SASHI KAPOOR

SASHI KAPOOR - Film Actor

Shashi Kapoor was born Balbir Raj Prithviraj Kapoor on 18 March 1938 in Calcutta (now Kolkata). Attended Don Bosco High School in Matunga, Bombay.

Shashi Kapoor started acting in films as a child in the early 1940s appearing in several mythological films and commercial films including Meena (1944), Tadbir, and Bachpan (1945) under the name of Shashiraj. His best known performances as child artist were in Aag (1948) and Awaara (1951) where he played the younger version of the characters played by his older brother Raj Kapoor. From the age of four, Shashi had started acting in plays directed and produced by his father Prithviraj Kapoor, while travelling with Prithvi Theatres. He worked in 19 films as child artist from 1944-54. He got an opportunity to work as an assistant director in the film Post Box 999, the debut film of Sunil Dutt, and worked as an assistant director to Ravindra Dave in Guest House (1959) which was followed by movies such as Dulha Dulhan, Shriman Satyawadi, where Raj Kapoor was the lead hero.

Shashi Kapoor made his debut as a leading man in the 1961 film Dharmputra and went on to appear in 116 Hindi films as main lead protagonist, including 63 films as solo lead hero and 53 multi star-cast films, as well as 22 films as supporting actor and 5 special appearances. He was a very popular debonair actor in Bollywood during the 1960s, 1970s and the mid-1980s. Kapoor’s first films in Hindi - Dharmputra, Prem Patra, Char Diwari were not commercially successful, so he started acting in English-language films in 1963, including the films Householder and Shakespeare-Wallah which were more successful. He was one of India's first actors to go international. Actress Nanda, who was an established star at this time, signed 8 Hindi films with Kapoor even though his earlier Hindi films had not been successful, as she believed that he could deliver good performances. Their first two films as a pair, the critically acclaimed romantic film Char Diwari (1961) and Mehndi Lagi Mere Haath (1962) did not work, while the rest were successful at the box office. In the 1960s Kapoor acted in several romantic films opposite Nanda, including Mohabbat Isko Kahete Hain (1965), Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965), Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhare (1966), Raja Saab (1969) and Rootha Na Karo(1970). In the 1990s in an interview, Shashi Kapoor declared that Nanda was his favourite heroine and that he regarded her as one of his mentors. In another interview, Nanda stated that Shashi Kapoor was her favourite hero.

Shashi Kapoor formed on screen pairs with Raakhee, Sharmila Tagore, Zeenat Aman in the late sixties till the mid eighties. Films where Kapoor acted opposite actresses such as Hema Malini, Parveen Babi, and Moushumi Chatterjee were also commercially successful. After their first movie together Sharmelee became a blockbuster, Raakhee was paired frequently with him and they acted in other successful films such as Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Baseraa (1981), Zameen Aasmaan (1984), Pighalta Aasman (1985) and the critically acclaimed Trishna (1978). Films where Kapoor acted opposite Sharmila Tagore include Waqt (1965), Aamne Samne (1967), Suhana Safar (1970), Aa Gale Lag Jaa (1973), Paap Aur Punya (1974), Swati (1986) and the critically acclaimed New Delhi Times (1985), which fetched Kapoor a National Film Award for Best Actor in 1986. With Zeenat Aman, he did Chori Mera Kaam (1975), Deewaangee (1976), Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Roti Kapda Aur Makan, Heeralal Pannalal (1978), Krodhi (1981), Pakhandi (1984) and Bhavani Junction (1985).

Kapoor's most popular solo hero movies include Haseena Maan Jayegi (1968) and Ek Shriman Ek Shrimati (1969) both with Babita, Kanyadan, Pyar Ka Mausam (1969) both opposite Asha Parekh, Chor Machaye Shor opposite Mumtaz and Abhinetri (1970), Aap Beati (1976), Apna Khoon, Trishul (1978), Maan Gaye Ustaad (1981), Aandhi Toofan (1985) with Hema Malini, Bezubaan with Reena Roy, Chakkar Pe Chakkar (1976), Kali Ghata, Kalyug (1981), Vijeta (1982), Pyaar Ki Jeet(1987) all with Rekha and Bepanaah (1985) with Rati Agnihotri. Other solo hits include Dil Ne Pukara (1967), Naina (1973), Phaansi (1978), Salaakhen(1975), Fakira (1976), Junoon (1979) and multi-starrer Neeyat (1980). He also worked with Rajesh Khanna in Prem Kahani.

