Raj Kapoor
Encyclopedia
Known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor Rāj Kapūr, 14 December 1924 – 2 June 1988), also known as The Show-Man, was an Indian film
Cinema of India
The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...

 actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...

 and director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...

 of Hindi cinema. He was the winner of nine Filmfare Awards
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...

, while his films Awaara
Awaara
Awaara is a 1951 Hindi film directed and produced by Raj Kapoor who also plays the leading role. His real-life father Prithviraj Kapoor stars as his on-screen father Judge Raghunath. Kapoor's youngest real-life brother Shashi Kapoor plays the younger version of his character...

(1951) and Boot Polish
Boot Polish (film)
Boot Polish is a 1954 Hindi film directed by Prakash Arora and produced by Raj Kapoor. It won Best Film at the Filmfare Awards and was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.-Plot:...

(1954) were nominated for the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...

 at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...

. His performance in Awaara, was ranked one of the "Top-Ten Performances of all time", by the Time Magazine. The Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...

 honoured him with the Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...

 in 1971 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema given annually by the Government of India for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. It was instituted in 1969, the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke, considered as the father of Indian cinema.The award for a particular year is...

 in 1987 for his contributions towards Indian cinema.

Early life and Background

Raj Kapoor was born in Peshawar(Pakistan), British India (present day Pakistan), to a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 family of Prithviraj Kapoor
Prithviraj Kapoor
Prithviraj Kapoor , 3 November 1906 – 29 May 1972) was a pioneer of Indian theatre and of the Hindi film industry, who started his career as an actor, in the silent era of Hindi cinema, associated with IPTA and who founded Prithvi Theatres, a travelling theatre company based in Mumbai, in...

 and Ramsarni (Rama) Devi Kapoor (née Mehra). He was the eldest of six children in a Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...

 family. He was the grandson of Dewan Basheshwarnath Kapoor and great-grandson of Dewan Keshavmal Kapoor, part of the famous Kapoor family. Two of Raj's brothers are actors Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor , born Balbir-Raj Prithviraj Kapoor on 18 March 1938 in Calcutta , is an award-winning Indian film actor and film producer. He has also been film director and assistant director in Hindi Films. He is a member of the Kapoor family, a film dynasty in India's Bollywood cinema...

 (a.k.a. Balbir Raj Kapoor) and the late Shammi Kapoor
Shammi Kapoor
Shammi Kapoor was an Indian film actor and director. He was a prominent lead actor in Hindi cinema from the late 1950s until the early 1970s....

 (aka Shamsher Raj Kapoor); the other two died in infancy. He also had a sister named Urmila Sial.

Raj Kapoor attended Colonel Brown Cambridge School
Colonel Brown Cambridge School
Colonel Brown Cambridge School is an English medium residential school located in Dehradun, India. It was founded in 1926 with five students. It was the 1st all boys residential school in Dehradun....

, Dehradun in the 1930s.

Career

At the age of eleven, he appeared in films for the first time, in the 1935 film Inquilab. After acting in several other films the next 12 years, Raj Kapoor's big break came with the lead role in Neel Kamal
Neel Kamal (1947 film)
Neel Kamal is a 1947 black and white Bollywood film directed by Kidar Sharma. Although a commercial failure, this romantic melodrama is significant because it features the debuts of two of Bollywood's most important figures, Raj Kapoor and Madhubala...

(1947
1947 in film
The year 1947 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May 22 - Great Expectations is premiered in New York.*November 24 : The United States House of Representatives of the 80th Congress voted 346 to 17 to approve citations for contempt of Congress against the "Hollywood Ten".*November 25...

) opposite Madhubala
Madhubala
Mumtaz Jahan Begum Dehlavi, known by her stage name Madhubala was a Hindi movie actress. She starred in several successful movies in the 1950s and early 1960s, many of which have attained a classic status...

 in her first role as a leading lady. In 1948
1948 in film
The year 1948 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Laurence Olivier's Hamlet becomes the first British film to win the American Academy Award for Best Picture.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :...

, at the age of twenty-four, he established his own studio, R. K. Films, and became the youngest film director of his time making his directorial debut with the film Aag
Aag (1948 film)
Aag is a 1948 Bollywood film which is produced, directed by and stars Raj Kapoor. The film marked the debut of Raj Kapoor as producer and director and was the first film produced by his R.K Banner. It was also the first of many films he did with actress Nargis. Premnath, Nigar Sultana, Kamal...

. Aag marked the first of many films in which he and Nargis appeared together. In 1949 he co-starred alongside Dilip Kumar
Dilip Kumar
Dilip Kumar , is an Indian actor and a former Member of Parliament.He lives in Pali Hill, Bandra in Mumbai, India. He is commonly known as "Tragedy King",and is described as "the ultimate method actor" by Satyajit Ray....

 in Mehboob Khan's blockbuster Andaz which was his first major success as an actor.

