The Kapoors of Filmistan
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Contents
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Still the first family of Filmistan
The descendants of Prithviraj Kapoor
The founder
Prithviraj Kapoor, actor –son of Dewan Basheshwarnath Kapoor. He married Ramsarni Mehra
Prithviraj Kapoor’s father, brother and brother in law
Dewan Basheshwarnath Kapoor: made a guest appearance in grandson Raj Kapoor's Awara
Trilok Kapoor, actor: younger brother of Prithviraj Kapoor
Actor Jugal Kishore Mehra was Prithviraj Kapoor’s wife’s brother. Jugal married actress Anwari Begum and adopted her daughter Zarine ( Nasreen) who became an actress. Nasreen’s daughter Salma Agha is an actress and singer. Salma's daughter Sasha Agha made her film debut with Aurangzeb. So, the Aghas of Pakistan are related through adoption to the Kapoors of India
Children of Prithviraj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor, actor/ director-- married Krishna Malhotra, sister of actors Prem Nath and Rajinder Nath. Prem Nath was married to actress Bina Rai. Krishna's sister Uma married actor Prem Chopra. Prem Nath’s son is actor/ filmmaker Prem Kishan, whose daughter Akanksha Malhotra acted in a film in 2002.
Shammi Kapoor, actor/ director --married Geeta Bali and, on her death, Neila Devi. Geeta Bali’s niece was actress Yogita Bali.
Shashi Kapoor, actor/ producer--married to Jennifer Kendal, a stage and film actress, She came from the Shakespearewallah family of Kendals, who staged Shakespeare plays.
Urmila Kapoor. Urmila married a Sial. Their son Justin Sial is a lesser-known actor.
Prithviraj Kapoor’s grandchildren
Raj Kapoor’s children
Randhir Kapoor , actor/ director –married Babita (Shivdasani), who came from a line of cineastes, including father Hari Shivdasani and aunt Sadhana.
Ritu Nanda –married industrialist Rajan Nanda
Rishi Kapoor, actor –married actress Neetu Singh
Rima Jain –married Manoj Jain
Rajiv Kapoor, actor
Shammi Kapoor’s children
Aditya Raj Kapoor – married Priti
Kanchan Kapoor – married Ketan Desaii, son of the hit filmmaker Manmohan Desai.
Shashi Kapoor’s children
Kunal Kapoor –married Sheena Sippy, daughter of legendary director of Sholay Ramesh Sippy
Karan Kapoor, model
Sanjana Kapoor, stage and film actress –married Valmik Thapar
Prithviraj Kapoor’s great-grandchildren
Randhir Kapoor and Babita’s children
Karisma Kapoor, actress —married Sanjay Kapur, divorced
Kareena Kapoor, actress —married to Saif Ali Khan. Saif comes from an erstwhile ruling and famous sporting family. However, his mother is the famous 1960s actress Sharmila Tagore. His sister is actress Soha Ali Khan. Soha, in turn, is in a relationship with Kunal Khemmu, whose father was a lesser-known actor.
Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh’s children
Ranbir Kapoor, actor
Riddhima Kapoor - married Bharat Sahni
Ritu Nanda’s children
Nikhil Nanda—married Shweta Bachchan, daughter of actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan
Reema Jain’s children
Aadar Jain
Armaan Jain, actor
Prithviraj Kapoor’s great-great-grandchildren
Karisma Kapoor’s children
Samaira Kapoor
Kiaan Raj Kapoor
Nikhil Nanda’s children
Agastya Nanda
Navya Nanda -
Riddhima Kapoor’s children
Samara Sahni
The lesser-known Kapoors
Know less popular members of the Kapoor Khandaan
Aditya Raj Kapoor]]- Shammi Kapoor’s son is Aditya Raj Kapoor]]. He had his Filmistan stint as an assistant director in Rishi Kapoor’s film Bobby, Dharam Karam and controversial blockbuster ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram’. He is married to Priti (technically his first cousin as she is the daughter of Neila’s Devi’s sister). He has two kids - Vishwapratap Raj Kapoor]] and Tulsi Kapoor. Giving up films, he later joined Escorts with Rajan Nanda who went on to marry his sister (cousin?) Ritu Nanda.
Armaan Jain The fourth grandchild of the legendary actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor ventured into Filmistan with his film ‘Lekar Hum Deewana Dil’. As the whole Kapoor clan came to cheer up Armaan Jain at the music launch of his film, it was evident that the Kapoors will continue to rule the Indian film industry for ages. Saluting the biggest filmy family of Filmistan which boasts of daughter-in-laws and sons-in-laws from all faiths and walks of life, we introduce the lesser known members of B-town’s Kapoor khandaan.
