said Dawood was a great admirer of his father a legendary actor and filmmakerDid Dawood buy him any giftsNever But he offered me and asked me Can I get you something I said No why would you get me anything I can afford what I wantFurther justifying his meeting with Dawood Rishi said I am not a hypocrite theres nothing wrong with having met him People go to prisons to meet criminals I met him in a foreign country By that time he had not gone against our country at least not done something as grave as he did later