He went on to produce, direct and star in many box office hits such as Barsaat
Barsaat
Barsaat is a 1949 Bollywood film directed by Raj Kapoor. The film stars the famous duo of Kapoor and Nargis as well as Prem Nath. It was also the introduction of actress Nimmi in her first film role. Barsaat was one of the first major hit films directed by Kapoor...

(1949), Awaara
Awaara
Awaara is a 1951 Hindi film directed and produced by Raj Kapoor who also plays the leading role. His real-life father Prithviraj Kapoor stars as his on-screen father Judge Raghunath. Kapoor's youngest real-life brother Shashi Kapoor plays the younger version of his character...

(1951), Shree 420 (1955), Chori Chori
Chori Chori
Chori Chori is a 1956 Hindi film directed by Anant Thakur, with music by Shankar Jaikishan and lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra. The film is inspired by the Hollywood movie, It Happened One Night. The film stars Raj Kapoor and Nargis. Bhagwan Dada, Pran, David, and Johnny Walker have...

(1956), Jagte Raho
Jagte Raho
Jagte Raho is a 1956 film directed by Amit Maitra and Sombhu Mitra, produced by and starring Raj Kapoor. The film centers on the trials of a poor villager who comes to a city in search of a better life. However, the naive man soon becomes trapped in a web of middle-class greed and corruption...

(1956) and Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai
Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai
Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai is a 1960 Hindi film directed by Radhu Karmakar...

(1960). These films established his screen image as The Tramp
The Tramp
The Tramp, also known as The Little Tramp was Charlie Chaplin's most memorable on-screen character, a recognized icon of world cinema most dominant during the silent film era....

 modeled on Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...

's most famous screen persona. In 1964 he produced, directed and starred in Sangam
Sangam (film)
Sangam is a 1964 Hindi movie produced by R. K. Films and directed by Raj Kapoor. Music for the film was composed by Shankar-Jaikishan, with song lyrics by Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri. Sangam was producer Raj Kapoor's first color film, distinguished by its technicolor and epic length...

which was his first film in colour. This was his last major success as a leading actor. Outside of his home productions his other notable films were Anari (1959), Chhalia
Chhalia
Chhalia is a 1960 Hindi film. Directed by Manmohan Desai it stars Raj Kapoor, Nutan, Pran, Rehman and Shobhna Samarth. Raj Kapoor plays his stereotyped "simple guy with a heart of gold" role yet again in this film....

(1960) and Teesri Kasam
Teesri Kasam
-Awards:* 1967 National Film Award for Best Film* 1967 Moscow International Film Festival: Grand Prix - Nominated-External links:*http://www.upperstall.com/films/teesrikasam.html...

(1963). He produced, directed and starred in his ambitious film, Mera Naam Joker
Mera Naam Joker
Mera Naam Joker is a 1970 Hindi film directed by Raj Kapoor. The screenplay was written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas. This film was the debut of Rishi Kapoor. Mera Naam Joker is a film about a clown who must make his audience laugh at the cost of his own sorrows. The film is reportedly inspired by Raj...

(My name is Joker), which took more than six years to complete. When released in 1970, it was a box office disaster.

In 1971 he launched his eldest son Randhir Kapoor
Randhir Kapoor
Randhir Kapoor is a Bollywood actor, producer and director. His nickname is Daboo.-Early life:Randhir Kapoor hails from the legendary Kapoor family. He is the eldest son of Raj Kapoor. He is a fourth generation Kapoor and comes from a distinguished Punjabi Hindu family who have been part of the...

 in Randhir's acting and directorial debut Kal Aaj Aur Kal
Kal Aaj Aur Kal
Kal Aaj Aur Kal is a 1971 Hindi film produced by Raj Kapoor and directed by his son Randhir Kapoor. The film's USP is the appearance of three generations of the famous Kapoor family. It stars Prithviraj Kapoor, his son Raj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor's son Randhir Kapoor and Randhir's real-life wife-to-be...

which also starred Raj's father Prithviraj Kapoor as well as Randhir's would-be-wife Babita
Babita
Babita is an Indian actress. She is now better known as the mother of actresses Kareena Kapoor and Karisma Kapoor and the wife of Randhir Kapoor.- Early life :...

. He launched his second son Rishi Kapoor
Rishi Kapoor
Rishi Kapoor is an Indian Bollywood actor, film producer and director.-Early life:Born in Chembur Mumbai, Kapoor is the second son of film director and star Raj Kapoor. He did his schooling with his brothers at Campion School,Mumbai. His brothers are well-known actors: Randhir Kapoor and Rajiv...

