Raj Kapoor
| Raj Kapoor | |
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| Born | Ranbirraj Kapoor 14 December 1924 Peshawar, Pakistan |
| Died | 2 June 1988 (aged 63) Delhi, India |
| Occupation | Actor, Producer, Director |
| Years active | 1935-1985 |
Ranbirraj "Raj" Kapoor (Hindi: राज कपूर, Urdu: راج کپُور Rāj Kapūr, 1 December 1924 - 2 June 1988), also known as The Show-Man, was an Indian film actor, producer and director of Hindi cinema.[1] He was the winner of nine Filmfare Awards, while his films Awaara (1951) and Boot Polish (1954) were nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
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Early life and Background
Raj Kapoor was born in Peshawar, British India, to actor Prithviraj Kapoor and Ramsarni (Rama) Devi Kapoor (née Mehra). He was the eldest of the six children in the Pashto Punjabi/Hindko-speaking family.[2][3][4] He was the grandson of Dewan Basheshwarnath Kapoor and great-grandson of Dewan Keshavmal Kapoor, part of the famous Kapoor family. Raj's younger brothers are the actors Shashi Kapoor , aka Balbir Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor , aka Shamsher Raj Kapoor. He also had a sister whose name was Urmila Sial.He had two more younger brothers who had died in infancy.
Career
At age eleven, he appeared in films for the first time, in the 1935 film Inquilab. After acting in several other films the next 12 years, Raj Kapoor's big break came with the lead role in Neel Kamal (1947) opposite Madhubala in her first role as a leading lady. In 1948, at the age of twenty-four, he established his own studio, R. K. Films, and became the youngest film director of his time. His first movie as a producer, director and star was the 1948 film Aag which was also the first of his many films with actress Nargis. However the film failed to do well at the box office. In 1949 he once again starred alongside Nargis and Dilip Kumar in Mehboob Khan's classic blockbuster Andaz which was his first major success as an actor.
He went on to produce, direct and star in many box office hits such as Barsaat (1949), Awaara (1951), Shree 420 (1955), Chori Chori (1956) and Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai (1960). These films established his screen image as The Tramp modeled on Charlie Chaplin's most famous screen persona. In 1964 he produced, directed and starred in Sangam which was his first film in colour. This was his last major success as a leading actor. He moved onto directing and starring in his ambitious 1970 film, Mera Naam Joker (My name is Joker), which took more than six years to complete. When released in 1970, it was however a box office disaster putting him into a financial crisis. Despite this setback, Raj himself regarded this film as his favourite.
He bounced back in 1971 when he co-starred with his eldest son Randhir Kapoor in Randhir's acting and directorial debut Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971) which also starred Raj's father Prithviraj Kapoor as well as Randhir's wife to be Babita. From then on he acted in films as a character actor and focused on producing and directing films. He launched his second son Rishi Kapoor's career when he produced and directed Bobby (1973) which was not only a huge box office success but also introduced actress Dimple Kapadia, later a very popular actress, and was the first of a new generation of teen romances. Dimple wore bikinis in the film which was quite unique for Indian films then.
In the latter half of the 1970s and early 1980s he produced and directed films which focused on the female protagonists: Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978) with Zeenat Aman, Prem Rog (1982) with Padmini Kolhapure and Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985) which introduced Mandakini.
Raj Kapoor's last major film appearance was in Vakil Babu (1982). His last acting role was a cameo appearance in a 1984 released British made-for-television film titled Kim.
Death
Raj Kapoor suffered from asthma in his later years; he died of complications related to asthma in 1988 at the age of 63. At the time of his death, he was working on the movie Henna (an Indo -Pakistan based love story). The film was later completed by his son, Rishi Kapoor and released in 1991 which became a huge success at the Box Office. When he was given the Dadasaheb Phalke Award; where his brothers, Shashi Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor were also present; the crowd was clapping around when President Venkataraman, who saw Kapoor's discomfort, came down the stage to give the award to the legend in the middle of thundering claps where he was breathing his last breath. And he died shortly after.
Legacy
Raj Kapoor is appreciated both by film critics and ordinary film fans. Film historians and movie buffs speak of him as the "Charlie Chaplin of Indian cinema," since he often portrayed a tramp-like figure, who, despite adversity, was still cheerful and honest. His fame spread worldwide. He was adored by audiences in large parts of Africa, the Middle East, the former Soviet Union, China, and Southeast Asia; his movies were global commercial successes. Raj had the knack of getting the best out of any one, since he had mastered all departments of film making and even marketing them. When Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru died in 1964 coinciding with release of Sangam, he took the opportunity to create a scene when Gopal ashes were immersed in Ganges , like Pandit Nehru described in his poetic will. His films reflected the Era in which it was made.
