Shekhar Kapur
{{Short description|Indian filmmaker (born 1945)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Shekhar Kapur
| image = Shekhar kapur 02.jpg
| caption = Kapur in 2008
| birth_name = Shekhar Kulbhushan Kapur
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1945|12|6}}
| birth_place = Lahore, Punjab, British India
| nationality =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = {{hlist|Filmmaker}}
| years_active = 1974–present
| works = Full list
| spouse = {{unbulleted list
| {{marriage|Medha Gujral|1984|1994|reason=divorced}}| {{marriage|Suchitra Krishnamoorthi|1999|2007|reason=divorced}}}}
| children = 1
| relatives = {{ubl|Sohaila Kapur (sister)|Dev Anand (uncle)|Chetan Anand (uncle)|Vijay Anand (uncle)|Purab Kohli (nephew)}}
| family = Anand-Sahni family
| module =
| honours = {{unbulleted list|Padma Bhushan (2025)|Padma Shri (2000)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| embed = yes
| office= Chairman of Film and Television Institute of India
| term_start = 30 September 2020
| term_end = 1 September 2023
| predecessor= B. P. Singh
| successor= R. Madhavan
}}
}}
Shekhar Kulbhushan Kapur (born 6 December 1945) is an Indian filmmaker. Born into the Anand-Sahni family, Kapur is the recipient of several accolades, including a BAFTA Award, a National Film Award, a National Board of Review Award and three Filmfare Awards, in addition to nomination for a Golden Globe Award.
Kapur became known in Bollywood with his recurring role in the television series Khandaan. He then made his directorial debut with cult classic Masoom in 1983, before gaining widespread acclaim with Mr. India in 1987. He then gained international recognition and acclaim in 1994 with biographical film Bandit Queen, based on the infamous Indian bandit and politician Phoolan Devi. The film premiered in the directors' fortnight section of the 1994 Cannes Film Festival and was screened at the Edinburgh Film Festival.{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/bollywood/news/a383899/anurag-kashyap-the-perception-of-india-cinema-is-changing.html#~oT14wSijkj0Kkw |title=Anurag Kashyap: 'The perception of India cinema is changing' |work=Digital Spy|date=28 May 2012 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en/theDailyArticle/57637.html |title=Shekhar Kapur, exclusive interview |work=Festival de Cannes|date=18 May 2010 }}
Kapur achieved further international prominence with the 1998 period film Elizabeth, a fictional account of the reign of British Queen Elizabeth I, which was nominated for seven Academy Awards. He then directed war drama film The Four Feathers (2002). In 2007, he directed Elizabeth: The Golden Age, the sequel to his 1998 film.
Shekhar Kapur was awarded Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award, in 2025.{{cite news |title=Balakrishna, Ajith, Shekhar Kapur, Shobana honoured with Padma Bhushan, Arijit Singh, Ricky Kej conferred with Padma Shri |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/padma-awards-balakrishna-ajith-shekhar-kapur-shobana-arijit-singh-ricky-kej-9799275/ |access-date=26 January 2025 |publisher=The Indian Express |date=25 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126154012/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/padma-awards-balakrishna-ajith-shekhar-kapur-shobana-arijit-singh-ricky-kej-9799275/ |archive-date=26 January 2025 |language=en}}
Early life and education
Shekhar was born on 6 December 1945 in Lahore, Punjab, British India, in a Punjabi Hindu family to Kulbhushan Kapoor, a doctor with a flourishing practice, and his wife Sheel Kanta Kapoor.{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/delhi-times/Shekhar-Kapur-A-life-in-focus/articleshow/40409941.cms |title=Shekhar Kapur: A life in focus |work=The Times of India |date=16 March 2003 |access-date=8 August 2011}}
Whilst travelling on a train from the newly-created Pakistan to India, a massacre took place; Kapur's mother Sheel played dead and hid both him and his sister under her body.{{cite web |title=When Shekhar Kapur's mother played dead to save his life during partition |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/when-shekhar-kapur-s-mother-played-dead-to-save-his-life-during-partition/story-bieddweGm3XjM7UrVThBlM.html |publisher=Hindustan Times |access-date=26 March 2019 |language=en |date=1 March 2019}} Reflecting on this, Kapur stated that the partition of India happened through "the blood of one people".
