Born in Calcutta on January 15, 1938. Shashi Kapoor, the third son of Prithviraj Kapoor, made his first screen appearance aged 14 in his elder brother Raj Kapoor's 'Awara'. He played the child Raj Kapoor. As a child star, he even acted in forgettable mythologicals like 'Bhakta Dhurva' and 'Murliwala' .

In July, 1958, Shashi Kapoor married the British actress Jennifer Kendal and they acted in a number of films together, most notably in the Merchant Ivory productions. He had three children with Kendal, Karan Kapoor, Kunal Kapoor and Sanjana Kapoor. Shashi Kapoor won the National Award for acting for his role in New Delhi Times. He did not value the award much as he was still upset about his wife not getting the award for 36 Chowringhee Lane some years ago. She had lost out to Rekha in Umrao Jaan. Jennifer Kendal died of cancer in 1984.

Shashi Kapoor also made a two-reeler called 'Phansi' using a 16 mm movie camera Raj had given him. But if Raj Kapoor expected him to become a film maker, he was disappointed. Shashi became an actor. Beginning with 'Char Diwari', he acted in many films. Most of the films were forgettable and his performances mediocre.

Possibly because he had married an English theatre actress Jennifer Kendal, he had an attitude problem, and often lambasted Hindi films. That he failed to click only added to his cynicism. At 27, he made his first hit, in 'Jab Jab Phool Khile'. Some of his films in this period include 'Haseena Maan Jayegi', 'Mehndi Lagi Mere Haath', 'Waqt', 'Aa Gale Lag Ja', 'Pyar Ka Mausam' and 'Chor Machaye Shor'. The Anglicised actor found an outlet in such Indo-English films as Merchant-Ivory's 'Householder' and 'Heat & Dust'. He built a memorial to his father the Prithvi Theatre and encouraged talented film makers like Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani and Girish Karnad to make quality films, which he produced 'Junoon', 'Kalyug', '36 Chowringhee Lane', 'Vijeta' and 'Utsav' , all critically acclaimed though not so successful at the box office.

To finance his theatre and quality films, Shashi Kapoor signed every masala film which came his way. There was a time when he would shoot for six films on the same day, giving two hours to each. Seeing this, his elder brother Raj Kapoor, who had signed him for 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram', angrily called him a 'taxi'. His more successful phase as an actor, was as a co-star with Amitabh Bachchan 'Deewar', 'Do Aur Do Paanch', 'Silsila', 'Trishul', 'Kabhi Kabhi', though he could hardly outshine the megastar. Nevertheless, he won the National Award for his performance in 'New Delhi Times'.

Shashi Kapoor was the only actor in his family who kept his weight in check, thanks to his wife Jennifer. But after her demise, Shashi lost interest and let go. The new, bloated Shashi Kapoor even tried his hand at directing. 'Ajooba', an Indo-Soviet production. But it was a total wash-out. It was neither praised by the critics nor liked by the paying public liked it. Recently, he acted as a frustrated poet in 'In Custody' - a character so like what he has become.

ABOUT HIM SELF :

Birth name: Balbirraj Kapoor
Date of Birth: 18 March 1938
Height: 5'11" or 1.80 m
City: Calcutta, West Bengal
Country: India
Mother: Ramsarni (Rama) Devi nee Mehra
Father: Prithviraj Kapoor
Siblings: brothers Shammi Kapoor and Raj Kapoor, sister Urmila Sial
Children: sons Kunal Kapoor and Karan Kapoor, daughter Sanjana Kapoor
Marital status: widowed
Spouse: english theatre actress Jennifer Kendal
Occupation: bollywood actor
Debut Film: Meena


FILMOGRAPHY :

Side Streets
Jinnah
Gulliver's Travels
Vivekananda
Aag Ka Toofan
In Custody
Akayla
Raeeszada
Oonch Neech Beech
Touhean
Gair Kanooni
Farz Ki Jung
Clerk
Jaaydaad
Meri Zabaan
The Deceivers
Hum To Chale Pardes
Sammy and Rosie Get Laid
Sindoor
Anjaam
Ijaazat
Naam O Nishan
Pyaar Ki Jeet
Ilzaam
Abodh
Aurat
Ek Main Aur Ek Tu
Maa Beti
New Delhi Times
Swati
Alag Alag
Bepanaah
Bhawani Junction
Zameen Aasmaan
Ghar Ek Mandir
Pakhandi
Utsav
Yaadon Ki Zanjeer
Bandhan Kuchchey Dhaagon Ka
Ghungroo
Door-desh
Heat and Dust
Vakil Babu
Namak Halaal
Sawaal
Vijeta
Ek Aur Ek Gyarah
Silsila
Kranti
Basera
Bezubaan
Krodhi
Maan Gaye Ustad
Neeyat
Kali Ghata
Do Aur Do Paanch
Ganga Aur Suraj
Kalyug
Shaan
Swayamvar
Suhaag
Duniya Meri Jeb Mein
Kaala Patthar
Gautam Govinda
Ahsaas
Satyam Shivam Sundaram: Love Sublime
Aahuti
Amar Shakti
Apna Khoon
Atithee
Do Musafir
Heeralal Pannalal
Junoon
Muqaddar
Phaansi
Rahuketu
Trishul
Mukti
Immaan Dharam
Chakkar Pe Chakkar
Chor Sipahi
Doosra Aadmi
Farishta Ya Qatil
Hira Aur Patthar
Fakira
Kabhi Kabhie - Love Is Life
Aap Beeti
Deewangee
Jai Bajrang Bali
Koi Jeeta Koi Haara
Naach Utha Sansar
Shankar Dada
Anari
Chori Mera Kaam
Deewaar
Prem Kahani
Salaakhen
Chor Machaye Shor
Insaniyat
Jeevan Sangram
Mr. Romeo
Paap Aur Punya
Roti Kapada Aur Makaan
Aa Gale Lag Jaa
Naina
Siddhartha
Janwar Aur Insaan
Patanga
Sharmeelee
Bombay Talkie
Abhinetri
My Love
Rootha Na Karo
Suhana Safar
Ek Shriman Ek Shrimati
Jahan Pyar Mile
Kanyadaan
Pyar Ka Mausam
Raja Saab
Haseena Maan Jayegi
Juaari
Pretty Polly
Aamne Samne
Dil Ne Pukara
Biradari
Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhare
Pyaar Kiye Jaa
Shakespeare-Wallah
Jab Jab Phool Khile
Mohabbat Isko Kahete Hain
Waqt
Benazir
The Householder
Holiday in Bombay
Jab Se Tumhe Dekha Hai
Yeh Dil Kisko Doon
Mehendi Lagi Mere Hath
Prem Patra
Char Diwari
Dharmputra
Dana Paani
Mordhwaj
Sanskar
Awaara
Ram Darshan
Samadhi
Veer Babruwahan
Patanga
Aag
Bhakta Bilwamangal
Bhakta Gopalbhaiya
Bhakta Dhruva
Renuka
Tadbir
Meena