Geeta Kapoor
Geeta Kapoor @ the launch of Dance India Dance
Born	05th July 1973. (39 years old) Mumbai, India.
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	choreographer, reality television judge
Years active	1998-present

Geeta Kapoor is an Indian choreographer, in Hindi films (Bollywood), and is presently one of the three judges for the Indian reality dance talent show, Dance India Dance - Season 2, where she is one of the three judges, who are also mentors to the shows 18 dancers, called 'Masters'.^[1]

Early life and training[link]

Growing up, she was interested in Hindi movies and particularly the song and dance numbers. Early on she took lessons in Indian classical dancing.

Career[link]

Geeta Kapur started her career when she joined the troupe of noted Bollywood choreographer Farah Khan at just 15,^[2] later went on to assisting her in many films and even the musical Bombay Dreams (2004),^[3] and was part of films like Fiza (2000), Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Saathiya (2002), Main Hoon Na (2004) and Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic (2008),Tees Maar Khan's Sheila Ki Jawani' and has lent choreography to many Bollywood song and dance sequences.^[4][5]

Starting out as a secondary, background dancer in many song sequences,(Eg. Song 'Dum Tara' of Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, Song 'Tujhe Yaad Na Meri Aaye' from movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hai) she stood out through her persistence on some a mix of classical and modern dance moves. Starting in late 90's, through her connections in the Hindi movie industry, she got some early projects to impart her dance skills in movies such as 'Nayak'. she also appeared in kuch kuch hota hai for about 5 seconds..

In 2009, she appeared on the Season 2 of reality dance talent show, Dance India Dance (Zee TV), along with choreographers, Terrence Lewis, Remo D'Souza as a judge, as well as a mentors, where they trained 18 contestants in dance forms like ballet, acrobatics, mid-air dancing, contemporary, Bollywood and hip-hop.^[6]

Television[link]

Dance Styles and Expertise[link]

Ms. Kapoor is strong in the conventional Hindi song dance styles and shows her mettle in this area while coaching her dance students on the show, 'Dance India Dance' . She leads a group of dance students , Geeta Ki Gang, in the show 'Dance India Dance'.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Geeta Kapoor at the Internet Movie Database
• Filmography Bollywood Hungama

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Kapoor or Kapur and sometimes but rarely Capoor (Punjabi: ਕਪੂਰ‌, Hindi: कपूर‌) is the name of a gotra of Punjabi descent belonging to the Khatri (Kshatriya or warrior) Varna.

Lineage and Marriage Rules[link]

They are part of the "Dhai Ghar", meaning two and a half houses^{[citation needed]}. Kapurs, Malhotra (also called Mehras or Mehrotras), Khanna and Seth (also called Kakkar) marry their children with each other. Kapoor can not marry a Kapoor but can only marry Malhotra, Khanna or Seth^{[citation needed]}. This leaves three "Ghars" to marry out of which they are not supposed to marry any of their mother's side relatives with mother's paternal last name (it could be Khanna, Malhotra or Seth). Which makes it "Dhai Ghar Marriage that is why the word "Dhai Ghar".

The Maharajas of Burdwan[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

The Zamindars of Burdwan in Bengal belong to the Kapoor clan, and held the title of Maharajah. Maharajah Bahadur Tedj Chand Ray adopted Chinilal Kapur. His descendants continued as the Maharajas of Burdwan. The family continued as rulers of Burdwan until zamindari was abolished by the government of India in 1955/56. The area remaining however under direct administration of the British via the Indian Civil Service officers on the Bengal State. They also were never members of the Chamber or Council of Princes such as the Maharaja of Patiala or Kapurtala. Thus the title Maharaja was only honorific as was the case in much of India. During the three centuries that they held the estate of Burdwan, the Kapoor family extended their patronage to various scholars and artists, including:

• Paramahansa Yogananda, swami and philosopher
• Sadhak Kamalakanta, Bengali poet and singer

Several famous buildings and tanks in Burdwan were built by the Maharajas of Burdwan, including the Sarbamangala temple, the Baikunthanath Siva temple, the Shyam sagar tank, the Ranisagar tank, the Bijoy Toran and the Rajbadi (palace). In 1882, the Burdwan Raj College was started in Burdwan, which was supported entirely by the estates of the Kapoor dynasty.