He had a great understanding of the public taste and a great sense of Box-Office.He was one of the pioneers of the Indian cinema, who talked about the potential of Hindi cinema emerging as a great revenue earner from the world market in fifties, which has become a reality today.[5]
Many of Raj Kapoor's movies had a patriotic theme. His films Aag, Shree 420 and Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai (In the Country Where the Ganges Flows) celebrated the newly independent India, and encouraged film-goers to be patriots. Raj Kapoor commissioned these famous lyrics for "Mera Joota Hai Japani" , a song from the movie Shree 420:
- Mera joota hai Japani
- Ye pataloon Inglistani
- Sar pe lal topi Roosi
- Phir bhi dil hai Hindustani
- My shoes are Japanese
- These trousers are English
- The red cap on my head is Russian
- But still, however, my heart is Indian
The song is still extremely popular and has been featured in a number of movies since Shree 420 was released. Indian author Mahasweta Devi stopped the show with her inaugural speech at the 2006 Frankfurt Book Fair when she used these lyrics to express her own heartfelt patriotism and debt to her country.
Raj Kapoor was a canny judge of filmi music and lyrics. Many of the songs he commissioned are evergreen hits. He introduced the music directors Shankar Jaikishan and the lyricist Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra. He is also remembered for his strong sense of visual style. He used striking visual compositions, elaborate sets, and dramatic lighting to complete the mood set by the music. He introduced the actors Nimmi, Dimple Kapadia, Nargis and Mandakini, as well as launching and reviving the careers of his sons Rishi, Randhir and Rajiv.
Personal life
The Kapoor family hailed from Lyallpur, which is now called Faisalabad in the Punjab province of present-day Pakistan.
In 1946, at the age of 22, Raj Kapoor married Krishna Malhotra belonging to Rewa, in a traditional family-arranged wedding. Krishna was a distant relative, his father's maternal uncle's daughter. Her brothers Prem Nath as well as Rajindernath were also actors. Raj Kapoor and Krishna's eldest son Randhir Kapoor was born in 1947, followed by their elder daughter Ritu Kapoor the year after, in 1948. The second son, actor Rishi Kapoor was born in 1952, and second daughter Reema Kapoor in 1956. Their youngest son, Rajiv Kapoor was born in 1962. Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor have all been associated with Bollywood as actors, directors or producers.
Kapoor is also known to have had a longtime romantic relationship with the renowned actress Nargis during the 1950s. The couple starred in several films together, including Awaara and Shree 420. He is also alleged to have had an affair with Vyjayanthimala, his co-star in Sangam.
Three of Kapoor's grandchildren are currently stars in the Bollywood film industry. His granddaughters are Karishma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor, the daughters of Raj's son Randhir Kapoor and his wife Babita. His grandson is Ranbir Kapoor, who is the son of Rishi Kapoor and his wife Neetu Singh.
Awards
Kapoor had received many awards throughout his career, including 9 Filmfare Awards and 19 nominations. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 1971 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1987 - the highest award for cinematic excellence in India. In 2001, he was honoured with “Best Director of the Millennium” by Stardust Awards. He was named “Showman of the Millennium” by Star Screen Awards in 2002.
Association with other artists
Shankar Jaikishan
Shankar-Jaikishan were his music director of choice. He worked with them in 20 films in all including 10 of his own films from Barsaat until Kal Aaj Aur Kal. (Jagte Raho with Salil Chowdhury and Ab Dilli Dur Nahin being two exceptions in this period). Only after Jaikishan died, did he turn to a different music director - Laxmikant Pyarelal for Bobby.
List of films with Shankar Jaikishan: (18 Films)
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Nargis
- Raj Kapoor and Nargis worked together in 16 films including 6 of his own productions.
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Mukesh
Mukesh was Raj Kapoor's almost exclusive singing voice in almost all of his films. Also, when Mukesh died, Raj had said, "Maine apni aawaaz ko kho diya..." ("I have lost my voice..."). However Manna Dey has also sung many notable and super-hit songs for Raj Kapoor, for instance in Shree 420 and Chori Chori. Examples of such songs are best illustrated by following songs:
- Dil Ka Haal Sune Dil Wala (Shree 420)
- Aaja Sanam Madhur Chandni Mein Hum (Chori Chori)
- Jahan Mein Jati Hoon Wahin Chale Aate Ho (Chori Chori)
- Yeh raat bhigi bhigi, yeh mast fizayen (chori chori)
- Masti Bhara Hai Samaan (Parvarish)
- A bhai zara dekh ke chalo (Mera Naam Joker)
- Pyar hua ikrar hua hai (Shree 420)
Filmography
Further reading
- The Kapoors: the first family of Indian cinema, by Madhu Jain. Penguin, Viking, 2005. ISBN 0670058378.
References
- ↑ Allmusic biography
- ↑ "Bollywood's First Family". Rediff. http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2006/feb/02slide1.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
- ↑ "Prithviraj Kapoor: A centenary tribute". Daily Times / University of Stockholm. http://www.statsvet.su.se/publikationer/ahmed/artiklar_2006/41_prithviraj_kapoor.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
- ↑ "Prithviraj Kapoor:". Kapoor Family Page. http://www.junglee.org.in/pk.html. Retrieved 2007-11-03.
- ↑ http://www.thebhopalpost.com/index.php/2010/07/raj-kapoor-the-man-who-foresaw-the-overseas-business/]
Sources
- Rajadhyaksha, Ashish; Willemen, Paul. Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema. London: British Film Institute; New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1994
- Kishore, Valicha. The Moving Image. Hyderabad: Orient Longman, 1988
External links
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