Dimple Kapadia reveals she had leprosy when she was 12, Raj Kapoor was intrigued

Dimple Kapadia has revealed that she had leprosy when she was 12. The veteran actress said that the leprosy had just started around her elbow and a famous director had threatened her of getting 'ostracised' from school. Speaking at FICCI Flo Jaipur Chapter, the Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo actress said that at the time she didn't even know the meaning of the word but was scared.

Leprosy at 12

"I was suffering from leprosy at that time. I was about 12 years old. I had it in my elbow. So this man, turned around and said, I'll see that you get ostracised from school'. That was the first time I heard that word. I didn't even know what that meant," Dimple said at the event. However, Dimple's father, Chunnibhai Kapadia, was an influential man and got to meet Raj Kapoor who was looking for a young girl to be cast in Bobby.

Raj Kapoor was intrigued

"Raj Kapoor wanted to meet this girl. He was told there is this beautiful girl and she is suffering from leprosy. Out of this kind of a setback, there was a lot to gain and that's how I got Bobby. It was the most fabulous time of my life. Anything that I said or wanted or desired, just happened. It was magical. Absolutely magical," she said at the event.

Dimple also revealed that while Raj Kapoor felt that she was quite beautiful, he wasn't too sure about casting her in Bobby at first. Kapadia said that Kapoor honcho felt that she looked older than Rishi Kapoor and thus took his time. However, the actress kept writing 'ram' on a notebook several times and eventually got the call back from Raj Kapoor confirming her lead role.