Mumbai, May 29: Today marks the 54th death anniversary of the late actor Prithviraj Kapoor, the founder of the Kapoor family in Hindi cinema. On this occasion, actor Jackie Shroff paid tribute to him.
Shroff shared a black-and-white photograph of Prithviraj Kapoor on his Instagram Stories, writing, “Prithviraj Kapoor Ji, you will always remain in our hearts.”
Prithviraj Kapoor is often referred to as the “Bheeshma Pitamah of Indian cinema.” He moved to Mumbai from Lyallpur (now Faisalabad), Punjab (now in Pakistan) in 1928. He worked in numerous silent films and established himself as one of the most influential artists in Hindi cinema. He also acted in India’s first talking film, “Alam Ara,” released in 1931.
Among his most memorable films are “Mughal-e-Azam,” where he portrayed Emperor Akbar, and “Alexander,” in which he played Alexander the Great. In 1944, he founded the “Prithvi Theatre,” investing his earnings from films into this theatre company and its productions. His sons also acted in these plays.
In recognition of his extensive contributions to cinema, he was appointed as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha in 1952. He received the Padma Bhushan in 1969 for his significant contributions to the arts and was posthumously awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1972.
Prithviraj Kapoor’s legacy continues through his three sons—Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, and Shashi Kapoor—who became iconic stars in Hindi cinema. The next generation of the Kapoor family includes names like Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor, Kunal Kapoor, and Sanjana Kapoor. Today, Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Ranbir Kapoor carry forward this illustrious legacy, maintaining a strong presence in the film industry.
It is said that in his later years, Prithviraj Kapoor battled a serious illness, ultimately succumbing to cancer. His wife, Ramsarni Mehra, passed away just two weeks after his death.
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