The nephew of famous Indian actor Dev Anand, he was discouraged from getting into films by his father.{{cite news |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/person/191017/Shekhar-Kapur/biography |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021134227/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/191017/Shekhar-Kapur/biography |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 October 2007 |department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=The New York Times |author=Andrea LeVasseur |date=2007 |title=Shekhar Kapur |access-date=8 August 2011}} Sheel Kanta was the sister of actors Chetan, Dev and Vijay Anand.{{cite web |url=http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/shekhar-kapur-my-uncle-dev-anand-the-man-no-one-knew-622494 |title=Shekhar Kapur: My uncle Dev Anand, the man no one knew... |publisher=NDTVMovies.com}} Kapur is the only son of his parents and he has three sisters. One of his sisters, Neelu, was the first wife of actor Navin Nischol, while another sister, Aruna, is the wife of actor Parikshit Sahni. His third and youngest sister is Sohaila Kapur.
Kapur attended Modern School of New Delhi.{{cite web |url=http://www.expressindia.com/news/fe/daily/20000316/faf12026.html |title=Shekhar Kapur becomes a name to reckon with in Western cinema |work=The Indian Express |date=16 March 2000 |access-date=8 August 2011}} He studied economics at St. Stephen's College. At 22, he became a Chartered Accountant with the ICAEW in England, having studied accountancy at the behest of his parents.{{cite news |last=Wild |first=Damian |title=Shehkar Kapur: Reeling in the punters. |url=http://www.accountancyage.com/aa/feature/1776474/shehkar-kapur-reeling-punters |access-date=5 May 2013 |newspaper=Accountancy Age |date=5 October 2003}}{{cite web |last=Kapoor |first=Shekhar |title=My uncle Dev Anand, the man no one knew… |date=5 December 2011 |url=http://shekharkapur.com/blog/2011/12/my-uncle-dev-anand-the-man-no-one-knew/ |access-date=5 May 2013}} He then started his career working with a multinational oil company. He moved to the United Kingdom in 1970, and spent several years working as an accountant and management consultant.{{cite web |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/oldstory.php?storyid=44519 |title=Sorry |work=The Indian Express |location=India |access-date=8 August 2011}}
Filmmaking career
= In India =
He turned director with the family drama Masoom (1983), starring Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi and a young Jugal Hansraj and Urmila Matondkar. The plot followed the story of an illegitimate boy who struggles to find acceptance from his stepmother. He then directed the 1987 science-fiction film Mr. India, starring Anil Kapoor, Sridevi and Amrish Puri in his most famous role as the villain Mogambo. Puri's most famous dialogue in this film "Mogambo Khush Hua" is still remembered.{{cite web |author=Koimoi.com Team |url=http://www.koimoi.com/bollywood-news/a-tribute-to-amrish-mogambo-puri |title=A Tribute To Amrish 'Mogambo' Puri |publisher=Koimoi.com |date=22 June 2010 |access-date=3 March 2014}} In 1994 he directed the critically acclaimed Bandit Queen{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/1335405/The-dacoit-leader-who-wore-a-tiger-skin-sari.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/1335405/The-dacoit-leader-who-wore-a-tiger-skin-sari.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |location=London |work=The Daily Telegraph |first=Amit |last=Roy |title=The dacoit leader who wore a tiger skin sari |date=26 July 2001}}{{cbignore}} and played a cameo in the film as a truck driver.
Kapur was infamous for abandoning several films in which he was originally the director.{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-will-shekhar-kapur-make-another-film-1809615|title=Will Shekhar Kapur make another film?|date=11 March 2013}} He was originally the director of the 1989 film Joshilaay, which starred Sunny Deol, Anil Kapoor, Sridevi and Meenakshi Sheshadri before leaving the production halfway, and its producer Sibti Hassan Rizvi stepped in to complete the film. In 1992, he had shot some scenes for Barsaat, which was originally titled Champion{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/06/14/stories/2002061400130100.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030210195505/http://thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2002/06/14/stories/2002061400130100.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 February 2003|website=The Hindu|title=In fearless pursuit...}} and was going to be the debut film of Bobby Deol, but he left the production and was replaced by Rajkumar Santoshi. In 1995, he partly directed Dushmani, starring Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff and Manisha Koirala before its producer Bunty Soorma stepped in to complete the film.{{cite web |url=http://www.filmnirvana.com/?q=node/16042 |title=Shekhar Kapur moves out after Bandit Queen |publisher=filmnirvana.com |access-date=8 August 2011}}
Kapur was the executive producer of the film The Guru. He established an Indian film company with Ram Gopal Verma and Mani Ratnam, though the group has thus far produced only one film, Dil Se.. (1998), starring Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala. Kapur executive-produced the Bollywood-themed musical Bombay Dreams by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which ran in London's the West End and on Broadway in New York City for 1 year.