Rabindranath Tagore in his "The Hungry Stones And Other Stories" writes: "the Chhota Lord had been heard to say that in all Bengal, the only really respectable families were those of the Maharaja of Burdwan and the Babus of Nayanjore."

Kapoor family of Bollywood[link]

Prithviraj Kapoor (1906–1972), a noted pioneer of Indian theater and of the Hindi film industry, belonged to the Kapoor clan. He was born at Samundri,presently a tehsi of distt.faisalabad, Lyallpur, in Pakistan.Ch.ghullam nabi kamboh lumberdar of chak no 41 G.B. of samundri was one of the best friend of prithvi raj kapoor. He moved to Bombay, India in 1928 and ended up founding a dynasty of movie stars and film-makers. In 1944, he started the Prithvi Theatre, a travelling theatre troupe.

Prithviraj was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to Indian Cinema posthumously. His son, Shashi Kapoor, along with his wife, Jennifer Kapoor, has revived Prithvi Theatre in his honour.

Other prominent Kapoors[link]

Prominent people bearing the name "Kapoor" include:

Military[link]

• General Deepak Kapoor, Chief of Army Staff, Indian Army

Arts and films[link]

• Anil Kapoor, Bollywood actor, film producer
• Anish Kapoor, sculptor
• Anu Kapoor, Bollywood Actor
• Bharat Kapoor , director , writer, producer
• Boney Kapoor Film Director and producer
• Chhaya Kapoor actor
• Dave Kapoor, known as Ranjin Singh in the WWE
• Ekta Kapoor Producer for television and movies (Bollywood)
• Gita Kapoor, Bollywood dancer
• Ishaan Kapoor, actor
• Kareena Kapoor, Bollywood Actress
• Karisma Kapoor
• Namitha Kapoor, South Indian movie actress
• Neha Kapur, Beauty queen
• Pankaj Kapur, Bollywood actor, film-maker
• Raj Kapoor, Bollywood actor, producer and director
• Ram Kapoor, TV actor
• Ranbir Kapoor, Bollywood actor, son of Rishi Kapoor
• Ravi Kapoor, British actor
• Rishi Kapoor, Bollywood actor
• Sanjana Kapoor
• Sanjay Kapoor, Bollywood actor
• Sanjeev Kapoor, gourmet chef
• Shahid Kapoor, Bollywood actor, son of Pankaj Kapur
• Shakti Kapoor, actor
• Shammi Kapoor, Bollywood actor
• Shashi Kapoor, Bollywood actor, director and producer
• Shekhar Kapur, film-maker
• Sonam Kapoor, Bollywood Actress
• Steven Kapur, also known as "Apache Indian", a pop singer
• Surinder Kapoor
• Tusshar Kapoor, Bollywood actor
• Arvind Kapoor, ART Diretor

Literature[link]

• Narinder Singh Kapoor

Computer's and Technology[link]

Sanket Kapoor, Resolution Expert at Dell

Education & Social Work[link]

• Raj Narain Kapoor

Business / Industry / Entrepreneurship[link]

• Sidharth Kapoor, Entrepreneur

See also[link]

• Caste
• Hinduism in Punjab

References[link]

External links[link]

This article may contain wording that merely promotes the subject without imparting verifiable information. Please remove or replace such wording, unless you can cite independent sources that support the characterization. (December 2011)

This article is an autobiography, or has been extensively edited by the subject or an institution related to the subject. Please help edit it to conform to Wikipedia's neutral point of view, in line with the discussion on the talk page. (December 2011)

Shammi Kapoor (Hindi: शम्मी कपूर; born Shamsher Raj Prithviraj Kapoor; 21 October 1931.^[4][5] – 14 August 2011) was an Indian film actor and director. He was a prominent lead actor in Hindi cinema from the late 1950s until the early 1970s and played supportng roles from 1974 to 2011.

