Who Was Raj Kapoor ?
Raj Kapoor gave a distinct identity to Hindi cinema. He was a famous actor, director – producer. She made her acting debut in 1935 at the age of 10 with the film Inquilab. Mera Naam Joker, Sangam, Anari, the country in which the Ganges flows, were some of his best films. Also directed hit films like Bobby, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, Prem Rog.
Padma Bhushan in 1971 and Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1987. So today in this article, we will tell you about the biography of Raj Kapoor.
Birth
Raj Kapoor was born on 14 December 1924 in Peshawar (now Pakistan). He was born in a Pathani Hindu family. His childhood name was Ranbir Raj Kapoor. His father’s name was Prithviraj Kapoor and his mother’s name was Ramsharni Devi Kapoor. His brother’s name was Shashi Kapoor (1938-2017), Shammi Kapoor (1931-2011), Nandi Kapoor (death: 1931), Devi Kapoor (death: 1931) and his sister’s name was Urmila Sial Kapoor.
In 1946, Raj Kapoor’s father Prithviraj Kapoor got him married to his maternal uncle’s daughter Krishna. Her children’s names are Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor and her daughter Ritu Nanda (married to industrialist Rajan Nanda), Reema Jain (married to investment banker Manoj Jain).
Education
Raj Kapoor received his education from St. Xavier’s Collegiate School, Kolkata and Colonel Brown Cambridge School, Dehradun.
Career
Raj Kapoor worked as a clapper-boy in Bombay Talkies in the 1930s and as an actor in the Prithvi Theater, both of which were owned by his father Prithviraj Kapoor. Raj Kapoor worked as a clapper-boy in Bombay Talkies in the 1930s and as an actor in the Prithvi Theater, both of which were owned by his father Prithviraj Kapoor.
Raj had appeared as a child artist in small roles in ‘Inquilab’ (1935) and ‘Hamari Baat’ (1943), ‘Gauri’ (1943). Kapoor played the role of Krishna in the films ‘Valmiki’ (1946), ‘Narada and Amarprem’ (1948). In spite of all these activities, there was a fire in his heart to produce his own independent film by becoming producer-director.
His dream came true at the age of 24 with the film Aag (1948). Raj Kapoor played the first major role on screen in ‘Aag’ (1948), which he also produced and directed himself. After this Raj Kapoor got the idea to build his studio and in 1950 he took his R.R. in Chembur with four acres of land. K. Established the studio and gained fame as a romantic hero in ‘Awara’ in 1951. Raj Kapoor directed and acted in successful films like ‘Barsaat’ (1949), ‘Shri 420’ (1955), ‘Jagte Raho’ (1956) and ‘Mera Naam Joker’ (1970). He directed many such films, in which his two brothers Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor and three sons Randhir, Rishi and Rajiv were acting.
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Although he played romantic roles in his early films, his most famous character is the impersonal, but honest, protagonist of ‘Charlie Chaplin’. His use of sexual images often challenged traditionally strict Indian film standards. Kapoor had appeared as a child artist in small roles in ‘Inquilab’ (1935) and ‘Hamari Baat’ (1943), ‘Gauri’ (1943).
Raj Kapoor`s played the role of Krishna in the films ‘Valmiki’ (1946), ‘Narada and Amarprem’ (1948). His dream came true at the age of 24 with the film Aag (1948). Raj Kapoor played the first major role on screen in ‘Aag’ (1948), which he also produced and directed himself.
After this Raj Kapoor got the idea to build his studio and in 1950 he took his R.R. in Chembur with four acres of land. K. Established the studio and gained fame as a romantic hero in ‘Awara’ in 1951. Raj Kapoor directed and acted in successful films like ‘Barsaat’ (1949), ‘Shri 420’ (1955), ‘Jagte Raho’ (1956) and ‘Mera Naam Joker’ (1970). He directed many such films, in which his two brothers Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor and three sons Randhir, Rishi and Rajiv were acting. Although he played romantic roles in his early films, his most famous character is the impersonal, but honest, stray ‘Charlie Chaplin’.
His use of sexual images often challenged traditionally strict Indian film standards. Mera Naam Joker, Sangam, Anari, the country in which the Ganges flows, were some of his best films. Also directed hit films like Bobby, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, Prem Rog.
Controversy
- In the year 1978, he promised the legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar that he would appoint his brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar as music director in the film ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram’. After which Lata Mangeshkar became angry with him.
- They made scenes with heroines in short dresses, showing their skin excessively. Not only this, he also shot semi-nude scenes with actresses along with his co-stars. Which was not so common in India at that time. Due to this, he faced severe criticism from the audience.
Death
Raj Kapoor died on 2 June 1988 in New Delhi.