Annu Kapoor
Annu Kapoor is an Indian actor, singer, director, radio disc jockey, and television presenter who has appeared in over a hundred films, as well as television series. His career has spanned over 45 years as an actor, producer, director and singer. Besides acting, he also does a Radio show, named Suhaana Safar With Annu Kapoor which is broadcast on 92.7 Big FM. He has won numerous awards in his career, including two National Film Awards, one Filmfare Award and two Indian Television Academy Awards.
Early life
Annu Kapoor was born Anil Kapoor in Itwara, Bhopal, Bhopal State, on 20 February 1956, to Madanlal, a Punjabi father with roots in Peshawar and Karnal, a Bengali Brahmin mother. His father owned a travelling Parsi theatre company which performed in cities and towns, and his mother was an Urdu teacher and a trained classical singer. His grandfather Kripa Ram Kapoor was a doctor in the British Army and his great grandfather Lala Ganga Ram Kapoor, a revolutionary who was executed during the Indian freedom struggle.Due to poor financial circumstances, he had to quit school following secondary education. With a salary of ₹ 40, his mother worked as a teacher. On his father's insistence, he joined his theatre company. Following a stint there, he joined National School of Drama in 1976, after his brother Ranjit Kapoor, who was already a student there insisted. After graduating from the National School of Drama and a brief stint with its repertory company, in 1981, he played a 70-year-old man in the play Ek Ruka Hua Faisla in Bombay. Film director Shyam Benegal who saw Kapoor perform, sent him a letter of appreciation and signed him for his 1983 film, Mandi.
Kapoor's sister Seema Kapoor was briefly married to actor Om Puri. His elder brother, Ranjit, is a director and screenwriter and Seema is a producer and actor. Kapoor's younger brother, Nikhil, is a writer and lyricist.
Personal life
Relationships and family
Kapoor first married Anupama Patel, an American by birth, in 1992 and they divorced in 1993. Annu then was married to Arunita Mukherjee from 1995 to 2005. He remarried his first wife, Anupama, in 2008.Kapoor has four children from two marriages.
Religion
Born into a Hindu family, Kapoor considers himself to be an atheist.Career
Acting
He made his screen debut Aadharshila during his days in Delhi, his debut in the professional film industry in Mumbai was in Mandi and BETAB Khandar. He got his first breakthrough with Utsav, in which he portrayed the role of Masseur. For which he got his first nomination in the Filmfare Awards in the category of Best Performance in a Comic Role. Subsequently he starred in many critically and commercially acclaimed films like Mr. India, Tezaab, Ram Lakhan, Ghayal, Hum, Darr, Sardar, Om Jai Jagadish, Aitraaz and 7 Khoon Maaf.Kapoor began his career as a stage actor in 1979 and was noticed in 1984's Ek Ruka Hua Faisla, directed by Basu Chatterjee and written by elder brother Ranjeet. Annu made his film debut in Mandi, in 1983. His career has spanned over 30 years, including Bollywood cinema, television serials and game shows. Kapoor is best remembered for hosting the singing show Close-Up Antakshari, produced by Zee TV. His performance as an obsessive-compulsive sperm-bank physician in 2012's Vicky Donor met with critical and popular acclaim. He worked in the horror TV serial Kile ka Rahasya as a cop who was fond of singing.
Kapoor has also appeared in Yamla Pagla Deewana 2.
His second big breakthrough came with Vicky Donor, he portrayed the role of Dr. Baldev Chadha. His performance was lauded by critics and audiences, for which he won a Filmfare Award, a Indian Film Academy Awards|IIFA Award], a National Film Award, a Screen Award all in the category of Best Supporting Actor. After Vicky Donor, he starred in Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, Shaukeen, Saat Uchakkey, Jolly LLB 2, Missing, Dream Girl, Khuda Haafiz and Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari.