's career when he produced and directed Bobby
Bobby (1973 film)
Bobby is a 1973 Bollywood film directed by Raj Kapoor. The film was widely popular, and widely imitated. It also represented the film début for Dimple Kapadia and the first leading role for Raj Kapoor's son, Rishi Kapoor....

(1973) which was not only a huge box office success but also introduced actress Dimple Kapadia
Dimple Kapadia
Dimple Chunnibhai Kapadia is an Indian film actress. She made her acting debut at the age of 16, playing the title role in Raj Kapoor's teen romance Bobby . In that same year she married Indian actor Rajesh Khanna, and retired from acting. Kapadia returned to films in 1984 after her separation...

, later a very popular actress, and was the first of a new generation of teen romances. Dimple wore bikinis in the film which was quite unique for Indian films then.

In the latter half of the 1970s and early 1980s he produced and directed films which focused on the female protagonists: Satyam Shivam Sundaram
Satyam Shivam Sundaram
Satyam Shivam Sundaram is an Indian film. Satyam means Truth, Shivam can refer to either Lord Shiva or Eternal and Sundaram means Beautiful.-Plot:...

(1978
1978 in film
The year 1978 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 1 - Bob Dylan's film Renaldo and Clara, a documentary of the "Rolling Thunder Revue" tour premieres in Los Angeles, California....

) with Zeenat Aman
Zeenat Aman
Zeenat Aman is an Indian actress who has appeared in Hindi films, notably in the 1970s and 1980s. She was the second runner up in the Miss India Contest and went on to win the Miss Asia Pacific in 1970...

, Prem Rog
Prem Rog
Prem Rog is 1982 romantic Bollywood film directed by Raj Kapoor. Prem Rog literally means "love sick". The film tells the story of a man's love towards a woman who is a widow and of a higher status.-Plot summary:...

(1982) with Padmini Kolhapure
Padmini Kolhapure
Padmini Kolhapure is an Indian actress who appeared in Bollywood films during the 1970s and 1980s.-Early life:Padmini Kolhapure is from a Maharashtrian family. Her father, Pandharinath Kolhapure is a classical singer whose family was from Kolhapur and Goa. Her mother, whose family hailed from...

 and Ram Teri Ganga Maili
Ram Teri Ganga Maili
Ram Teri Ganga Maili was a hit 1985 Bollywood movie directed by the legend, Raj Kapoor. This movie stars Mandakini and Rajiv Kapoor, son of the director-producer Raj Kapoor. It was Raj Kapoor's last film. The songs of the films were of high meolody...

(1985
1985 in film
-Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie...

) which introduced Mandakini. He acted in fewer films by the late 1970s and early 1980s and focused on producing and directing films. He starred alongside Rajesh Khanna
Rajesh Khanna
Rajesh Khanna is an Indian actor of from Hindi films, and has been Hindi film producer and an Indian politician....

 in Naukri
Naukri
Naukri is a 1978 Bollywood film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee.This Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s not so famous movie but critically acclaimed classic “Naukri” featuring Rajesh Khanna and Raj Kapoor together is set in the period 1944-1947...

(1979) and played the title role alongside Sanjay Khan
Sanjay Khan
-Career:Khan made his debut in the 1964 Chetan Anand film "Haqeeqat" followed by the Rajshri film Dosti. In the 1960s and 1970s Khan starred in the movies Dus Lakh, Ek Phool Do Mali and Intaqam. He also acted opposite his brother Feroz in three films Upaasna , Mela and Nagin...

 in Abdullah (1980).

Raj Kapoor's last major film appearance was in Vakil Babu (1982) where he appeared with his younger brother Shashi. His last acting role was a cameo appearance in a 1984 released British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 made-for-television film titled Kim
Kim (TV film)
Kim is a 1984 British television film directed by John Howard Davies and based on Rudyard Kipling's novel Kim. The film stars Peter O'Toole, Bryan Brown, John Rhys-Davies, Nadira, Jalal Agha, Raj Kapoor and Ravi Sheth in the title role.-Plot:...

.

Death

Raj Kapoor suffered from asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...

 in his later years; he died of complications related to asthma in 1988 at the age of 63. At the time of his death, he was working on the movie Heena (an Indo-Pakistan based love story). The film was later completed by his sons Randhir and Rishi Kapoor, and narrated by his brother Shammi Kapoor. The movie was released in 1991 and became a huge success at the Box Office
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....

.
When he was given the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema given annually by the Government of India for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. It was instituted in 1969, the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke, considered as the father of Indian cinema.The award for a particular year is...

