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Prithviraj Kapoor (1906-1972) was a noted pioneer of Indian theater and of the Hindi film industry. He was also the patriarch of the Kapoor family of Hindi films, four generations of which family, beginning with him, have played active roles in Bollywood.

Early years

Prithviraj was born on November 3, 1906 at Samundri near the town of Lyallpur in the Punjab to a middle-class family belonging to the Khatri caste of Hindus. His father, Dewan Basheswarnath Kapoor, was a sub-inspector of police. Prithviraj received his initial education at Lyallpur and at Lahore. His paternal grandfather, Dewan Keshavmal, was a powerful influence during his childhood. Baseshwarnath was posted at Peshawar, and so Prithviraj received his higher education at the Edward College, Peshawar.

It was here that his talents on stage first received expression. Prithviraj's son Shammi recollects that Prof. Jai Dayal, a member of the faculty, was instrumental in nurturing his talent. The Indian professor was in love with an English lady by name Nora Richard, who in turn was a theatre aficionado with a passion for Shakespeare and Ibsen. The couple found Prithviraj the perfect material for many roles in the plays they mounted. This was his grounding in the art of the theatre.

Career

Prithviraj graduated from Edward college, Peshawar, a feat that ew of his descendants were destined to match. He also studied law as a graduate student for one year, but his heart was in the theatre. In 1928, Prithviraj moved to the city of Bombay (present-day Mumbai) which is the hub of the Hindi film industry.

Kapoor acted in India's first film talkie, Alam Ara (1931). He developed a reputation as a fine actor on both stage and screen. His best-known performance is perhaps as Alexander the Great in Sohrab Modi’s 1941 film Sikander. Kapoor remained dedicated to the stage and invested heavily in Hindi theater. In 1944, he founded Prithvi Theatre, a travelling troupe that stages memorable productions acros India.

Personal life

As was customary in that era, Prithviraj married at a young age. In 1924, at age 18, Prithviraj married the 15-year-old Ramsarni Mehra, in a match that was arranged by their families. By the time Prithviraj moved to Bombay in 1928, the couple were the parents of three children. In 1931, when Ramsarni was pregnant for the third time, the couple suffered the tragic loss of two children in the space of one week.

His sons, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor also went on to become famous actors and film-makers in their own right.

Awards

He died in 1972. Prithviraj was posthumously awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to Indian Cinema. He was the third recipient of that award, the highest accolade in Indian cinema. Prithviraj was awarded Padma Bhushan by the President in 1969.

Selected filmography

• Mughal-e-Azam (1960)
• Awaara (1951)
• Sikander (1941)
• Vidyapati (1937)
• Alam Ara (1931)

Legacy

Since his death Prithviraj Kapoor's descendents have acted in the industry and have maintained the "Kapoor" dynasty. His sons all became great actors. His eldest son (Raj Kapoor) notably carried on his film legacy. His grandsons Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor, Karan Kapoor, Kunal Kapoor, and granddaughter Sanjana Kapoor all went on to become actors, producers or directors. In particular his great granddaughters, Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor have gone on to become the top stars of their generation.

Notes

1. Prithviraj, My father by Shamsherraj (Shammi) Kapoor
2. Prithviraj, My father by Shamsherraj (Shammi) Kapoor
3. Ramsarni Devi Kapoor

References

• Prithviraj Kapoor at IMDb
• Prithviraj, My father by Shamsherraj (Shammi) Kapoor
• Prithviraj Kapoor
• Peshawarites still remember the Kapoor family

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