Prithviraj Kapoor (Hindi: पृथ्वीराज कपूर, Hindko: پرتھویراج کپُور, Pṛthvīrāj Kapūr, 3 November 1906 - 29 May 1972) was a noted pioneer of Indian theatre and of the Hindi film industry. He was also the patriarch of the Kapoor family of Hindi films, five generations of which family, beginning with him, have played active roles in Bollywood. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Mughal-e-Azam (Urdu: مغلِ اعظم, Hindi: मुग़ल-ए आज़म) is an Indian romance film, a product of the Bollywood movie industry. ... is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Image File history File links Imperial-India-Blue-Ensign. ...   (Urdu: فیصل آباد) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. ... Punjab was a province of British India. ... Anthem God Save The King The British Indian Empire, 1909 Capital Calcutta (until 1912), New Delhi (after 1912) Language(s) Hindustani, English and many others Government Monarchy Emperor of India  - 1858-1901 Victoria¹  - 1901-1910 Edward VII  - 1910-1936 George V  - 1936 Edward VIII  - 1936-1947 George VI Viceroy²  - 1858... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hindi ( , Devanagari: or , IAST: , IPA: ), an Indo-European language spoken mainly in northern and central India, is one of the two official languages of India, the other being English. ... It has been suggested that Hindku be merged into this article or section. ... is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Kapoor Family is an influential film dynasty in Indias Bollywood cinema. ... Bollywood (Hindi: , Urdu: ) is the informal name given to the popular Mumbai-based Hindi-language film industry in India. ...

Early years

Prithviraj was born on November 3, 1902 at Samundri^[1] near the town of Lyallpur in the Punjab to a middle-class family belonging to the Khatri caste of Hindus.^[2][3] Prithviraj could speak Hindi, Hindko, and Pashto.^[4][5]   (Urdu: فیصل آباد) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. ... Punjab, 1903 Punjab Province, 1909 Punjab (Persian: ‎, meaning Land of the five Rivers) (c. ... All honest people will agree that the Khatri (a caste found in many parts of India though mainly in Punjab) are not Kshatriyas. ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... Hindi ( , Devanagari: or , IAST: , IPA: ), an Indo-European language spoken mainly in northern and central India, is one of the two official languages of India, the other being English. ... It has been suggested that Hindku be merged into this article or section. ... Pashto (پښتو; also known as Afghan, Pushto, Pashto, Pashtoe, Pashtu, and Pukhto) is the language spoken by the ethnic Afghan otherwise known as the Pashtun people who inhabit Afghanistan and the Western provinces of Pakistan. ...

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, Pakistan.   (Urdu: فیصل آباد) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. ...   (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the province of Punjab, and is the second largest city in Pakistan. ...   (Urdu: پشاور; Pashto: پښور) literally means City on the Frontier in Persian and is known as Pekhawar in Pashto. ...   (Urdu: پشاور; Pashto: پښور) literally means City on the Frontier in Persian and is known as Pekhawar in Pashto. ...

It was here that his talents on stage first received expression. Prithviraj's son Shammi recollects^[6] 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. Shammi Kapoor in Kashmir Ki Kali (1964) Shammi Kapoor (born October 21, 1931) is an actor in Hindi films. ... Shakespeare redirects here. ... Henrik Johan Ibsen (March 20, 1828–May 23, 1906) was an extremely influential Norwegian playwright who was largely responsible for the rise of the modern realistic drama. ...

Career

Prithviraj graduated from Edward college, Peshawar, a feat that few 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, with the help of a loan from his aunt, Prithviraj moved to the city of Bombay (present-day Mumbai) which is the hub of the Hindi film industry. This article or section should be merged with Mumbai Mumbai (previously known as Bombay) is the worlds most populous conurbation, and is the sixth most populous agglomeration in the world. ... Hindi ( , Devanagari: or , IAST: , IPA: ), an Indo-European language spoken mainly in northern and central India, is one of the two official languages of India, the other being English. ...

After featuring in a couple of forgettable silent films, Kapoor did a supporting role in India's first film talkie, Alam Ara (1931). His performance in Vidyapati (1937) was much appreciated. His best-known performance is perhaps as Alexander the Great in Sohrab Modi’s Sikander (1941). Through all these years Prithviraj remained devoted to the theatre and performed on stage regularly. He developed a reputation as a fine actor on both stage and screen. Alam Ara, (English Translation: The Light of the World) a 1931 film directed by Ardeshir Irani, was the first Indian film with sound. ... For the film of the same name, see Alexander the Great (1956 film). ... Sikander is a 1941 Urdu film directed by Sohrab Modi and starring Prithviraj Kapoor as Alexander the Great. ...