Shammi Kapoor is hailed as one of the most entertaining lead actors that Hindi cinema has ever produced and his notable films include Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Dil Deke Dekho, Junglee, Dil Tera Diwana, Professor, China Town, Rajkumar, Kashmir Ki Kali, Janwar, Teesri Manzil, An Evening in Paris, Bramhachari, Andaz and Vidhaata. He received the Filmfare Best Actor Award in 1968 for his performance in Brahmachari and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Vidhaata in 1982.

Early life[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

He was given the name Shamsher Raj Kapoor at his birth in Mumbai to film and theatre actor Prithviraj Kapoor and Ramsharni Kapoor née Mehra.^[4] Shammi was the second of the three sons born to Prithviraj (the other two being Raj Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor), both successful Bollywood actors. Though born in Mumbai, he spent a major portion of his childhood in Kolkata, where his father was involved with New Theatres Studios, acting in films. It was in Kolkata that he did his Montessory and Kindergarten. After coming back to Mumbai, he first went to St. Joseph's Convent (Wadala) and then, to Don Bosco School. He finished his matric schooling from New Era School at Hughes Road.

Kapoor had a short stint at Ruia College, in Matunga, Mumbai, after which he joined his father’s theatrical company Prithvi Theatres. He entered the cinema world in 1948, as a junior artiste, at a salary of Rs. 50 per month, stayed with Prithvi Theatres for the next four years and collected his last pay check of Rs. 300, in 1952. He made his debut in Bollywood in the year 1953, when the film Jeevan Jyoti was released. It was directed by Mahesh Kaul and Chand Usmani was Kapoor’s first heroine.

Film career[link]

Kapoor started out with serious roles but with Filmistan's Nasir Hussain directed Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957) opposite Ameeta and Dil Deke Dekho (1959) with Asha Parekh, he attained the image of a light-hearted, and stylish playboy. Tall, athletic, lively, fair complexioned, green-eyed and with handsome features, Shammi was a heartthrob, and his good looks and physique complemented his image. Both the films were debut films of the respective actresses Ameeta and Asha Parekh and both went on to be big hits and are regarded as classics.

With Junglee (1961) his new image was cemented and his subsequent films were all in this genre. He particularly chose Mohammed Rafi as his playback voice. In his early career in fifties, he had often played second fiddle to established heroines like Madhubala in films such as Rail Ka Dibba (1953) and Naqab, with Nutan in Laila Majnu, with Shyama in Thokar and with Nalini Jaywant in Hum Sab Chor Hain though none of them except Thokar clicked at the box office. But producers after 1960 apart from the actresses from southern India, loved pairing Shammi with new heroines, three of them became huge stars in their own right in Hindi films: Asha Parekh, Saira Banu, and Sharmila Tagore.^[6] Of all his heroines, he said that Sharmila Tagore, Rajshree, and Asha Parekh were easy to work with.^[7] Sharmila Tagore and Saira Banu made their Bollywood debuts with Shammi Kapoor in Kashmir Ki Kali and Junglee respectively^[8] He and Asha Parekh were paired together in four films, the most successful being besides debut film of Asha Parekh, the murder mystery Teesri Manzil (1966) and the romance film Jawan Mohabbat.

In the early fifties he accepted serious roles in women oriented films like Shama Parwana (1954) with Suraiya, comedy flick Mem Sahib (1956) with Meena Kumari and thrillers like Chor Bazar (1954), which were all successful at the box office and in the tragic love story Mirza Sahiban with (1957) (a box office flop) opposite Shyama, but did not gain recognition and fame among the masses. Other than the above hits, he had fifteen films as flops to his credit till 1957. The other hits in late fifties included Mujrim (1958), Char Dil Char Rahen, Raat Ke Raahi (1959). His performances in K A Abbas' Char Dil Char Raahein (1959) and Kidar Sharma's Rangeen Raatein (1956) were also noteworthy but remained underfeted.^[9] It was only after triple success of Tumsa Nahi Dekha (1957), Ujala and Dil Dil Deke Deko (both 1959), that he became popular with the audience and became a star. In the first half of the 1960s, Kapoor was seen in successful films like College Girl, Basant, Singapore, Boy Friend, Professor, Dil Tera Diwana, Vallah Kya Baat Hai, Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, China Town, Kashmir Ki Kali, Bluff Master, Janwar and Rajkumar. Although nominated before, in 1968, he received the first Filmfare Best Actor award of his career for the film Bramhachari. He made a unique place for himself in the industry as he was the only dancing hero in Hindi films from the late fifties till early seventies. Saira Banu said in an interview "At the time when Dilip sahab, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand ruled the industry, it was Shammi Kapoor who created a niche for himself with his unique dance moves. He used to say he didn't know how to dance but he would just listen to the music and feel it. He was the only 'dancing hero' at that time."^[10] He used to compose dancing steps by himself in the songs picturised on him and never needed a choreographer. This earned him the name of Elvis Presley of India.^[2][11]