Television
In 2007, Antakshari – The National Challenge was relaunched on STAR One. The previous year, its "final" episode was telecast; the programme's initial run was from 1993 to 2006. His range of roles varies from portrayal as Saint Kabir in DD National TV serial of the same name, as Mahatma Gandhi in Sardar and Veer Savarkar in Kaala Pani, to police inspector in 7 Khoon Maaf, a petty thief in Utsav to comedic villain in Hum.The Golden Era – With Annu Kapoor on the Mastiii channel is a nostalgia TV show about Indian cinema, adorned with classical era's Hindi film songs and commentary by Annu Kapoor on unheard tales of Bollywood Cinema's Legends.
Despite films, Annu has been very active in television shows. He is also known for judging and hosting the 90's musical show Antakshari and Golden Era with Annu Kapoor. He has also appeared in some television series like Param Vir Chakra, Ajnabi, Kabeer, Gubbare etc.
As a radio presenter
Currently, he does a radio programme on 92.7 Big FM called "Suhaana Safar with Annu Kapoor on 92.7 Big FM". It's a daily show that features nationally on the radio networks covering all Hindi speaking radio stations across the country. He recreates the magic of the Golden era with unforgettable melodies of that era and untold stories of the stars and films of the Hindi Cinema. The show comes with the tagline "Filmy Duniya Ki Kahi Ankahi Kahaniya".Director
Kapoor has directed several plays. He also directed a feature film Abhay (The Fearless), starring Nana Patekar, Moon Sen and Benjamin Gilani) for the Children's Film Society, India. The film won the 1995 National Film Award for Best Children's Film.Producer
Kapoor produced a musical talent contest for children and a Bengali-language musical talent-hunt show, Gaan Gaao Taaka Naao on Rupashi Bangla TV in Kolkata. He also produced a musical in Mathura entitled Ek Sunhari Shyam.Filmography
Films
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1983 | Mandi | ||
| 1983 | Betaab | Chelaram | |
| 1984 | Mashaal | Nagesh | |
| 1984 | Khandhar | Anil | |
| 1984 | Utsav | Masseur | |
| 1985 | Arjun | Babu Ram | |
| 1985 | Damul | Sanjeevan | |
| 1986 | Ek Ruka Hua Faisla | Juror #9 | |
| 1986 | Chameli Ki Shaadi | Chhadami Lal | |
| 1987 | Susman | Lakshmaya | |
| 1987 | Mr. India | Mr. Gaitonde | |
| 1987 | Diljalaa | Fakir Baba | |
| 1988 | Khoon Bahaa Ganga Mein | ||
| 1988 | The Perfect Murder | Tiny man | |
| 1988 | Gunahon Ka Faisla | Dinu | |
| 1988 | Tezaab | Abbas Ali / Guldasta | |
| 1989 | ChaalBaaz | Daya Tribhuvan's servant | |
| 1989 | Elaan-E-Jung | ||
| 1989 | Dost | Forest officer | |
| 1989 | Aakhri Gulam | ||
| 1989 | Main Azaad Hoon | Munna / Azaad | |
| 1989 | Rakhwala | Constable Atmaram | |
| 1989 | Ram Lakhan | Shiv Charan Mathur | |
| 1990 | Ghayal | Drunkard | |
| 1990 | Aawaz De Kahan Hai | Hariya | |
| 1990 | Pyasi Nigahen | Susheel | |
| 1990 | Veeru Dada | Ibrahim Gharewali | |
| 1990 | Zakhmi Zameen | Madhav | |
| 1991 | Hum | Havaldar Arjun Singh | |
