Personal details
- Birth Date: 1952-09-04
- Height: 5′ 6″ (1.68 m)
- Birth Location: Bombay, State of Bombay, India
- Children: (his death, 2 children) Ranbir Kapoor
- Parents: Raj Kapoor
- Professions: Actor, Music Department, Producer
reference So, Rishi Kapoor’s story kicks off in South Mumbai—right in the thick of Bollywood royalty. Son of the legendary Raj Kapoor, he grew up surrounded by film sets and famous siblings, Randhir and Rajiv. Not exactly your average childhood, right? Schooling happened at Campion, alongside his brothers, but it didn’t take long before he was chucked in front of a camera. His very first on-screen gig? Playing the younger version of his dad in Mera Naam Joker. Talk about keeping it in the family. Fast forward a bit—1973 rolls around, and Rishi’s starring in Bobby with Dimple Kapadia. This film just exploded. Every young person wanted to be them. Next thing he knows, he’s starring with Neetu Singh, who’d eventually become his wife. Their pairing was a hit, but only when the cast was packed with other big names. When it was just the two of them, the box office wasn’t so kind (Rafoo Chakkar being one rare exception). Despite landing lead roles in a ton of films from the mid-70s to late 90s, most of them flopped. Still, he managed to rack up a handful of solid hits—think Karz, Chandni, and Prem Rog. Studios started slotting him in as the charming younger brother or the second lead in ensemble flicks, particularly when his solo projects didn’t pan out. The '90s brought some redemption with movies like Deewana and Damini, but after a string of disappointments, he shifted to supporting roles. He even tried his hand at directing with Aa Ab Laut Chalen. In the 2000s, he just kept at it—supporting roles, cameos, even a quirky villain in Agneepath. He acted opposite Neetu again in Do Dooni Chaar and took on everything from Bollywood blockbusters to British oddities. Through ups and downs, the guy never really left the spotlight.
Okay, so when you dive into Bollywood royalty, this guy’s basically the poster child. Son of the legendary Raj Kapoor, married to Neetu Singh (who’s a star in her own right), and yeah, his siblings—Randhir and Rajeev—are also actors. The family tree’s wild. His kid? Ranbir Kapoor, the heartthrob who’s made every millennial swoon at least once. And don’t even get me started on the uncles and aunts—Shashi Kapoor, Jennifer Kendal, Shammi Kapoor. It’s like a non-stop parade of movie legends. Babita Kapoor pops up as his sister-in-law, and let’s not forget, he’s the uncle to Kareena and Karisma Kapoor. That means he’s basically surrounded by stardom at every family dinner. Oh, and then there’s Kunal Kapoor, his cousin, just quietly being cool on the sidelines. Bollywood’s own mafia, if you wanna call it that. No escaping the spotlight in this clan.
Honestly, I kind of stumbled into Bobby, not because anyone was dying to see me on screen or anything. People think the whole thing was this big plan to kick off my acting career, but, nope, that wasn’t it. The real reason was way less glamorous—Dad was drowning in debt after Mera Naam Joker bombed, and he needed to make some cash, fast. He actually wanted Rajesh Khanna for the main role, you know, the mega-star of the time, but his bank account wasn’t having it. So, what does Dad do? He flips the script, literally, turns it into a teenage love story, and—bam—suddenly I’m the lead. Wild, right? It wasn’t about launching me. It was about survival, making ends meet, and Dad doing what he had to do. Funny how things work out. And yet, people still think it was all this calculated move for my career. Yeah, if only things happened that neatly in real life.
September 4, 1952
5′ 6″ (1.68 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Bombay, State of Bombay, India
Yes, Ranbir Kapoor
Raj Kapoor and Surekha
72 years old