His pairing opposite Southern heroines were always a success at the box office. He delivered hits opposite B. Saroja Devi like Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya and Preet Na Jane Reet, with Padmini gave Singapore (1960 film), opposite Vyjayanthimala had hits like College Girl and Prince (1969 film). In the sixties his successful run continued until new romantic icon Rajesh Khanna entered the scene in 1969.^[12] However Shammi did have commercial successes in late sixties, like Budtameez and Sachaai with Sadhana, Latt Saheb with Nutan and Tumse Achha Kaun Hai with Babita.

In the 1970s, Kapoor’s weight problem proved an obstacle in his path of success and ended his career as a romantic hero as his films started failing. His last hit film, in which he played the lead role, was Andaz (1971). As his career as hero ended, Shammi started playing charcater roles in films from 1974. Shammi played Saira Banu's father in Zameer (1974), when he had been her leading man a decade earlier in Junglee (1961) and Bluff Master (1964).In 1974, he donned the hat of a director and made Manoranjan in 1974 and Bundal Baaz (1976). However, both the films failed to create magic at the box office though were critically acclaimed and have developed a cult fan following over the years. His directorial venture Manoranjan (1974), a movie inspired from Irma La Douce, had Sanjeev Kumar in lead role and Shammi played a supporting role himself. In Bundal Baaz (1976) he casted Rajesh Khanna in the main lead and Shammi played the role of a genie in the film. Critics hailed these 2 films as classics and to be ahead of its time. In the 1980s and 1990s, he continued to play supporting roles in many films and won a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his performance in Vidhaata (1982). His notable roles as a character actor were in Hero, Vidhaata, Hukumat, Batwara, Tahalka, Chamatkar, Namak and Prem Granth. He got the opportunity to do some films in other languages such as Bengali and Tamil in the nineties. He did a social melodrama serial called Chattan aired on Zee TV for more than a year in the 1990s. He eventually cut down on film appearances by the late 1990s and early 2000s and made his appearances in the 1999 Salman Khan and Urmila Matondkar starrer Jaanam Samjha Karo, 2002 release Waah! Tera Kya Kehna and the delayed 2006 release Sandwich. He made his last appearance in Imtiaz Ali's directorial venture Rockstar co-starring his grand-nephew Ranbir Kapoor, the grandson of his brother Raj Kapoor.

Film director Shakti Samanta directed Shammi Kapoor in six hit films like Singapore, Pagla Kahin Ka, China Town, Kashmir Ki Kali, An Evening In Paris and Jaane Anjane and quoted in an interview “I found Shammi to be a thoroughly good man. Even in his heydays, he was humble."^[13]

Personal life[link]

Shammi Kapoor, in 1953, dated Nadia Gamal, a belly dancer from Cairo.^[14] Shammi quoted in an interview that "We met in Ceylon and we were in love. Somehow things did not work out and she went back to Cairo."^[15] Kapoor met Geeta Bali in 1955, during the shooting of the film Rangeen Raaten, where he was the leading actor and she played a cameo. Geeta Bali was a well established actress and a popular star at this point of time and Shammi had not tasted any success. They fell in love during the outdoor stints of the movie at Ranikhet, an ancient Army based hill-station in the Kumaon region, but since she was a year older to him and had acted with his elder brother in Bawren Nain and his father in Anand Math, they were skeptical. Four months after they first met, they married at Banganga Temples, near Napean Sea Road of Mumbai with Hari Walia as the sole witness. They informed their parents only after their marriage. Geeta Bali also did cameo in Shammi starrer Mujrim (1958). They were paired together in Miss Coca Cola, a box office dud and Coffee House. After their marriage Geeta Bali acted in 14 films and retired from the film industry. Geeta Bali's last film as a lead was Jab Se Tumhe Dekha Hai opposite Pradeep Kumar, in which Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor made special appearances.

