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Actor
Raj Kapoor
Active Hindi Cinema (Bollywood / Indian Cinema)
- FromPeshawar, North-West Frontier Province, British India (present-day Pakistan)
- Ageover–65
- Active1935–1988
- Updated
Raj Kapoor Biography Information
- Real Name: Ranbir Raj Kapoor
- Screen Name: Raj Kapoor
- Date of Birth: December 14, 1924
- Date of Death: June 2, 1988
- Profession: Actor, Film Director, Film Producer, Editor
- Debut Film: Inquilab (1935, child actor); Neel Kamal (1947, lead role)
- Final Film: Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985, as director); Kim (1984, final screen acting appearance)
- Known Moniker: The Greatest Showman of Indian Cinema, The Charlie Chaplin of Indian Cinema
Raj Kapoor Family Member Name
- Father: Prithviraj Kapoor (Pioneer of Indian theatre and cinema)
- Mother: Ramsarni Devi Kapoor (Homemaker)
- Spouse: Krishna Kapoor (m. 1946)
- Sons: Randhir Kapoor (actor/director), Rishi Kapoor (actor), Rajiv Kapoor (actor/director)
- Daughters: Ritu Nanda, Rima Jain
- Brothers: Shammi Kapoor (actor), Shashi Kapoor (actor), Bindi Kapoor (passed away in infancy), Amar Kapoor (passed away in infancy)
- Sister: Urmila Sial Kapoor
Raj Kapoor Education
- School Education: Colonel Brown Cambridge School (Dehradun), St. Xavier’s Collegiate School (Kolkata), Campion School (Mumbai)
- College Education: Did not pursue university/higher education (left school early to join Prithvi Theatres and film production)
- College Education: Did not pursue university/higher education (left school early to join Prithvi Theatres and film production)
Raj Kapoor Career Highlight
| Year | Milestone / Film Name | Significance |
| 1935 | Inquilab | First silver screen appearance as a child artist |
| 1947 | Neel Kamal | Lead actor debut opposite Madhubala |
| 1948 | Aag | Directorial debut and establishment of R. K. Films banner |
| 1949 | Barsaat | First massive commercial triumph as a director and actor |
| 1951 | Awaara | Global cultural phenomenon; nominated for the Grand Prize at Cannes |
| 1954 | Boot Polish | Produced Cannes-acclaimed drama; won first Filmfare Award for Best Film |
| 1955 | Shree 420 | Quintessential tramp persona; one of Indian cinema’s biggest international grossers |
| 1956 | Jagte Raho | Critically acclaimed social satire winning Karlovy Vary Crystal Globe |
| 1959 | Anari | Landmark performance winning his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor |
| 1960 | Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai | Multi-award-winning national drama winning National and Filmfare honors |
| 1964 | Sangam | India’s first magnum opus in Technicolor featuring overseas European locations |
| 1970 | Mera Naam Joker | Magnum opus philosophical drama; cult classic defining his directorial mastery |
| 1973 | Bobby | Reinvigorated modern teenage romance genre; launched Rishi Kapoor |
| 1982 | Prem Rog | Hard-hitting social reform film on widow remarriage; won Best Director |
| 1985 | Ram Teri Ganga Maili | Final completed directorial blockbuster; swept major Filmfare honors |
Raj Kapoor Awards List
| Year | Award | Category | Award Name | Film | Result |
| 1954 | Filmfare Awards | Best Film | Filmfare Award | Boot Polish | Won |
| 1955 | National Film Awards | Best Feature Film in Hindi | President’s Silver Medal | Shree 420 | Won |
| 1956 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actor | Filmfare Award | Jagte Raho | Nominated |
| 1958 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actor | Filmfare Award | Phir Subah Hogi | Nominated |
| 1959 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actor | Filmfare Award | Anari | Won |
| 1960 | National Film Awards | Best Feature Film in Hindi | Certificate of Merit | Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai | Won |
| 1960 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actor | Filmfare Award | Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai | Won |
| 1960 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actor | Filmfare Award | Chhalia | Nominated |
| 1964 | Filmfare Awards | Best Director | Filmfare Award | Sangam | Won |
| 1964 | Filmfare Awards | Best Editing | Filmfare Award | Sangam | Won |
| 1964 | Filmfare Awards | Best Film | Filmfare Award | Sangam | Nominated |
| 1964 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actor | Filmfare Award | Sangam | Nominated |
| 1970 | Filmfare Awards | Best Director | Filmfare Award | Mera Naam Joker | Won |
| 1970 | Filmfare Awards | Best Film | Filmfare Award | Mera Naam Joker | Nominated |
| 1970 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actor | Filmfare Award | Mera Naam Joker | Nominated |
| 1971 | Government of India | Civilian Honor | Padma Bhushan | N/A | Won |
| 1973 | Filmfare Awards | Best Film | Filmfare Award | Bobby | Nominated |
| 1973 | Filmfare Awards | Best Director | Filmfare Award | Bobby | Nominated |
| 1978 | Filmfare Awards | Best Director | Filmfare Award | Satyam Shivam Sundaram | Nominated |
| 1980 | Filmfare Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Filmfare Award | Abdullah | Nominated |
| 1982 | Filmfare Awards | Best Director | Filmfare Award | Prem Rog | Won |
| 1982 | Filmfare Awards | Best Editing | Filmfare Award | Prem Rog | Won |
| 1982 | Filmfare Awards | Best Film | Filmfare Award | Prem Rog | Nominated |
| 1985 | Filmfare Awards | Best Film | Filmfare Award | Ram Teri Ganga Maili | Won |
| 1985 | Filmfare Awards | Best Director | Filmfare Award | Ram Teri Ganga Maili | Won |
| 1985 | Filmfare Awards | Best Editing | Filmfare Award | Ram Teri Ganga Maili | Won |
| 1985 | Filmfare Awards | Best Story | Filmfare Award | Ram Teri Ganga Maili | Nominated |
| 1987 | Government of India | Cinema Lifetime | Dadasaheb Phalke Award | N/A | Won |
At a Glance
11
Awards
90
Popularity Score
90
Trending
Moderate
Controversy Index
90%
Profile Complete
About Raj Kapoor
Why was Raj Kapoor called "The Showman of Indian Cinema"?
He earned the title due to his grand visual storytelling, lavish musical compositions, flamboyant cinematic scale, and unmatched ability to connect populist entertainment with profound humanism.
What was the international impact of his film Awaara?
Awaara (1951) was an unprecedented global blockbuster across the Soviet Union, China, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, making Raj Kapoor and his song "Mera Joota Hai Japani" household names worldwide.
Which production house did Raj Kapoor establish?
He founded R. K. Films in 1948 and subsequently established R. K. Studio in Chembur, Mumbai, which produced many of Indian cinema's most celebrated classics.
How many Filmfare Best Director awards did Raj Kapoor win?
He won 4 Filmfare Awards for Best Director (for Sangam, Mera Naam Joker, Prem Rog, and Ram Teri Ganga Maili).
What was the last honor conferred on Raj Kapoor before his passing?
In May 1988, he attended the National Film Awards ceremony in New Delhi to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest cinema honor, shortly before his death on June 2, 1988.
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