By Ranita Ray Last Updated:
The Hindi Film Industry a.k.a., Bollywood has seen many mega families, where generations after generations, the family members take up acting in legacy. One such grand name is of the Kapoor khandaan. With scions like Karishma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor, this famous family has been the torch-bearer of every generation of Hindi Cinema. It is beyond argument that most of them proved to be ace actors, directors and producers in their own rights.
However, in this piece of the story, we are not going to discuss their latent talents. Our focus is on the Kapoor sons and the women behind their success sagas, i.e. their significant others. So, we have got you a list of Kapoor sons and their wives.
Recommended Read: Randhir Kapoor-Babita's Marital Life: 31 Years Of Separation, No Divorce, Failed In Reconciliation
Prithviraj Kapoor was the first from the Kapoor family to pursue acting. He had entered the Hindi cinema in 1929. His father, Basheshwarnath Kapoor, was a police officer in the Indian Imperial Police in Peshawar. Prithviraj Kapoor was married to Ramsarni Mehra Kapoor, known as Rama in 1923. Prithviraj and Rama had three sons, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, and Shashi Kapoor and all of them had taken up acting as a legacy from their father. They also have a daughter, named Urmi.
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The eldest born of Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor, known to all of us as an equally brilliant actor as well as a director. Raj Kapoor had married Krishna Malhotra in May 1946, who was his father’s maternal uncle’s daughter. A famous magazine of that time had passed comments as Raj had ended his career by marrying his first cousin. This wedding was fixed by the family as they had wanted a traditional girl. In the later years, Raj Kapoor was rumoured to be linked up with many heroines like Nargis, Vyjayantimala and even South Indian actress, Padmini. However, neither Raj nor any actress had publically admitted to it. Raj and Krishna Kapoor have three sons and two daughters. While the elder two sons, Randhir Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor, became successful actors, the youngest one, Rajiv Kapoor did not taste success at the Box-Office. Raj and Krishna have two daughters, Ritu Nanda and Reema Kapoor Jain. While Reema is happily married, Ritu had breathed her last on January 14, 2020.
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The second son of Prithviraj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor was the heartthrob of many girls of his time. He had found his lady love, Geeti Bali in 1955, on the sets of their film, Rangeen Raatein. It had not taken them much time to say those three magical words to each other and within four months, they had gotten married at Banganga Temple, Mumbai. On August 24, 1955, Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali had tied the knot and later, had gone to the Kapoor residence to take blessings from their elders In 1956, Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali were blessed with a son, Aditya Raj Kapoor. Kanchan, their daughter was born five years later, in 1961. Unfortunately, it was just 10 years of their marriage, Geeta Bali had succumbed to smallpox in 1965.
Shammi Kapoor's second wife, Neila Devi
Shammi Kapoor and Neila Devi marriage photo
Shammi’s sister-in-law, Krishna Kapoor (Raj Kapoor’s wife) had thought that Neila Devi, sister of Shammi’s friend, Raghuvir Singh would make the best wife for the devastated actor and mother for Aditya and Kanchan. Neila Devi belonged to the royal family of the kingdom of Bhavnagar at that time and her parents shared a good bond with the Kapoor clan. Shammi Kapoor and Neila Devi had gotten married on January 27, 1969, and she was 10 years younger than him.
Also Read: Shammi Kapoor's Love Life: Twice Failed In Love And Twice Married; First Wife Died Of Smallpox
This good-looking debonair was one of the leading romantic heroes of his time. When all the pretty damsels were swooning over him, he had lost his heart to a girl from England. In 1956, while working in theatre groups, Shashi Kapoor had met English actress, Jennifer Kendal in Calcutta. Shashi was working as an assistant stage manager and also as an actor for Prithvi Theatre, his father’s theatre group. At the same time, Geoffrey Kendal’s Shakespearean group was also present there and Jennifer was Geoffrey’s daughter. Following a few consequent meetings, Shashi and Jennifer had realised that they were in love with each other. There was initial disapproval from Jennifer’s family. But, with sister-in-law, Geeta Bali’s support, Shashi Kapoor and Jennifer had gotten married on July 2, 1958. Later, they were seen acting together in a few movies too. They had three children, Kunal, Karan and Sanjana Kapoor. In 1984, Jennifer had died of cancer, leaving Shashi emotionally shattered. At the age of 79, Shashi Kapoor had also passed away on December 5, 2017.
