He began his acting career in 1983 with the film ‘Ek Jaan Hain Hum’, where he starred opposite newcomer Divya Rana. But it was in 1985 that he became a household name.
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When you hear the name ‘Kapoor’ in Bollywood, the mind immediately jumps to a long list of famous actors. From Prithviraj Kapoor to Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, and Randhir Kapoor, the Kapoor family has been ruling Hindi cinema for generations.
But there’s one Kapoor who often stayed away from the spotlight in recent years.
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Rajiv Kapoor was the youngest son of the legendary filmmaker and actor Raj Kapoor. Born into India’s most famous film family, acting and filmmaking ran in his blood.
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His elder brothers, Randhir Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor, both enjoyed long and successful careers in the film industry. His uncles, Shammi and Shashi Kapoor, were also among Bollywood’s biggest stars.
Even his grandfather, Prithviraj Kapoor, was a pioneer of Indian cinema. With such a rich legacy, Rajiv Kapoor had big shoes to fill.
He began his acting career in 1983 with the film ‘Ek Jaan Hain Hum’, where he starred opposite newcomer Divya Rana. But it was in 1985 that Rajiv Kapoor became a household name. He played the lead role in his father Raj Kapoor’s last directorial film, ‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili’. The movie was a massive hit and is still remembered fondly today.
After the success of ‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili’, Rajiv acted in several films throughout the 1980s. Some of his well-known movies include ‘Aasmaan’, ‘Lover Boy’, ‘Mera Saathi’, ‘Zabardast’, and ‘Hum To Chale Pardes’.
His final film as an actor in that period was ‘Zimmedaaar’ in 1990.
Interestingly, Rajiv Kapoor also worked with Bollywood legends like Dilip Kumar and Rekha in a film called ‘Aag Ka Darya’. However, the film was completed in 1991 but never got released, so the audience never got to see it.
After his father Raj Kapoor passed away, Rajiv decided to try his hand at film production. He produced ‘Henna’ in 1991, a film his brother Randhir Kapoor directed. Later, in 1996, Rajiv made his directorial debut with ‘Prem Granth’, starring his brother Rishi Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit.
Unfortunately, the film did not do well at the box office.
Rajiv also explored television. He produced the TV serial ‘Vansh’, which aired on Doordarshan from 1995 to 1996. In 1999, he co-produced ‘Aa Ab Laut Chalen’, directed by his brother Rishi Kapoor.
After that, Rajiv quietly stepped away from films and lived a life away from the camera for more than 20 years.
On the personal front, Rajiv Kapoor married architect Aarti Sabharwal in 2001. At the time, she was working in Canada. However, their marriage lasted only two years, and they divorced in 2003. They had no children.
In 2021, Rajiv Kapoor was preparing for a special comeback to acting after three decades. He had completed shooting for the film ‘Toolsidas Junior’, where he played a significant role.
Before the film’s release, Rajiv suffered a massive heart attack on February 9, 2021. He was staying at his brother Randhir Kapoor’s home when he suddenly fell ill in the early morning. Despite being rushed to a hospital, doctors declared him dead on arrival. He was only 58 years old.
‘Toolsidas Junior’ was finally released in May 2022, more than a year after his passing.
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