, where his brothers Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor , born Balbir-Raj Prithviraj Kapoor on 18 March 1938 in Calcutta , is an award-winning Indian film actor and film producer. He has also been film director and assistant director in Hindi Films. He is a member of the Kapoor family, a film dynasty in India's Bollywood cinema...

 and Shammi Kapoor
Shammi Kapoor
Shammi Kapoor was an Indian film actor and director. He was a prominent lead actor in Hindi cinema from the late 1950s until the early 1970s....

 were also present, the crowd was clapping around when President Venkataraman, who saw Kapoor's discomfort, came down the stage to give the award to the legend in the middle of thundering claps where he was breathing his last breath. And suddenly Kapoor collapsed, and was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences for treatment. The country's top cardiologists tried their best, but could not save him.

Legacy

Raj Kapoor is appreciated both by film critics and ordinary film fans. Film historians and movie buffs speak of him as the "Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...

 of Indian cinema," since he often portrayed a tramp-like figure, who, despite adversity, was still cheerful and honest. His fame spread worldwide. He was adored by audiences in large parts of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...

, the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...

; his movies were global commercial successes. Raj had the knack of getting the best out of any one, since he had mastered all departments of film making and even marketing them. When Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru died in 1964 coinciding with release of Sangam
Sangam (film)
Sangam is a 1964 Hindi movie produced by R. K. Films and directed by Raj Kapoor. Music for the film was composed by Shankar-Jaikishan, with song lyrics by Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri. Sangam was producer Raj Kapoor's first color film, distinguished by its technicolor and epic length...

, he took the opportunity to create a scene when Gopal ashes were immersed in Ganges, like Pandit Nehru described in his poetic will. His films reflected the Era in which it was made.

He had a great understanding of the public taste and a great sense of Box-Office. He was one of the pioneers of the Indian cinema, who talked about the potential of Hindi cinema emerging as a great revenue earner from the world market in fifties, which has become a reality today.

Many of Raj Kapoor's movies had a patriotic theme. His films Aag
Aag (1948 film)
Aag is a 1948 Bollywood film which is produced, directed by and stars Raj Kapoor. The film marked the debut of Raj Kapoor as producer and director and was the first film produced by his R.K Banner. It was also the first of many films he did with actress Nargis. Premnath, Nigar Sultana, Kamal...

, Shree 420 and Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai
Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai
Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai is a 1960 Hindi film directed by Radhu Karmakar...

(In the country where the Ganges flows) celebrated the newly independent India, and encouraged film-goers to be patriots. Raj Kapoor commissioned these famous lyrics for Mera Joota Hai Japani
Mera Joota Hai Japani
"Mera Joota hai Japani" is a Hindi song composed by Shankar Jaikishan and sung by Mukesh. The lyrics of the song are by Shailendra. Due to its patriotic themes, the song was widely embraced in its time as a representation of the newly sovereign nation of India...

, a song from the movie Shree 420:
Mera joota hai Japani (My shoes are Japanese)
Ye patloon Inglistani (These trousers are English)
Sar pe lal topi Roosi (The red cap on my head is Russian)
Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani (But still, however, my heart is Indian)


The song is still extremely popular and has been featured in a number of movies since Shree 420 was released. Indian author Mahasweta Devi
Mahasweta Devi
Mahasweta Devi is an Indian social activist and writer.- Biography :Mahasweta Devi was born in 1926 in Dhaka, to literary parents in a Hindu Brahmin family. Her father Manish Ghatak was a well known poet and novelist of the Kallol era, who used the pseudonym Jubanashwa...

 stopped the show with her inaugural speech at the 2006 Frankfurt Book Fair
Frankfurt Book Fair
The Frankfurt Book Fair is the world's largest trade fair for books, based on the number of publishing companies represented. As to the number of visitors, the Turin Book Fair attracts about as many visitors, viz. some 300,000....

 when she used these lyrics to express her own heartfelt patriotism and debt to her country.

Raj Kapoor was a canny judge of filmi
Filmi
Filmi is Indian popular music as written and performed for Indian cinema. Music directors make up the main body of composers; the songs are performed by playback singers and it makes up 72% of the music sales in India....

 music and lyrics. Many of the songs he commissioned are evergreen hits. He introduced the music directors Shankar-Jaikishan and the lyricists Hasrat Jaipuri
Hasrat Jaipuri
Hasrat Jaipuri was a Hindi and Urdu poet and film lyricist.-Initial Days:Jaipuri was born Iqbal Husain in Jaipur, where he studied English till medium level, and then acquired his taalim in Urdu and Persian from his grandfather, Fida Husain. He began writing verse, when he was around twenty years...

 and Shailendra
Shailendra
Shankardas Kesarilal , popularly known by his pen name Shailendra, was a popular Indian Hindi lyricist.-Career as a lyricist:...

. He is also remembered for his strong sense of visual style. He used striking visual compositions, elaborate sets, and dramatic lighting to complete the mood set by the music. He introduced the actresses Nimmi
Nimmi
Nimmi was a popular Indian screen actress who achieved stardom in the 1950s and early 1960s in Hindi films. She gained popularity playing spirited village belle type characters, but also appeared in diverse genres such as fantasy and social films.-Early life:...