Prithvi Theatres

By 1944, Prithviraj had the wherewithal and standing to found his own theatre group. His eldest son, Raj Kapoor, had already struck out on his own; the films he produced had been successful and this was also an enabling factor. Prithviraj invested in and founded Prithvi Theatres, a travelling troupe which staged memorable productions across India. In over 16 years of existence, the theater staged some 2,662 shows. Prithviraj starred as the lead actor in every single show.^[7]

By the late 1950's, it was clear that the era of the travelling theatre was past; that art-form had been irreversibly supplanted by the cinema. No longer was it financially feasible for a troupe of up to 80 people (as Prithvi theatre was) to travel the country for four to six months at a time with their tons of stage props and equipment, living in hotels where possible and at campsites otherwise. The financial returns, through ticket sales and the rapidly diminishing largesse of patrons from the erstwhile princely class of India, was just not adequate to support such an effort. Many of the fine actors and technicians that Prithvi Theatres nurtured had found their way to the movies. Indeed, this was the case with all of Prithviraj's own sons. As Prithviraj progressed into his 50's, he gradually ceased theatre activities and accepted occasional offers from film-makers, including his own sons. His notable filmography of this period includes Mughal E Azam (1960) where he gave his most memorable performance as the mughal emperor Akbar, Harishchandra Taramati (1963) where he played the lead role and unforgettable performances as Porus in Sikandar-e-Azam (1965) and the stentorian grandfather in Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971) where he appeared with his son and grandson Randhir Kapoor. Mughal-e-Azam (Urdu: مغلِ اعظم, Hindi: मुग़ल-ए आज़म) is an Indian romance film, a product of the Bollywood movie industry. ... The Mughal Empire (alternative spelling Mogul, which is the origin of the word Mogul) of India was founded by Babur in 1526, when he defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Delhi Sultans at the First Battle of Panipat. ... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... King Porus (also Raja Puru), was the King of Pauravaa, a Kingdom in Punjab located between the Jhelum and the Chenab (in Greek, the Hydaspes and the Acesines) rivers in the Punjab and dominions extending to Hyphasis[1]. Its capital may have been near the current city of Lahore [2... Kal Aaj Aur Kal (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow) is a 1971 Hindi film produced by Raj Kapoor and directed by his son Randhir Kapoor. ... Randhir Kapoor is a bollywood actor of yesteryear. ...

Awards

In 1969, Prithviraj was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the government of India. After his death in 1972, he was posthumously awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 1971. He was the third recipient of that award, the highest accolade in Indian cinema. The Padma Bhushan is an Indian civilian decoration established on January 2, 1954 by the President of India. ... The Government of India (Hindi: भारत सरकार [1]Bhārat Sarkār), officially referred to as the Union Government, and commonly as Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of a federal union of 28 states and 7 union territories, collectively called the Republic of... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... India is a major regional center for cinema. ...

Legacy

Main article: Kapoor Family (film)

Prithviraj Kapoor's descendants have contributed richly to the Hindi film industry and he is thus reckoned the patriarch of the 'first family of Hindi films.' All three of his sons became noted actors and film-makers and two of his daughters-in-law worked in the same field. Nearly all his grandchildren, including Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor, Karan Kapoor, Kunal Kapoor, and granddaughter Sanjana Kapoor have worked in the field of films, either as actors or film-makers or both. Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor, two of the top film-stars of today, are Prithviraj's great-grand-daughters, being the grand-daughters of his eldest son Raj Kapoor. Soon another of his great-grandchild, Ranbir Kapoor, son of Rishi Kapoor, the fourth generation of leading heroes, shall make his debut in Hindi cinema. The Kapoor Family is an influential film dynasty in Indias Bollywood cinema. ... Randhir Kapoor is a bollywood actor of yesteryear. ... Rishi Kapoor in Bobby (1973) Rishi Kapoor (born September 4, 1952 in Mumbai) is an Indian Bollywood actor. ... Famous Karan Kapoor Movies: 1986 LOHA: Dharmendra, Shatrughan Sinha 1986 SULTANAT: Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Sridevi ... For the Kapoor family actor see Kunal Kapoor Kunal Kapoor (Hindi:कुणाल कपूर, born 18 October 1975 in New Delhi, India) is an Indian actor. ... Karisma Kapoor, nicknamed Lolo (Hindi: करिश्मा कपूर, born 25 June 1974 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India) is a National Film Award-winning popular Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. ... Kareena Kapoor (Hindi: करीना कपूर, born 21 September 1980)[1] nicknamed Bebo is a four-time Filmfare Award-winning prominent Indian actress who appears in Bollywood movies. ... Ranbir Kapoor (born September 28, 1982) is an upcoming actor in Bollywood. ... Rishi Kapoor in Bobby (1973) Rishi Kapoor (born September 4, 1952 in Mumbai) is an Indian Bollywood actor. ... Legendary Movie Poster Bollywood is the informal name given to the popular Mumbai-based film industry in India. ...

