This actor left his own legacy through his films, characters and stories that continue to influence the world. Often hailed as the ‘showman’ of our cinema, this actor is a brilliant instance of such a legacy.
There are some legendary actors who create their own legacies that go beyond the glitter of fame and wealth. These actors leave behind a mark on generations through their art and talent. These are individuals whose contributions resonate far deeper than box office numbers or awards. The actor we are discussing today left his legacy through his films, characters and stories that continue to influence the world. Raj Kapoor, often hailed as the ‘showman‘ of our cinema, is a brilliant instance of such a legacy.
The actor and his journey through the years
Raj Kapoor was born as Shrishti Nath Kapoor in 1924 at Kapoor Haveli, a house then owned by his grandfather in Peshawar, British India. However, his journey was far from easy. The actor-director, known for his great work, didn’t have a massive start. Instead, he started cleaning in studios and used to work as a sweeper on sets. For his work, he used to earn one rupee each day.
Later, he made his acting debut at the age of 10 in the 1935 film Inquilab. His big break came with Kidar Sharma’s Neel Kamal, alongside Begum Para and Madhubala in 1947. In 1948, he founded his own banner, RK Films and made his directional debut with Aag, starring Nargis, Premnath and Kamini Kaushal. Later, he went on and delivered blockbuster hits, including Andaz, Barsaat, Kismet, Awaara, Sangam and Shree 420.
His later films, including Around The World and Sapnon Ka Saudagar, were declared box-office disasters. In 1970, he directed and featured in Mera Naam Joker, which was also a box office disaster and also bankrupted his studio. However, he bounced back with Bobby, a film starring Dimple Kapadia and his son, Rishi Kapoor. Made on a budget of just 1.20 crores, the movie went on to become a massive hit around the nation. From 1950 to 1956, Raj Kapoor was the highest-paid actor, along with Dilip Kumar. He was also the second-highest-paid film actor in the country from 1957 to 1963, after Dev Anand.
The actor and his alleged affairs
In 1946, Raj Kapoor married Krishna Malhotra and they had five children: Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor, Ritu Nanda and Rima Jain. The director also had an alleged affair with renowned actress Nargis Dutt during the 1940s and 1950s, despite being married, although neither ever publicly admitted to this. However, their affair came to an end when Nargis Dutt held hands with Sunil Dutt. Rishi Kapoor confirmed his father’s affair in his autobiography, Khullam Khulla in 2017.
Raj Kapoor suffered from asthma and died of complications related to the disease in 1988 at the age of 63, leaving nothing but his legacy behind.
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