Also Read: Shashi Kapoor's Tragic Love Story: Once A Superstar Who Went Into Depression After His Wife's Death
The eldest born of Raj Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor had a fair amount of success in the B-town. While shooting for the film, Kal Aaj Aur Kal, Randhir had fallen for his co-star, Babita. On November 6, 1971, Randhir and Babita had tied the knot. Three years later, in 1974 they were blessed with their first child, Karisma Kapoor. In 1980, their second daughter, Kareena Kapoor was born. Things had started turning sour between the two when Randhir’s acting career began to witness downfall mostly after 1983. Adding to their differences, Babita’s wish to enter Karisma into acting had worked as fuel to the squabble. All these things had led to irreversible differences between the couple and in 1988, Babita had left Randhir with their daughters. However, later Randhir had supported the idea of their daughters’ Bollywood career. Though they did not divorce each other but live separately for almost two decades.
The Chintu boy of Bollywood, i.e. Rishi Kapoor had fallen for the actress, Neetu Singh with whom he was paired in numerous movies. Apparently, Raj Kapoor had visited the Singh family, asking for the alliance and despite the initial denial, they had agreed to the match. Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh had gotten married on January 22, 1980, and are blessed with two children, Riddhima Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor. Ranbir Kapoor has established himself as a leading Bollywood actor and is one of the most eligible bachelors. He is dating Alia Bhatt and the two are expected to get married soon. Riddhima is married to a Delhi-based businessman and she is a renowned jewellery designer. On April 30, 2020, Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor's love story had ended as the actor had bid farewell to this materialistic world for the heavenly abode at the age of 67.
Recommended Read: Remembering Rishi Kapoor And Neetu Kapoor's Love Story, He Invited His Mom-In-Law To Live With Them
The youngest son of Raj Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor aka Chimpu too had gotten into acting. With just a couple of hits like Ram Teri Ganga Maili, his acting career had almost doomed. He had later tried his luck at producing and directing movies. Rajiv Kapoor had gotten married to an architect, Aarti Sabharwal in 2001 but had gotten divorced two years later, in 2003. Later, he was linked with a few actresses like Divya Rana, Nagma, but more or less he had refuted those rumours. Rajiv Kapoor was only 58 when he had left for the heavenly abode on February 9, 2021.
Aditya Raj Kapoor marriage photo with Priti
The son of Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali, Aditya Raj Kapoor, who was nicknamed Miki on his birth has been living a very different life. His stepmom, Neila Devi is a dotting mother and never had children for the sake of Aditya and his sister, Kanchan. She had renamed him Ladoo. Aditya has been a dedicated devotee of Spiritual Guru, Haidakhan Baba. Aditya Raj Kapoor's guruji had arranged his marriage with Priti in 1982, at guruji’s ashram in the Himalayas and it was graced by all the Kapoors in full attendance.
Also Read: Raj Kapoor's Love Life: Krishna Kapoor Left The House Once Because Of His Affair With Vyjayanthimala
Shashi Kapoor’s son, Kunal Kapoor had a short stint in Bollywood with just 6 films in his kitty, but could not fetch much luck. He had gotten got married to Sheena Sippy, daughter of famous filmmaker, Ramesh Sippy. They have two children together, a son named Zahan and a daughter named Shaira. However, in 2004 the couple had got divorced amicably.
The younger son of Shashi Kapoor, Karan Kapoor had debuted in Bollywood in 1978 with Shyam Benegal's film, Junoon and then did just 4 films in Bollywood. His European looks came in the way of his film career in this industry. His fame had remained limited to a top model for Bombay Dyeing. He was last seen on the silver screen in the film, Loha. After his stint in Bollywood, he had turned to photography as his profession and lives in London with his wife, Lorna, his daughter, Aliya and son, Zach.
Recommended Read: Shashi Kapoor's Tragic Love Story: Once A Superstar, Who Went Into Depression After His Wife's Death
The Kapoors are there in every bit of Bollywood. Be it in the reel or in real life as a spouse to another big clan of this industry. The more we explore, the more we get mesmerised by their magnanimity.