Personal life

As was customary in that era, Prithviraj married at a young age. At age 18, Prithviraj married the 15-year-old Ramsarni Mehra, in a match that was arranged by their families. Their eldest child, Raj Kapoor, was born in December 1924. By the time Prithviraj moved to Bombay in 1928, the couple were the parents of three children. In 1930, Ramsarni joined Prithviraj in Bombay. The following year, while she was pregnant for the fourth time, the couple suffered the tragic loss of two of their three children in the space of one week.^[8] One of their children, Devi, died of double pneumonia while the other child, Nandi, died of poisoning in a freak incident when he swallowed some rat-poison pills strewn in the garden. Raj Kapoor (Hindi: राज कपूर, , Urdu: راج کپور, Rāj Kapūr, December 14, 1924 - June 2, 1988) was a legendary Indian actor, producer and director of Bollywood movies. ...

The couple went on to have four children further. All three of their surviving sons, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor, were to become famous actors and film-makers in their own right. They also had one daughter, Urmila. Raj Kapoor (Hindi: राज कपूर, , Urdu: راج کپور, Rāj Kapūr, December 14, 1924 - June 2, 1988) was a legendary Indian actor, producer and director of Bollywood movies. ... Shammi Kapoor in Kashmir Ki Kali (1964) Shammi Kapoor (born October 21, 1931) is an actor in Hindi films. ... Shashi Kapoor (Hindi: शशि कपूर, Urdu: ششِ کپُور), born Balbir Raj Kapoor on March 18, 1938 in Calcutta, is an Indian film actor and producer and a member of the famous Kapoor family, an influential film dynasty in Indias Bollywood cinema. ... In Hindu epic Ramayana, Urmila was the daughter of King Janaka of Mithila and the younger sister of Sita. ...

After his retirement, Prithviraj settled in Bombay, in a cottage near Juhu beach. The property was later to be converted into a small, experimental theatre, the Prithvi Theatre. Both Prithviraj and Ramsarni suffered from cancer in their declining years and died within a fortnight of each other. Prithviraj died on May 29, 1972 and was followed by his wife of 64 years on June 14th the same year. Juhu Beach is the most famous beach in Mumbai city, India. ... Prithvi is one of Mumbais best known theatres, that belongs to the Kapoors, one of the influential actor/director families in Bollywood. ...

Selected filmography

• Alam Ara (1931)
• Vidyapati (1937)
• Sikander (1941)
• Awaara (1951)
• Mughal-e-Azam (1960)
• Zindagi (1964)
• Heer Raanjha (1970)
• Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971)
• Sakshatkara Kannada

Alam Ara, (English Translation: The Light of the World) a 1931 film directed by Ardeshir Irani, was the first Indian film with sound. ... Sikander is a 1941 Urdu film directed by Sohrab Modi and starring Prithviraj Kapoor as Alexander the Great. ... Awaara (The Tramp/Vagabond in English) ia a 1951 film directed and produced by Raj Kapoor. ... Mughal-e-Azam (Urdu: مغلِ اعظم, Hindi: मुग़ल-ए आज़म) is an Indian romance film, a product of the Bollywood movie industry. ... Zindagi is a Hindi movie produced and directed by Ramanand Sagar. ... Heer Raanjha is a 1970 Hindi movie, produced by son Ketan Anand and directed by father Chetan Anand. ... Kal Aaj Aur Kal (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow) is a 1971 Hindi film produced by Raj Kapoor and directed by his son Randhir Kapoor. ... Kannada - aptly described as sirigannada (known to few as Kanarese) is one of the oldest Dravidian languages and is spoken in its various dialects by roughly 45 million people. ...

Notes

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Prithviraj Kapoor at the Internet Movie Database
• Prithviraj, My father by Shamsherraj (Shammi) Kapoor
• Detailed biography of Prithviraj Kapoor
• Peshawarites still remember the Kapoor family
• Prithviraj Kapoor @ SPICE