The term 'star kid' has earned a reputation over the years that not all industry borns like to be linked with. It has been used almost as a derogatory term by Indian film fans in recent years. As the debate around nepotism grew, the term acquired some negative connotations, resulting in many industry insiders distancing themselves from their privileges of being born into B-Town. However, it won't be just to say that it has always been this way.
What now feels like millennials ago, star kids were cherished and even lauded for their legacies. It was a time when being a star kid meant an honour. It was during that time that the first successful star kid emerged in Bollywood. The star went on to become one of the most successful actors in the history of Indian Cinema.
The family has been in the industry for over a century and continues to be an intricate part of the cine world. The Kapoor family is considerably India's biggest and most influential film clan. Since the legendary actor and filmmaker, Prithviraj Kapoor entered films in the 1920s, he has given countless stars to Hindi cinema and made Bollywood his own. Among the biggest names from the family is Rrithviraj's eldest son, the actor whose versatility still has us in awe of his skills. Raj Kapoor sits proudly on the throne of Bollywood's first and most successful star kid.
Raj Kapoor's career in Bollywood spanned over four decades, during which he worked in over 60 films. During his career, the actor delivered 5 blockbusters, 1 superhit, and 11 other hits. One cannot mention Raj Kapoor and not remember his stupendous run in 1949. The year when he gave the world two blockbusters, Andaz and Barsaat. The films twice broke the record for highest-grossing Indian film. Raj Kapoor was able to achieve this at the age of 25 when the majority across fields were learning to stand. However, he did not stop there and gave an all-time blockbuster with Awaara two years later.
While there have been actors with more hits than the legendary, Raj Kapoor over the course of their careers. No actor, let alone a star kid, has been able to touch Raj's legacy and has given two or more all-time grosses in their career. For the unversed, the extraordinary actor Raj Kapoor had delivered three all-time grossers in his career, and he did that all before he turned 30.
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To add to his list of achievements and passion, Raj became a director, giving several hits, one of which was Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia's 1973 blockbuster, Bobby. Raj Kapoor also paved the way for future generations of filmmakers with his films, Awaara, Jagte Raho, and Around The World. These films did stupendous business in the Soviet Union, opening doors for global collections.
Raj Kapoor was among the first Indian filmmakers to earn global acclaim. He, alongside Chetan Anand and Satyajit Ray, was lauded at Cannes. Two of Raj's films had entered to compete at the Cannes Film Festival in the 50s. He earned praise for his films Awaara and Boot Polish. However, they both did not win. Time Magazine listed the actor's powerful performances in the films as one of the Top-Ten Greatest Performances of All Time in World Cinema.
Showmanship was Raj Kapoor's brand cinema, his most prominent skill and his biggest legacy. He also contributed towards the creation of the template for the Grand Cinema with Yash Chopra and Manmohan Desai. For those who are not aware, Grand Cinema is where scenes, events, and songs are extravaganzas. The layout has been modified and changed by filmmakers over the years, adding a genre of masala entertainment into the B-Town mix.
The history of Indian cinema has seen many other successful star kids over the years. In Raj Kapoor's family, his younger son, Rishi, and his grandson, Ranbir, are stars in their own right. Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan have lived stardom at its best. Even south stars, including Nagarjuna, Balakrishna, Allu Arjun, Prabhas, and Ram Charan, have been superstars, and some even have more hits than Raj Kapoor. However, decades after Raj Kapoor left Indian cinema, no one has ever come close to being the star he was.
What are your thoughts on Raj Kapoor's legacy? Let us know.
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