Shekhar Kapur

Biography:

Shekhar Kapur, born on December 6, 1945, in Lahore (now in Pakistan), is a well-known Indian filmmaker and actor. He achieved fame in Bollywood through the TV series Khandaan and made his directorial debut with Masoom in 1983. Kapur gained acclaim for Mr. India (1987) and international recognition for Bandit Queen (1994) at the Cannes Film Festival. His 1998 film Elizabeth, depicting Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, received seven Academy Award nominations, and he directed its 2007 sequel.

Born into a Punjabi Hindu family, Kapur faced the trauma of the India-Pakistan partition, with his mother saving him during a massacre. Despite initial discouragement, he pursued a successful career in the film industry.

Kapur’s personal life includes relationships with Shabana Azmi, marriages to Medha Gujral (divorced in 1994), and later Suchitra Krishnamoorthi (divorced in 2007), with whom he has a daughter, Kaveri. In 2020, a property dispute case was filed against him by Krishnamoorthi.

Apart from filmmaking, Kapur has engaged in acting, judging on India’s Got Talent, and comic book publishing with Liquid Comics. He announced plans to direct a TV series based on Amitav Ghosh’s “Ibis Trilogy” and adapt Amish Tripathi’s Shiva Trilogy.

Kapur’s accolades include the Padma Shri in 2000 and serving as the president of the Film and Television Institute of India in 2020. Despite criticism for The Four Feathers, he emphasized his “anti-colonisation” stance. Shekhar Kapur is celebrated for his impact on Indian and international cinema, establishing a diverse and influential legacy in the entertainment industry.