, Dimple Kapadia
Dimple Kapadia
Dimple Chunnibhai Kapadia is an Indian film actress. She made her acting debut at the age of 16, playing the title role in Raj Kapoor's teen romance Bobby . In that same year she married Indian actor Rajesh Khanna, and retired from acting. Kapadia returned to films in 1984 after her separation...

, Nargis
Nargis
Nargis Dutt , born Fatima Rashid but known by her screen name, Nargis, was an Indian film actress. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Hindi cinema. She made her screen debut as a child in Talash-E-Haq in 1935, but her acting carer began in 1942 with Tamanna...

 and Mandakini, as well as launching and reviving the careers of his sons Rishi, Randhir and Rajiv.

Personal life

The Kapoor family hailed from Peshawar and were Hindkowan Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...

s but they were also landowners in the canal colony of Lyallpur, British India, which is now called Faisalabad
Faisalabad
Faisalabad , formerly known as Lyallpur, is the third largest metropolis in Pakistan, the second largest in the province of Punjab after Lahore, and a major industrial center in the heart of Pakistan. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has...

 in the Punjab
Punjab (British India)
Punjab was a province of British India, it was one of the last areas of the Indian subcontinent to fall under British rule. With the end of British rule in 1947 the province was split between West Punjab, which went to Pakistan, and East Punjab, which went to India...

 province of present-day Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

 where the family lived for a while. He was married to Krishna Kapoor, sister of actors, Rajendra Nath and Prem Nath.

Kapoor is also known to have had a longtime romantic relationship with the renowned actress Nargis during the 1950s. The couple starred in several films together, including Awaara
Awaara
Awaara is a 1951 Hindi film directed and produced by Raj Kapoor who also plays the leading role. His real-life father Prithviraj Kapoor stars as his on-screen father Judge Raghunath. Kapoor's youngest real-life brother Shashi Kapoor plays the younger version of his character...

and Shree 420. Due to the common rumors about the personal lives of entertainment stars it is impossible to separate the truth from gossip in these domains.

Three of Kapoor's grandchildren are currently stars in the Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...

 film industry. His granddaughters are Karisma Kapoor
Karisma Kapoor
Karisma Kapoor , often informally referred to as Lolo, is an Indian actress who made her debut in 1991, and appears in Bollywood films. During her career, she has been part of many commercially and critically successful films, Raja Hindustani being the most notable of them, as it was her biggest...

 and Kareena Kapoor
Kareena Kapoor
Kareena Kapoor , often informally referred to as Bebo, is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. During her career, Kapoor has received six Filmfare Awards, among nine nominations, and has been noted for her performances in a range of film genres; these include her work from contemporary...

, the daughters of Raj's son Randhir Kapoor
Randhir Kapoor
Randhir Kapoor is a Bollywood actor, producer and director. His nickname is Daboo.-Early life:Randhir Kapoor hails from the legendary Kapoor family. He is the eldest son of Raj Kapoor. He is a fourth generation Kapoor and comes from a distinguished Punjabi Hindu family who have been part of the...

 and his wife Babita
Babita
Babita is an Indian actress. She is now better known as the mother of actresses Kareena Kapoor and Karisma Kapoor and the wife of Randhir Kapoor.- Early life :...

. His grandson Ranbir Kapoor
Ranbir Kapoor
Ranbir Kapoor is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood movies.Making his acting debut in the 2007 film Saawariya, for which he won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut, Kapoor went on to earn critical praise for his performance in Wake Up Sid...

 is son of Rishi Kapoor
Rishi Kapoor
Rishi Kapoor is an Indian Bollywood actor, film producer and director.-Early life:Born in Chembur Mumbai, Kapoor is the second son of film director and star Raj Kapoor. He did his schooling with his brothers at Campion School,Mumbai. His brothers are well-known actors: Randhir Kapoor and Rajiv...

 and his wife Neetu Singh
Neetu Singh
Neetu Singh is an Indian Bollywood actress. She worked as a child actor under the name Baby Sonia. She played Roopa in the 1966 movie Dus Lakh and a dual role in the film Do Kaliyaan. Her other notable films were Waris and Pavitra Paapi.-Career:Neetu Singh made her debut as an actress in 1972 with...

.

Awards

Kapoor had received many awards throughout his career, including 3 Filmfare Awards
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...

 and 19 nominations. His films Awaara
Awaara
Awaara is a 1951 Hindi film directed and produced by Raj Kapoor who also plays the leading role. His real-life father Prithviraj Kapoor stars as his on-screen father Judge Raghunath. Kapoor's youngest real-life brother Shashi Kapoor plays the younger version of his character...

