Featured BiographyImage source: StarsUnfolded
Quick Info
Date of birth14 December 1924
AgeDied at 63 (2 June 1988)
BirthplacePeshawar
ProfessionActor, Producer and Director
NationalityIndian
Marital statusMarried
SpouseKrishna Kapoor
FamilyFather: Prithviraj Kapoor; Mother: Ramsarni Devi Kapoor; Children: Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor, Ritu Nanda, Rima Jain
Raj Kapoor Biography
Ranbir Raj "Raj" Kapoor was an Indian actor, producer and director widely celebrated for his contributions to Hindi cinema. Born in 1924, he became a major
Early life and backgroundRanbir Raj Kapoor was born on 14 December 1924 and grew up in a family already active in theatre and film. His father was Prithviraj Kapoor and his mother Ramsarni Devi Kapoor. The family hailed from Peshawar. Raj attended St. Xavier's Collegiate School in Kolkata and Colonel Brown Cambridge School in Dehradun. He entered the film world very young, making his debut as a child actor in the drama Inquilab (1935). Before becoming an actor in his own right he worked on film sets in junior roles such as a clap-boy for director Kidar Sharma.
Career
Raj Kapoor rose to prominence as an actor, producer and director and earned the nickname "Showman of Bollywood." In 1948, at age 24, he founded RK Films and made his directorial debut with Aag. Over several decades he wrote, produced, directed and starred in many notable films that established him as one of Indian cinema's defining figures.
He worked frequently with the composer duo Shankar–Jaikishan and with singers such as Mukesh and Manna Dey. Several of his films earned international recognition: Awaara (1951) and Boot Polish (1954) were each nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and his performance in Awaara was later named among Time magazine's top 10 greatest performances. Jagte Raho (1956) won the Crystal Globe at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. He served on the jury at the fourth Moscow International Film Festival in 1965.
Raj Kapoor directed, produced and starred in Mera Naam Joker (1970), a highly ambitious film that was very long for its time and initially failed at the box office but later became regarded as a cult classic. He also produced Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971), which featured several members of his family on screen. Sangam (1964) was his first film in color. Some of his other well-known films include Awaara, Shree 420, Jagte Raho, Chori Chori, Anari and Bobby.
He introduced and promoted many talents in Hindi cinema, giving important breaks to music directors, lyricists and actors. He worked to launch or advance the careers of Shankar–Jaikishan, Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri, and helped introduce actresses and performers such as Dimple Kapadia and Zeenat Aman. Several of his sons—Randhir, Rishi and Rajiv—also entered the film industry, and he cast family members in films such as Kal Aaj Aur Kal.
Public profile
Raj Kapoor was a central figure in Indian film and enjoyed popularity beyond India in places such as China, the Soviet Union and parts of the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. Critics and peers accorded him high honors during and after his lifetime: he won numerous Filmfare awards and National Awards, received the Padma Bhushan, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and other lifetime achievement recognitions, and was later named Best Director of the Millennium by Stardust and Showman of the Millennium by Star Screen Awards. In 1987 he accepted the Dadasaheb Phalke Award while in poor health.
His screen work often embraced patriotic themes, and songs from films like Shree 420 became widely popular and enduring. He is remembered for his collaborations with leading singers and musicians of his era, and for creating films that ranged from box-office hits to projects that were artistically daring and financially risky.
Family and personal life
Raj Kapoor married Krishna in May 1946; she was related to him through family connections. They had five children: sons Randhir, Rishi and Rajiv, and daughters Ritu Nanda and Rima Jain. His children and grandchildren include several actors and public figures; among his grandchildren are Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor. His first son Randhir is married to actress Babita, and Rishi was married to actress Neetu Singh. Ritu Nanda married industrialist Rajan Nanda.
Later years and death
Raj Kapoor suffered from serious health problems in later life. In 1987, while receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, he experienced severe chest pain and was hospitalized. After a month on life support, he died on 2 June 1988 in New Delhi at age 63; multiple organ failure and cardiac arrest followed complications related to asthma. At the time of his death he had been working on the film Henna, which his sons Rishi and Randhir completed after his passing.
Legacy and honors
Posthumously and during his life Kapoor received many tributes: a postal stamp was released in his honor on 14 December 2001, a brass statue was placed on the Walk of the Stars in Bandra in 2012, and his ancestral house in Peshawar has been slated for conversion into a museum. His influence on music, screen performance and film production in India remains widely recognized.
Latest updates
As of the information in the licensed excerpt, plans by the Pakistani government were reported in 2018 to convert his ancestral house in Peshawar's Qissa Khwani Bazaar into a museum. His sons completed Henna after his death and his family continued his cinematic legacy.
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Recent Work
Film that Raj Kapoor was making at his death; completed by his sons Rishi and Randhir Kapoor.
1988Career Highlights
- Founder of RK Films and director of Aag (directorial debut)
- Starred in and directed landmark films such as Awaara, Shree 420 and Mera Naam Joker
- Two films nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes; Crystal Globe winner at Karlovy Vary
- Recipient of major Indian film honors including the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and Padma Bhushan
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Raj Kapoor born?
Raj Kapoor was born on 14 December 1924.
What is Raj Kapoor known for?
Raj Kapoor is known for actor, Producer and Director.
What is Raj Kapoor’s marital status?
Raj Kapoor's marital status is listed as Married.
Who is Raj Kapoor married to?
Raj Kapoor is publicly listed as married to Krishna Kapoor.
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