Kanchan Desai- Kanchan Kapoor is the daughter of Shammi Kapoor. She is married to businessman Ketan Desaii who is the son of popular late producer-director Manmohan Desai. They have two daughters - Pooja and Raj Rajeshwari who are very close to their cousin Tulsi (Aditya Raj Kapoor]]'s daughter).
Karan Kapoor- In the huge family of all faiths and races, is handsome Karan Kapoor. Karan draws his English looks from his late mother Jennifer Kendal and made it big in the modeling world by endorsing Bombay Dyeing's Vivaldi shirts. He did try his luck in films and featured in films like Junoon, 36 Chowringhee Lane, Sultanat, Loha and Afsar. He also played a prominent role in British television series The Jewel in the Crown. Karan is married to Lorna and has two kids - Aliya Kapoor and Zachary Kapoor.
Kunal Kapoor- Kunal Kapoor is the oldest son of his grandfather Shashi Kapoor. Shashi Kapoor was married to English actress Jennifer Kendal who passed away at the age of 51 due to cancer. Kunal was married to filmmaker Ramesh Sippy's daughter Sheena but the two are now separated. They have two kids - Zahan Prithviraj Kapoor and Shaira Laura Kapoor. Before moving to ad film direction, he starred in the English film Siddhartha and in the Shyam Benegal film Junoon which also had his parents and siblings among the cast members. He was also seen in Ahista Ahista, Vijeta, Utsav and Trikal and currently runs one of the leading production houses - Adfilm- Valas.
Neila Devi- Neila Devi is the second wife of Shammi Kapoor. They married after the untimely death of his first wife Geeta Bali. He was last seen in ‘Rockstar’ with grandson Ranbir Kapoor before he passed away. Geeta Bali did not have any kids of her own so that she could pay attention to his two kids Aditya and Kanchan. She is often seen in the company of her sister-in-law Krishna Raj Kapoor and son Aditya Raj Kapoor.
Nikhil Nanda- Nikhil Nanda is the son of Ritu Nanda and heads the leading agricultural machinery company Escorts Limited. He is married to Amitabh Bachchan’s daughter Shweta Bachchan since fifteen years and is the father of two kids: Agastya Nanda and Navya Naveli. While he hails from a family of actors, he is a contrast by being among five Indians who were selected as the Global Leaders of Tomorrow by World Economic Forum, Geneva in 2001.
Rajiv Kapoor- Rajiv Kapoor is the youngest son of Raj Kapoor and he is often seen hanging around with his brother Randhir Kapoor . He is known for his role in the film ‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili’ but that proved to be his only big break in Filmistan. He married architect Aarti Sabharwal in 2001 but divorced two years later. He has worked as a producer, director, writer, editor and was seen in several films like Ek Jaan Hai Hum, Aasmaan, Lover Boy and Zimmedaar. He also produced Henna and Aa Ab Laut Chalen and directed Prem Granth which had his brothers’ presence as director or producer.
Riddhima Kapoor- Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh’s daughter Riddhima Kapoor is Ranbir Kapoor’s sister. While Ranbir and her parents are actors, Riddhima chose interior designing and is now married to Delhi based businessman Bharat Sahani. She also has a three-year-old daughter Samara. Beautiful like her cousins Karisma and Kareena, Riddhima however keeps away from the limelight and is currently endorsing a jewellery brand with her mom Neetu Singh.
Rima Jain- Rima Jain is Armaan Jain’s mother and youngest daughter of Raj Kapoor. She highly resembles her brother Randhir Kapoor and is married to businessman Mohan Jain. Besides Armaan, they have another son Aadhar Jain who is younger to Armaan. While Armaan is all set for the release of his debut film ‘Lekar Hum Deewana Dil, Aadhar is also in line to make his career in films and is gearing up for a break in Filmistan.
Ritu Nanda- Ritu Nanda is Raj Kapoor’s daughter the CEO of life insurance company Escolife. She stands out in a family of Bollwood actors and filmmakers and has been named in the Guinness Book of Records for selling 17,000 pension policies in one day. She also runs other companies - Ritu Nanda Insurance Services and Rimari Corporate art services. Married to prominent journalist Rajan Nanda, Ritu Nanda is the mother of Nikhil Nanda and Natasha Nanda. She is the mother-in-law of Amitabh Bachchan’s daughter Shweta Nanda.
Sanjana Kapoor- Shashi Kapoor’s daughter Sanjana Kapoor took charge of Prithvi Theater and kept it alive till today before giving up the responsibility in 2012. After divorcing director Aditya Bhattacharya, the gorgeous Sanjana married wildlife conservationist Valmik Thapar and has a son Hameer. As a brief stint in Filmistan, she also starred in films like 36 Chowringhee Lane, Utsav, Salaam Bombay besides playing the leading lady in Hero Hiralal.