(1951) and Boot Polish
Boot Polish (film)
Boot Polish is a 1954 Hindi film directed by Prakash Arora and produced by Raj Kapoor. It won Best Film at the Filmfare Awards and was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.-Plot:...

(1954) were nominated for the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...

 at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...

. His acting in the former was rated as one of the "Top-Ten Performances of all time", by the Time Magazine. His film Jagte Raho
Jagte Raho
Jagte Raho is a 1956 film directed by Amit Maitra and Sombhu Mitra, produced by and starring Raj Kapoor. The film centers on the trials of a poor villager who comes to a city in search of a better life. However, the naive man soon becomes trapped in a web of middle-class greed and corruption...

(1956) also won the Crystal Globe
Crystal Globe
Crystal Globe is the main award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, first given in the city of Karlovy Vary of the Czech Republic, in 1948.In the international competition of films, IFFKV presents the following awards:...

 award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is a film festival held annually in July in Karlovy Vary , Czech Republic. The Karlovy Vary Festival gained worldwide recognition over the past years and has become one of Europe's major film events....

.

The Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...

 honoured him with the Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...

 in 1971 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema given annually by the Government of India for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. It was instituted in 1969, the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke, considered as the father of Indian cinema.The award for a particular year is...

 in 1987 - the highest award for cinematic excellence in India. In 2001, he was honoured with “Best Director of the Millennium” by Stardust Awards
Stardust Awards
The Stardust Awards is an award ceremony for Hindi movies, which congratulate the superstars of the new generation who are making an impact on the future. It is sponsored by Stardust magazine.- Background :...

. He was named “Showman of the Millennium” by Star Screen Awards
Star Screen Awards
The Star Screen Awards is an annual awards ceremony in India honoring professional excellence in film. The nomination and award selection is done by a panel of distinguished professional from the industry itself.- History :...

 in 2002.

In June 2011, Noah Cowan, Artistic Director of TIFF Bell Lightbox, and Sabbas Joseph, Director, Wizcraft along with members of the Kapoor family came together to pay tribute to the life and work of Indian actor, director, mogul and legend Raj Kapoor, as presented in partnership by TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival), the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA), and the Government of Ontario.Indian Mirror Reports suggest Kapoor will be inducted onto the Brampton Walk of Fame
Brampton Walk of Fame
The Brampton Walk of Fame, or Art Walk of Fame, is a honours system to be located at the Rose Theatre Brampton, in Ontario, Canada. While publicity for the first induction claimed that it would be a private ceremony for VIPs only, the unveiling was public...

 in Ontario, Canada.

Shankar-Jaikishan

Shankar-Jaikishan
Shankar Jaikishan
Shankar Jaikishan , also known as S/J, is an Indian music composer duo in the Hindi film industry, working together from 1949–1971....

 were his music director of choice. He worked with them in 20 films in all including 10 of his own films from Barsaat
Barsaat
Barsaat is a 1949 Bollywood film directed by Raj Kapoor. The film stars the famous duo of Kapoor and Nargis as well as Prem Nath. It was also the introduction of actress Nimmi in her first film role. Barsaat was one of the first major hit films directed by Kapoor...

until Kal Aaj Aur Kal
Kal Aaj Aur Kal
Kal Aaj Aur Kal is a 1971 Hindi film produced by Raj Kapoor and directed by his son Randhir Kapoor. The film's USP is the appearance of three generations of the famous Kapoor family. It stars Prithviraj Kapoor, his son Raj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor's son Randhir Kapoor and Randhir's real-life wife-to-be...

. (Jagte Raho
Jagte Raho
Jagte Raho is a 1956 film directed by Amit Maitra and Sombhu Mitra, produced by and starring Raj Kapoor. The film centers on the trials of a poor villager who comes to a city in search of a better life. However, the naive man soon becomes trapped in a web of middle-class greed and corruption...

with Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury
Salil Chowdhury was an Indian music composer. He mainly composed for Bengali, Hindi, and Malayalam films. He was also a poet and a playwright. He is affectionately called Salilda by all his admirers....

 and Ab Dilli Dur Nahin
Ab Dilli Dur Nahin
Ab Dilli Dur Nahin is a 1957 Bollywood film directed by Amar Kumar and written by Rajinder Singh Bedi and Muhafiz Hyder. The film was produced by Raj Kapoor and starred Yakub, Anwar Hussain, Motilal, Nand Kishore and Jagdeep.-Plot:...

being two exceptions in this period). Only after Jaikishan died, did he turn to a different music director - Laxmikant-Pyarelal for Bobby
Bobby (1973 film)
Bobby is a 1973 Bollywood film directed by Raj Kapoor. The film was widely popular, and widely imitated. It also represented the film début for Dimple Kapadia and the first leading role for Raj Kapoor's son, Rishi Kapoor....

, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, and Prem Rog (later on his children used Laxmikant-Pyarelal for Prem Granth also) and Ravindra Jain for (Ram Teri Ganga Maili and Henna). It is interesting to note that Raj Kapoor acted in a movie with music by Madan Mohan only once i.e. Dhoon (1953) which featured duet Hum pyar karenge by Hemant Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar, only instance Hemnat Kumar giving playback to Raj Kapoor, and did only one movie with O. P. Nayyar (Do Ustad).

List of films with Shankar-Jaikishan: (18 Films)
  • Barsaat
    Barsaat
    Barsaat is a 1949 Bollywood film directed by Raj Kapoor. The film stars the famous duo of Kapoor and Nargis as well as Prem Nath. It was also the introduction of actress Nimmi in her first film role. Barsaat was one of the first major hit films directed by Kapoor...

    (1949)
  • Aah (1953)
  • Awaara
    Awaara
    Awaara is a 1951 Hindi film directed and produced by Raj Kapoor who also plays the leading role. His real-life father Prithviraj Kapoor stars as his on-screen father Judge Raghunath. Kapoor's youngest real-life brother Shashi Kapoor plays the younger version of his character...

    (1951)
  • Boot Polish
    Boot Polish (film)
    Boot Polish is a 1954 Hindi film directed by Prakash Arora and produced by Raj Kapoor. It won Best Film at the Filmfare Awards and was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.-Plot:...

    (1954)
  • Shree 420 (1955)
  • Chori Chori
    Chori Chori
    Chori Chori is a 1956 Hindi film directed by Anant Thakur, with music by Shankar Jaikishan and lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra. The film is inspired by the Hollywood movie, It Happened One Night. The film stars Raj Kapoor and Nargis. Bhagwan Dada, Pran, David, and Johnny Walker have...

    (1956)

  • Anari
    Anari
    Anari is a 1959 Bollywood film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film stars Raj Kapoor, Nutan, Motilal and Lalita Pawar. The music was by Shankar Jaikishan and the lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri as well as Shailendra...

    (1959)
  • Kanhaiya (1959)
  • Main Nashe Men Hoon (1959)
  • Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai
    Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai
    Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai is a 1960 Hindi film directed by Radhu Karmakar...

    (1960)
  • Aashiq
    Aashiq (1962 film)
    Aashiq is a 1962 Hindi movie directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film stars Raj Kapoor, Nanda, Padmini, Keshto Mukherjee and Leela Chitnis. The films music is by Shankar Jaikishan....

    (1962)
  • Ek Dil Sao Afsane (1963)

  • Sangam
    Sangam (film)
    Sangam is a 1964 Hindi movie produced by R. K. Films and directed by Raj Kapoor. Music for the film was composed by Shankar-Jaikishan, with song lyrics by Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri. Sangam was producer Raj Kapoor's first color film, distinguished by its technicolor and epic length...

    (1964)
  • Teesri Kasam
    Teesri Kasam
    -Awards:* 1967 National Film Award for Best Film* 1967 Moscow International Film Festival: Grand Prix - Nominated-External links:*http://www.upperstall.com/films/teesrikasam.html...

    (1966)
  • Around the World
    Around the World (1967 film)
    Around The World is a Bollywood Romantic Comedy released in 1967 directed by Pachhi.It was India's first film to be released in 70mm and was extensively shot all around the world, as the title suggests. A romcom, it featured Raj Kapoor as an Indian who travels around the world on 8 dollars...

    (1967)
  • Diwana
    Diwana (film)
    Diwana is a 1968 Indian Bollywood film directed by Mahesh Kaul. The film stars Raj Kapoor, Saira Banu, Lalita Pawar in pivotal roles.-Plot:...

    (1967)
  • Sapnon Ka Saudagar (1968)
  • Mera Naam Joker
    Mera Naam Joker
    Mera Naam Joker is a 1970 Hindi film directed by Raj Kapoor. The screenplay was written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas. This film was the debut of Rishi Kapoor. Mera Naam Joker is a film about a clown who must make his audience laugh at the cost of his own sorrows. The film is reportedly inspired by Raj...

    (1970)


Nargis

  • Raj Kapoor and Nargis
    Nargis
    Nargis Dutt , born Fatima Rashid but known by her screen name, Nargis, was an Indian film actress. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Hindi cinema. She made her screen debut as a child in Talash-E-Haq in 1935, but her acting carer began in 1942 with Tamanna...

     worked together in 16 films including 6 of his own productions.

  • Aag
    Aag (1948 film)
    Aag is a 1948 Bollywood film which is produced, directed by and stars Raj Kapoor. The film marked the debut of Raj Kapoor as producer and director and was the first film produced by his R.K Banner. It was also the first of many films he did with actress Nargis. Premnath, Nigar Sultana, Kamal...

