Kapoor, Raj (1924-1988), was an Indian motion-picture actor, director, and producer who worked in India’s film industry for about 40 years. He was the son of the acting and directing pioneer Prithviraj Kapoor. Raj Kapoor started his own film career as a clapper at the Bombay Talkies studios. A clapper is a member of a film crew who works a device called a clapstick. The device is marked with information about a scene’s takes and shots (see Motion picture (Shooting the movie) . With his handsome features and personable manner, Kapoor was soon acting in movies. It was not long before he became a Bollywood idol. Bollywood is the name for India’s motion-picture industry. Kapoor won a number of Filmfare Awards for acting and directing. Filmfare Awards are presented annually for artistic and technical excellence in filmmaking in the Hindi language. The Indian magazine Filmfare presents the awards.
Kapoor was born on Dec. 14, 1924, in Peshawar, in what is now Pakistan. In 1948, he founded his own studio, R. K. Films, and began making sentimental, socially aware films that were popular at the time. He directed and starred in such films as Awara (1951) and Shree 420 (1955), in which he developed the character of a lovable, kind-hearted tramp victimized by a cruel system. The glamorous actress Nargis was his screen partner throughout the 1950’s and early 1960’s. Together, they achieved acclaim in India, the Middle East, and the Soviet Union.
In 1964, Kapoor made his first color feature film, Sangam, a love story. Two later films he directed were Bobby (1973), about teenaged lovers, and Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978), a film that combined eroticism with religion. Kapoor died on June 2, 1988. His brothers Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor also became successful actors and directors in Indian films. Raj Kapoor’s sons Randhir, Rishi, and Rajiv Kapoor also became actors. Randhir Kapoor’s daughters, Kareena Kapoor and Karisma Kapoor, are popular Bollywood actresses. Rishi Kapoor’s son, Ranbir Kapoor, is also a popular Bollywood actor.
