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Shekhar Kapur Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 14, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth6 December 1945

Age79 Years

BirthplaceLahore, Punjab, British India

ProfessionFilmmaker

NationalityIndian

Marital statusDivorced

FamilyFather - Kulbhushan Kapur; Mother - Sheel Kanta Kapur; Sisters - Neelu Kapur, Aruna Sahni, Sohaila Kapur; Nephew of Dev Anand

Shekhar Kapur Biography

Shekhar Kapur is an Indian filmmaker whose career spans acting, directing and producing in both Bollywood and Hollywood. Born in 1945 in Lahore, he rose to

Early life and background

Shekhar Kapur was born on 6 December 1945 in Lahore, Punjab, then part of British India. He grew up in Delhi and attended Modern School in New Delhi before studying economics at St. Stephen’s College. Kapur trained and worked as a chartered accountant in London prior to embarking on a career in film.

Career

Kapur first entered the film world as an actor, appearing in several films beginning with a role in Ishq Ishq Ishq (1974). After acting in a number of projects, he made his directorial debut with Masoom in 1983. That film established him as a director in Indian cinema and led to further opportunities behind the camera.

In 1994 Kapur directed Bandit Queen, a controversial and widely discussed film that brought him critical attention and opened doors both in Bollywood and abroad. He went on to direct Elizabeth (1998), a British production that won significant recognition and earned multiple Academy Award nominations. He later directed Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007). He has also worked as a producer, with credits that include Dil Se (1998).

Kapur has served in television roles as well. He created the TV series Udaan (1989–1991) and later joined the panel of judges on India’s Got Talent in 2013. He was a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2010.

Public profile

Over the course of his career Kapur has received international honors for his films. Elizabeth won recognition at the British Academy Film Awards, and he was awarded the Padma Shri in 2000. Later, in 2025, he was named a recipient of the Padma Bhushan.

Known for a variety of creative interests, Kapur has worked outside feature filmmaking at times. He spent periods pursuing other activities — including time abroad where he trained as a scuba-diving instructor — and has also hosted television. He narrated an audiobook edition of The Story of My Experiments with Truth, performing the voice role of Mohandas.

Kapur has spoken publicly about living with dyslexia and attention deficit disorder; he disclosed these conditions on social media in December 2018 and has reflected on how they shaped his creative development.

Personal life

Shekhar Kapur was born into a family with connections to the arts and public life. His father, Kulbhushan Kapur, was a doctor; his mother, Sheel Kanta Kapur, worked as a journalist and stage actress. He is the nephew of actor Dev Anand, and his sisters include Neelu Kapur, Aruna Sahni and Sohaila Kapur, who has worked as an actress, director and author.

Kapur has been married more than once. His marriages included Medha Gujral (divorced 1994) and Suchitra Krishnamoorthi (married 1999, divorced 2007). He has a daughter, Kaveri Kapur. Public accounts list his religion as Hinduism and his household residence in Mumbai.

Public image and interests

Beyond filmmaking, Kapur lists writing, reading, cycling and photography among his interests. He has occasionally been the subject of debate related to the content of his films and aspects of his personal life, which have received media coverage. His film work, however, remains the principal source of his international reputation.

Latest updates

As of 2025 he was recognized with the Padma Bhushan. He remains an active figure in public discourse about cinema and creativity, with a career that spans acting, directing, producing and television work.
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Recent Work

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Directed the 2007 sequel to Elizabeth, which followed his earlier international success.

2007
India's Got Talent (judge)

Served as a judge on the talent show in 2013.

2013
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Career Highlights

  1. Directed Masoom (1983), his breakthrough as a director in Indian cinema
  2. Directed Bandit Queen (1994), a controversial and critically noted film
  3. Directed Elizabeth (1998), which earned multiple Academy Award nominations and won BAFTA recognition
  4. Served on the Cannes Film Festival jury in 2010
  5. Awarded Padma Shri in 2000 and Padma Bhushan in 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Shekhar Kapur born?

6 December 1945

What is Shekhar Kapur known for?

Filmmaker

What is Shekhar Kapur’s marital status?

Divorced