    (1949)
  • Andaz (1950)
  • Barsaat (1949)
  • Pyaar (1950)


  • Jan Pehchan (1950)
  • Awaara
    Awaara
    Awaara is a 1951 Hindi film directed and produced by Raj Kapoor who also plays the leading role. His real-life father Prithviraj Kapoor stars as his on-screen father Judge Raghunath. Kapoor's youngest real-life brother Shashi Kapoor plays the younger version of his character...

    (1951)
  • Amber (1952)
  • Anhonee
    Anhonee
    Anhonee is a 1973 Bollywood medical drama film directed by Ravi Tandon. The film stars Sanjeev Kumar and Leena Chandavarkar.-Cast:*Sanjeev Kumar ... Sunil*Leena Chandavarkar ... Dr. Rekha*Padma Khanna ... Roopa...

    (1952)


  • Ashiana (1952)
  • Bewafa (1952)
  • Aah (1953)
  • Paapi
    Paapi
    Paapi is a 1977 Bollywood film directed by O.P. Ralhan. Zeenat Aman plays a young woman who was raised on the wrong side of the law. Her estranged brother, played by Sunil Dutt, has become a police officer...

    (1953)

  • Dhoon (1953)
  • Shree 420 (1955)
  • Chori Chori
    Chori Chori
    Chori Chori is a 1956 Hindi film directed by Anant Thakur, with music by Shankar Jaikishan and lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra. The film is inspired by the Hollywood movie, It Happened One Night. The film stars Raj Kapoor and Nargis. Bhagwan Dada, Pran, David, and Johnny Walker have...

    (1956)
  • Jagte Raho
    Jagte Raho
    Jagte Raho is a 1956 film directed by Amit Maitra and Sombhu Mitra, produced by and starring Raj Kapoor. The film centers on the trials of a poor villager who comes to a city in search of a better life. However, the naive man soon becomes trapped in a web of middle-class greed and corruption...

    (1956)


Mukesh

Mukesh
Mukesh
Mukesh Chand Mathur was an Indian playback singer of Bollywood. He, alongside Mohammad Rafi, Manna Dey and Kishore Kumar, left such an impact on the Hindi film industry that they are still remembered to date....

 was Raj Kapoor's almost exclusive singing voice in almost all of his films. Also, when Mukesh
Mukesh
Mukesh Chand Mathur was an Indian playback singer of Bollywood. He, alongside Mohammad Rafi, Manna Dey and Kishore Kumar, left such an impact on the Hindi film industry that they are still remembered to date....

 died, Raj had said, Main ne apni aawaaz ko kho diya... (I have lost my voice...). However Manna Dey
Manna Dey
Prabodh Chandra Dey , better known by his nickname Manna Dey , is a playback singer in Bengali Assamese and Hindi films. Along with Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, he was a part of Indian film playback music from the 1950s to the 1970s. He has recorded more than 3500 songs over the course of...

 has also sung many notable and super-hit songs for Raj Kapoor, for instance in Shree 420 and Chori Chori
Chori Chori
Chori Chori is a 1956 Hindi film directed by Anant Thakur, with music by Shankar Jaikishan and lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra. The film is inspired by the Hollywood movie, It Happened One Night. The film stars Raj Kapoor and Nargis. Bhagwan Dada, Pran, David, and Johnny Walker have...

. Examples of such songs are best illustrated by the following list:
  • "Dil Ka Haal Sune Dil Wala" (Shree 420)
  • "Aaja Sanam Madhur Chandni Mein Hum" (Chori Chori
    Chori Chori
    Chori Chori is a 1956 Hindi film directed by Anant Thakur, with music by Shankar Jaikishan and lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra. The film is inspired by the Hollywood movie, It Happened One Night. The film stars Raj Kapoor and Nargis. Bhagwan Dada, Pran, David, and Johnny Walker have...

    )
  • "Jahan Mein Jati Hoon Wahin Chale Aate Ho" (Chori Chori)
  • "Yeh Raat Bhigi Bhigi, Yeh Mast Fizayen" (Chori Chori)
  • "Masti Bhara Hai Samaan" (Parvarish)
  • "A Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo" (Mera Naam Joker
    Mera Naam Joker
    Mera Naam Joker is a 1970 Hindi film directed by Raj Kapoor. The screenplay was written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas. This film was the debut of Rishi Kapoor. Mera Naam Joker is a film about a clown who must make his audience laugh at the cost of his own sorrows. The film is reportedly inspired by Raj...

    )

  • "Laga Chunri Mein Daag" (Dil Hi To Hai)

Further reading

  • The Kapoors: the first family of Indian cinema, by Madhu Jain. Penguin, Viking, 2005. ISBN 0670058378.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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