Shashi Kapoor (18 March 1938 – 4 December 2017) was an Indian actor and producer and the youngest son of Prithviraj Kapoor. He was one of the first Indian actors to work in international films, starring in several Merchant Ivory productions. In Hindi cinema he starred in hits such as Deewaar and Kabhi Kabhie, and he revived his father’s Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai. He received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Quick Facts
| Birth name | Balbir Raj Kapoor |
| Born | 18 March 1938, Calcutta (now Kolkata), India |
| Died | 4 December 2017, Mumbai (aged 79) |
| Family | Father Prithviraj Kapoor; brothers Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor |
| Spouse | Jennifer Kendal (m. 1958; d. 1984) |
| Children | Kunal, Karan, Sanjana |
| Honours | Padma Bhushan (2011), Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2014) |
Early Life
Shashi Kapoor grew up touring India with his father’s theatre company, Prithvi Theatres. He appeared as a child actor in his brother Raj Kapoor’s films Aag and Awaara. As a young man he joined the English theatre company Shakespeareana, run by Geoffrey Kendal, and fell in love with Kendal’s daughter, Jennifer.
Career
After early struggles, Shashi Kapoor became a romantic star with Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965). In the 1970s he was one of Hindi cinema’s busiest actors. He often co-starred with Amitabh Bachchan, in films such as Deewaar (1975), with its famous line “Mere paas maa hai”, Kabhi Kabhie, Trishul and Namak Halaal.
Kapoor starred in Merchant Ivory films including The Householder (1963), Shakespeare Wallah (1965), Bombay Talkie and Heat and Dust (1983), becoming one of the first Indian actors known abroad.
Through his company, Film-Valas, Kapoor produced acclaimed art films such as Junoon (1978), 36 Chowringhee Lane, Kalyug and Utsav. In 1978 he and Jennifer opened Prithvi Theatre in Juhu, Mumbai, which remains a hub of Indian theatre. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor for New Delhi Times (1986).
Personal Life and Death
Shashi Kapoor married Jennifer Kendal in 1958, and they had three children. Jennifer’s death from cancer in 1984 deeply affected him. He died in Mumbai on 4 December 2017.
Selected Filmography
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Shashi Kapoor born?
Shashi Kapoor was born on 18 March 1938 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India.
When did Shashi Kapoor die?
Died: 4 December 2017, Mumbai (aged 79).
What honours has Shashi Kapoor received?
Padma Bhushan (2011), Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2014).