Shammi and Geeta lived a life of bliss in the coming years. They had a son, Aditya Raj Kapoor, on 1 July 1956, at Shirodkar's Hospital, Mumbai, a year after they were married. Five years later, in 1961, they had a daughter, Kanchan.

Tragedy struck in 1965, during the filming of Teesri Manzil. Geeta died of small pox, leaving Shammi with two small children.

In 1969, he married Neela Devi Gohil from the former royal family of Bhavnagar in Gujarat. He was gaining weight rather significantly now and this ended his career as a romantic hero in the early 1970s. Andaz (1971) was one of his last hits.

Shammi Kapoor was the founder and chairman of Internet Users Community of India (IUCI). He had also played a major role in setting up internet organizations like the Ethical Hackers Association. Kapoor also maintained a website dedicated to the Kapoor family.^[16]

In 2006, he told interviewers that he underwent dialysis three times a week. Irrepressible even then, this punishing regimen has failed to depress him. Rather, he said that he was thankful to God for giving him so much.

He died of renal failure around 5:15am on 14 August 2011 at Mumbai's Breach Candy hospital, where he was undergoing treatment for chest infection.^[17]

Death[link]

Kapoor was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai on 7 August 2011 suffering from chronic renal failure. His condition remained serious for next few days and he was kept on ventilator support.^[18] He died on 14 August 2011, 05:15 am IST, of chronic renal failure, aged 79.^[19][20] Funeral was held on Monday, 15 August at Banganga cremation ground, Malabar Hill, Mumbai. Aditya Raj Kapoor, the actor's son, performed the last rites at the cremation. The entire Kapoor family were present to pay their last respects, including his younger brother Shashi Kapoor, sister in law Krishna Kapoor, grand nephew Ranbir Kapoor, nephews Rishi, Randhir and Rajiv, Randhir's wife Babita and grand nieces Karishma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor.^[21] Bollywood personalities Vinod Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha, Subhash Ghai, Amitabh Bachchan, Ramesh Sippy, Danny Denzongpa, Prem Chopra, Anil Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Govinda, Aamir Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Shahrukh Khan, Kabir Bedi and Priyanka Chopra were among those who attended the funeral.^[22]

Awards, nominations and other recognition[link]

• 1962 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Actor--Professor^[23]
• 1968 – Filmfare Best Actor Award, Brahmachari^[24]
• 1982 – Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award, Vidhata^[25]
• 1995 – Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award^[26]
• 1998 – Kalakar Awards – Special Award for "contribution in Indian Cinema"^[27]
• 1999 – Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement
• 2001 – Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2001 – Anandalok Awards Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2002 – Invaluable Contribution To Indian Cinema at the IIFA.^[28]
• 2005 – Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bollywood Movie Awards^[29]
• 2008 – Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Indian cinema at the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF).^[30]
• 2009 – Phalke Legend Actor Award by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy [1]^{[dead link]}
• Recipient of the prestigious Living Legend Award by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Indian entertainment industry.^[31]
• Rashtriya Gaurav Award^[32]

Partial filmography[link]

^[33]

Further reading[link]

• The Kapoors: the first family of Indian cinema, by Madhu Jain. Penguin, Viking, 2005. ISBN 0-670-05837-8.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Shammi Kapoor

• Shammi Kapoor's Personal Website
• Shammi Kapoor Official Fan Club
• Shammi Kapoor at the Internet Movie Database
• Shammi Kapoor on Twitter
• Shammi Kapoor's Official Video Blog^{[dead link]}