In 2016, Kapur delivers an autobiographical film and documentary about Amma, well known as Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, called "The Science of Compassion".{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hBrl12Qcjg | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202054246/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hBrl12Qcjg&gl=US&hl=en| archive-date=2 February 2019 | url-status=dead|title=The Science of Compassion (Video available on YouTube)|publisher=Shekhar Kapur |date=26 April 2016 |access-date=2 May 2016}}
= International =
In 1998, he received international recognition for the second time after Bandit Queen, when he directed the Academy Award-winning period film Elizabeth, a fictional account of the reign of British Queen Elizabeth I nominated for seven Oscars. The 2007 sequel, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, was nominated for two Oscars. He was accused of being anti-British by British tabloids for his inaccurate portrayal of the British Army in the 2002 movie The Four Feathers. He denied the accusations and stated that he was merely "anti-colonisation".{{cite news |url=http://hetq.am/eng/news/20145/ |title=Shekhar Kapur: "Film on Armenian genocide will be challenging" |publisher=Hetq |date=2 November 2012 |access-date=3 March 2014 |author=Rajat Ghai}}
Other ventures
Kapur started his career as an actor in the movie {{Lang|hi-latn|Jaan Hazir Hai}} (1975){{cite web |author=Bhawana Somaaya |author-link=Bhawana Somaaya |url=http://www.screenindia.com/old/archive/archive_fullstory.php?content_id=560 |title=Screen > The Business of Entertainment |publisher=Screen |date=6 December 2002 |access-date=8 August 2011 }}{{dead link|date=November 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} starring Prem Kishen and Trilok Kapoor and later in Toote Khilone, in Bollywood. He appeared in several Hindi television dramas, such as Udaan (Doordarshan), opposite Kavita Chaudhary, Upanyaas{{Cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/doordarshan-running-out-of-programmes/1/306962.html|title=Doordarshan running out of programmes|access-date=23 June 2016}} (Doordarshan) opposite Nisha Singh, and Masoom opposite Neena Gupta.
He served as judge on the reality TV series India's Got Talent, aired on Colors.
In an unusual role for him, Kapur provided the voice of Mohandas Gandhi in the Charkha Audiobooks title of The Story of My Experiments with Truth, alongside Nandita Das as narrator.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}
In 2013, Kapur hosted the TV show {{Lang|hi-latn|Pradhanmantri}} on ABP News. On the show, which aims to bring never-seen-before facets of Indian history, he was the narrator.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/show/pradhanmantri |title=Pradhanmantri |publisher=abpnews.in |date=13 July 2013 |access-date=8 August 2011}}
=Comic book publishing=
{{Further information|Liquid Comics}}
In 2006, Kapur formed Liquid Comics and Virgin Animation, an entertainment company focused on creating new stories and characters for a global audience. The Shakti titles of Kapur and Deepak Chopra's company debuted with Devi and The Sadhu.[http://inhome.rediff.com/money/2007/jun/26bspec.htm How Deepak Chopra's Virgin Comics is changing comic book industry]. Devi is about "a fierce feminine warrior, stronger than the Gods themselves ... a champion of the heavens, and the protector of man", while The Sadhu "is about one man's choice between his spiritual oath and his human instinct."
Unrealized projects
{{Main|Shekhar Kapur's unrealized projects}}
Personal life
Kapur had a relationship for seven years with actress Shabana Azmi.{{cite web|url= https://jsnewstimes.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/shabana-azmi-was-in-live-in-with-shekhar-kapur-javed-akhtars-second-wife-became-the-first-engagement-break|title= Shabana Azmi was in live in relationship with Shekhar Kapur|website= J S News Times|date= 5 April 2021|access-date= 3 April 2022|archive-date= 13 May 2023|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230513060602/https://jsnewstimes.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/shabana-azmi-was-in-live-in-with-shekhar-kapur-javed-akhtars-second-wife-became-the-first-engagement-break|url-status= dead}} He first was married to Medha Gujral, niece of former Indian Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral.{{cite web|url= https://www.thebridalbox.com/articles/shekhar-kapur-marriage_0055638/|title= The Tumultuous Married Life a Cinema Phenomenon: Shekhar Kapur|website=The Bridal Box|date=1 October 2016}} They divorced in 1994.{{cite web|url= https://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-now-it-can-be-told-medha-asked-shekhar-kapur-for-a-divorce-1835942|title=Now it can be told Medha asked Shekhar Kapur for a divorce|website=DNA India|author=Ram Kohli|date=17 May 2013}} She died on 25 November 2014 at a hospital in New York City of liver failure following a second heart and first kidney transplant.{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/screen/sad-demise/|title=Sad demise|date=5 December 2014}} Kapur later married actress Suchitra Krishnamoorthi in 1999.{{cite web|url= https://www.punjabigram.com/shekhar-kapur-with-suchitra/|title=Shekhar Kapur with Suchitra|website=Punjabi Gram}} They have a daughter named Kaveri Kapur.{{cite web|url= https://starbiz.com/music/kaveri-kapur-15110|title= Sweet Beauty of Suchitra and Shekhar Kapur Daughter, Pop Singer Kaveri Kapur|website=Star Biz|author=Hanima Anand|date= 17 August 2020|access-date=2 April 2022}} The couple divorced in 2007.
