Shahid Kapoor (born 25 February 1981) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. He began as a background dancer and became a star with the teen romance Ishq Vishk (2003). He won critical acclaim for his work with the director Vishal Bhardwaj in Kaminey and Haider. His biggest commercial success was Kabir Singh (2019), and he also led the hit streaming series Farzi (2023).
Quick Facts
| Full name | Shahid Kapoor |
| Born | 25 February 1981, New Delhi, India |
| Age | 45 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Parents | Pankaj Kapur (actor), Neliima Azeem (actress and dancer) |
| Sibling | Ishaan Khatter (half-brother, actor) |
| Spouse | Mira Rajput (m. 2015) |
| Children | 2 (Misha, Zain) |
| Known for | Ishq Vishk, Jab We Met, Kaminey, Haider, Udta Punjab, Kabir Singh, Farzi |
Early Life
Kapoor was born in New Delhi to the actor Pankaj Kapur and the actress and dancer Neliima Azeem. His parents separated when he was young, and he was raised mainly by his mother. He moved to Mumbai as a boy. His half-brother, Ishaan Khatter, is also an actor. He trained at Shiamak Davar’s dance academy and worked as a background dancer in films and music videos before acting.
Career
Kapoor made his debut in the teen romance Ishq Vishk (2003), which won him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. The family drama Vivah (2006) was a hit. Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met (2007), in which he played a heartbroken businessman opposite Kareena Kapoor, became a modern classic.
In Vishal Bhardwaj’s crime caper Kaminey (2009) he played twin brothers, one with a lisp and one with a stammer, and critics praised the performance. In Bhardwaj’s Haider (2014), an adaptation of Hamlet set in Kashmir, he won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor. He played a drug-addicted rock star in Udta Punjab (2016), alongside Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh, and won the Filmfare Critics Award. In Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat (2018) he played the Rajput king Ratan Singh, opposite Deepika Padukone.
Kabir Singh (2019), a remake of the Telugu film Arjun Reddy, co-starred Kiara Advani. It divided critics over its portrayal of a violent, self-destructive surgeon but was his biggest box-office hit. He played a cricketer in Jersey (2022) and an artist turned counterfeiter in Raj & DK’s Prime Video series Farzi (2023). He co-starred with Kriti Sanon in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024) and played a police officer in the action thriller Deva (2025). He reunited with Vishal Bhardwaj for O’Romeo (2026).
Personal Life
Kapoor married Mira Rajput in an arranged marriage in July 2015. They have two children: a daughter, Misha, born in 2016, and a son, Zain, born in 2018. He is a vegetarian and a follower of the Radha Soami spiritual movement.
Awards and Honours
Selected Filmography
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Shahid Kapoor born?
Shahid Kapoor was born on 25 February 1981 in New Delhi, India and is 45 years old.
What is Shahid Kapoor known for?
Known for: Ishq Vishk, Jab We Met, Kaminey, Haider, Udta Punjab, Kabir Singh, Farzi.
Featured image: Shahid Kapoor at the IIFA Awards green carpet, New York, 15 July 2017. Photo by Laura Lee Dooley, licensed under CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