Between 1974 and 1977, Kapoor's solo lead films were less commercially successful, which led to him accepting multi star cast films in the period 1976-85 In some of his successful films from the 1970s and in early 1980s he co-starred alongside Pran in 9 films which include 7 hits Biradari, Chori Mera Kaam, Phaansi, Shankar Dada, Chakkar Pe Chakkar, Rahu Ketu and Maan Gaye Ustaad and with Amitabh Bachchan in 11 films of which Roti Kapda Makaan, Deewaar (1975), Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Trishul (1978), Kaala Patthar (1979), Suhaag (1979), Namak Halaal (1982) were commercially successful and Shaan (1980), Silsila, Do Aur Do Paanch (1980) and Akayla were flops at the box office. Shashi was regularly cast with Sanjeev Kumar too in films like Mukti (1977), Trishul, Muqaddar (1978), Swayamvar(1980), Sawaal (1982), Pakhandi (1984). Shashi Kapoor, being a senior actor and more popular, was paid more than his male co stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, Jeetendra, Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor in 1970-85 with exceptions being Pran, Rajesh Khanna and Sanjeev Kumar who were paid higher than Shashi. Although he was in his forties in the late 70’s, being slim and still having charming looks he was cast with his nephews Randhir Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor and with younger heroines like Neetu Singh, Sulakshana Pandit, Bindiya Goswami, Rati Agnihotri and Poonam Dhillon till 1985. After the loss of his wife in 1984, Shashi started slowly gaining weight and this resulted him in moving to character roles in films like Alag Alag, Ilzaam (1986), Sindoor (1987). From (1986) onwards, he became very obese and his body was in contrary to his slim and fit image from the early 60’s till (1985).

He was also known internationally for starring in many British and American films, notably Merchant Ivory productions run by Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, such as Householder (1963), Shakespeare Wallah (1965) (opposite his sister-in-law Felicity Kendal), Bombay Talkie (1970) and Heat and Dust (1982) in which he co-starred with his wife Jennifer Kendal, The Deceivers (1988) and Side Streets (1998). He also starred in other British and American films such as Pretty Polly A Matter Of Innocence (1967) opposite Hayley Mills, Siddhartha (1972), Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987), Muhafiz (1994). James Ivory directed Shashi in the first Merchant Ivory production The Householder, then in Shakespeare-Wallah, Bombay Talkie and Heat and Dust. Ismail Merchant directed Shashi Kapoor in "In Custody" Muhafiz (1994). He was the first Indian actor to work extensively in Hollywood films and British films, at the kick-start of his acting stint in Bollywood, (1960) on-wards and he started doing English films due to his failure as solo lead hero between 1960-1965 before Mohabbat Isko Kahete Hain and Jab Jab Phool Khile in 1965 became hits.

In 1978, he set up his production house, Film Valas, which produced critically acclaimed films such as Junoon (1978), Kalyug (1981), 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981), Vijeta (1982) and Utsav (1984). In 1991 he produced and directed a fantasy film titled Ajooba which had his frequent co-star Amitabh Bachchan and nephew Rishi Kapoor in the lead but the film was a disaster at the box office.

He regarded Nanda, Pran, Ismail Merchant, Dev Anand, Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Sanjeev Kumar as his closest friends from the industry since the beginning of his career and maintained cordial relations with Amitabh Bachchan, Yash Chopra, MGR, Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi Lata Mangeshkar and most of his female and male co stars.

He accepted very few roles as a character actor in films since 1987. He acted with Pierce Brosnan in The Deceivers (1988). He also won a National (special jury) Award for his performance in Muhafiz (In Custody)(1994). His last and most recent film appearances were in Jinnah (1998), a biographical film of Mohammed Ali Jinnah in which he was the narrator and another Merchant Ivory production titled Side Streets (1998). He has now retired from the film industry and did not appear in any film since. He was seen in the limelight at the "Shashi Kapoor Film Festival" held in Muscat, Oman (September 2007). He has lost a considerable amount of weight and looked healthy. Recently, at the 55th Annual Filmfare Awards, Shashi Kapoor received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2011, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India.

In July 1958, he married the English actress Jennifer Kendal and they acted in a number of films together, most notably in the Merchant Ivory productions. Shashi Kapoor and Jennifer Kendal met in Calcutta in 1956 while working for their respective theatre groups. Shashi Kapoor was both assistant stage manager as well as actor for his father’s theatre group, Prithvi. Geoffery Kendal’s Shakespearana group was also present at the same time in Calcutta and Jennifer was Geoffery’s daughter. After their subsequent meeting, the couple fell in love and after facing initial opposition from Geoffery and support from sister-in-law Geeta Bali, they got married. He had three children with Kendal; Karan Kapoor, Kunal Kapoor and Sanjana Kapoor. Jennifer and Shashi Kapoor established Prithvi theatre in 5 November 1978 in Mumbai. Kendal died of cancer in 1984 which shattered him. The English actress Felicity Kendal is his sister-in-law.

Shashi Kapoor’s children for a short while became film actors but their Caucasian looks and accented Hindi prevented them from having a successful career in Hindi films. His son Kunal is married to director Ramesh Sippy's daughter and Sanjana to wildlife conservationist Valmik Thapar. Kunal Kapoor moved onto ad film direction and established his production house Adfilm-Valas which is today extremely successful. Karan Kapoor became successful in modelling and later settled down in London and pursued a career in photography.