| 1991 | Vishnu-Devaa | Petty thief | |
| 1991 | Yodha | Umeed Singh | |
| 1991 | Jamai Raja | Paltu/I.C. Mishra | |
| 1991 | Ranbhoomi | Stationmaster | |
| 1992 | Paayal | Pardesi | |
| 1992 | Jeena Marna Tere Sang | ||
| 1992 | Muskurahat | Jaggan | |
| 1993 | Darr | Vikram "Vicky" Oberoi | |
| 1993 | Gardish | Manishbhai Harishbhai | |
| 1993 | Waqt Hamara Hai | Cafeteria supervisor | |
| 1993 | Dil Ki Baazi | Bihari Daulatram's cook | |
| 1993 | Shreemaan Aashique | Masterji | |
| 1994 | Sardar | Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi | |
| 1994 | Drohkaal | Surinder | |
| 1995 | Jawab | Ladle | |
| 1995 | Anokha Andaaz | Charlie | |
| 1996 | Vijeta | Constable Chamanlal | |
| 1996 | Kala Pani | Vinayak Damodar Savarkar | Malayalam Film |
| 1997 | Udaan | Anand Lagpade | |
| 1999 | Kachche Dhaage | ||
| 1999 | Arjun Pandit | Dr. Imran | |
| 2000 | Tune Mera Dil Le Liyaa | K.K.'s assistant | |
| 2002 | Hum Kisise Kum Nahin | Munnu Mobile | |
| 2002 | Om Jai Jagadish | KK | |
| 2004 | Aitraaz | Barrister Ram Chauthrani | |
| 2004 | Raincoat | Landlord | |
| 2004 | Kuch To Gadbad Hai | Justice Balwant Khanna | |
| 2008 | Mehbooba | Hari Singh / Lal Singh | |
| 2009 | The Fakir of Venice | Sattar | |
| 2011 | 7 Khoon Maaf | Inspector Keemat Lal | |
| 2012 | Gali Gali Chor Hai | Constable Parasuram Khuswa | |
| 2012 | Vicky Donor | Dr. Baldev Chaddha | |
| 2013 | Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 | Sir Yograj Khanna | |
| 2014 | The Shaukeens | Kamaldheer "KD" Sharma | |
| 2014 | Badlapur Boys | Surajbhan Singh | |
| 2014 | Muavza | Bechu Bhai | |
| 2014 | Kisi Ne Titli Ko Dekha Hai Kya | ||
| 2014 | Jai Ho Democracy | ||
| 2015 | Dharam Sankat Mein | Advocate Nawab Mehmood Shah | |
| 2015 | Miss Tanakpur Haazir Ho | Sualaal Gandass | |
| 2016 | Saat Uchakkey | Bichhi | |
| 2017 | Jolly LLB 2 | Advocate Pramod Mathur | |
| 2018 | Ba Baa Black Sheep | Brian Morris/Santa Claus | |
| 2018 | Missing | Inspector Ramkhilawan Buddhu | |
| 2018 | Mangal Ho | Giani Zail Singh | |
| 2019 | Dream Girl | Jagjit Singh | |
| 2019 | Khandaani Shafakhana | Baby's uncle | |
| 2020 | Darbaan | Narrator | Released on Zee5 |
| 2020 | Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari | Shantaram Kaka | |
| 2020 | Khuda Haafiz | Usman Hamid Ali Murad | |
| 2021 | Chehre | Adv. Paramjeet Singh Bhullar | |
| 2023 | Non Stop Dhamaal | Satinder | |
| 2023 | Dream Girl 2 | Jagjit Singh | |
| 2023 | Rules Ranjann | Telugu film | |
| 2023 | Sab Moh Maaya Hai | ||
| 2023 | Dry Day | Dauji | |
| 2024 | The Signature | ||
| 2024 | Hamare Baarah | Manzoor Ali Khan Sanjari | |
| 2024 | Shaitaan | Nitin Rishi | |
| 2024 | Luv Ki Arrange Marriage | Prem, Luv's father | |
Theatre
Parsi theatre
Laila MajnuHarischandraShirin-FarhadBhakta PrahladShree Krishna AvtarDahi Wali- ''Qatl-e-Tamizan''
Modern plays
Antim Yatra: Directed by Barry JohnThree Sisters: Written by Anton Chekhov, directed by E. AlkaziThe Great God Brown by Eugene O'NeillThe Zoo Story by Edward Albee- ''Ek Ruka Hua Faisla''