In March 2020, Krishnamoorthi filed a case against Kapur over a property dispute concerning their daughter Kaveri.{{cite web|url= https://www.indiatvnews.com/entertainment/celebrities/shekhar-kapur-vs-wife-suchitra-krishnamoorthi-property-case-daughter-kaveri-opens-up-595513|title=Shekhar Kapur vs wife Suchitra Krishnamoorthi property case: Daughter Kaveri opens up|website=I dia Tv News|author=Entertainment Desk|date=5 March 2020|access-date=6 March 2020}} She claimed that the property rightfully belongs to their daughter, but has been rented to actor Kabir Bedi and his wife Parveen.{{cite web|url= https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/shekhar-kapur-s-ex-wife-suchitra-krishnamoorthi-files-case-against-him-over-property-dispute/story-ecLtXiTEvt4jwMnruLM7XI.html|title=Shekhar Kapur ex wife Suchitra Krishnamoorthi files case against him over property dispute|website=Hindustan Times|author=HT Correspondent|date=6 March 2020}}
Filmography
{{Main| Works of Shekhar Kapur}}
| class="wikitable"
|+Directed features |
| Year
! Title ! Distributor |
|---|
| 1983
| Masoom | Bombino Video Pvt. Ltd. |
| 1987
| Sujata Films |
| 1994
| Kaleidoscope Entertainment/Content Flow Studios |
| 1998 |
| 2002 |
| 2007 |
| 2022 |
Awards and honours
In 2000, he received Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India.{{cite web | url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf | title=Padma Awards | publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India | date=2015 | access-date=21 July 2015}} In 2010, he served as one of the Jury Members in international competition at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival.{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/world/news/e3i3d82e5b089623802884efcd38a037f67?pn=2 |title=Hollywood Reporter: Cannes Lineup |access-date=15 April 2010 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |first=Rebecca |last=Leffler |date=15 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100422212018/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/world/news/e3i3d82e5b089623802884efcd38a037f67?pn=2 |archive-date=22 April 2010 }} In 2020, Kapur became the president of the Film and Television Institute of India.{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/shekhar-kapur-appointed-ftii-president/article32727299.ece |title=Shekhar Kapur appointed FTII president |newspaper=The Hindu |date=30 September 2020|last1=Banerjee |first1=Shoumojit }}
In 2023, Kapur served as the chairperson of the International competition Jury at the 54th International Film Festival of India held from 20 November to 28 November.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/shekhar-kapur-to-serve-as-international-competition-jury-head-for-iffi-54/articleshow/104858565.cms|title=Shekhar Kapur to serve as international competition jury head for IFFI 54 |date=31 October 2023|access-date=22 November 2023|newspaper=Times of India}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons}}
- {{Official website}}
- {{IMDb name}}
- {{TED speaker}}
- Arundhati Roy on [https://web.archive.org/web/20160414182145/http://www.sawnet.org/books/writing/roy_bq1.html Shekhar Kapur]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071021134227/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/191017/Shekhar-Kapur/biography New York Times Biography]
- [http://99faces.tv/shekharkapur/ Shekhar Kapur in Interview with 99FACES.tv]
{{Shekhar Kapur}}
{{navboxes
|title = Awards for Shekhar Kapur
|list =
{{FilmfareAwardBestDirector}}
{{GoldenOrangeHonoraryAward}}
{{National Board of Review Award for Best Director}}
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kapur, Shekhar}}
Category:BAFTA winners (people)
Category:English-language film directors
Category:Film directors from Lahore
Category:Filmfare Awards winners
Category:Golden Orange Honorary Award winners
Category:Hindi-language film directors
Category:21st-century Indian people
Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts
Category:St. Stephen's College, Delhi alumni
Category:Delhi University alumni
Category:20th-century Indian people
Category:Male actors from Lahore