Raj Kapoor (born Shrishti Nath Kapoor; 14 December 1924 2 June 1988), also known as The Greatest Show Man of Indian Cinema, was an Indian actor, film director and film producer who worked in Hindi cinema.
Kapoor is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers and actors in the history of Indian cinema.[ Allmusic biography] He was the winner of several accolades including 3 National Film Awards and 11 Filmfare Awards in India. The Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award is named after Raj Kapoor. He was a two-time nominee for the Palme d'Or grand prize at the Cannes Film Festival for his films Awaara (1951) and Boot Polish (1954). His performance in Awaara was ranked as one of the top ten greatest performances of all time by Time magazine. His films attracted worldwide audiences, particularly in Asia and Europe. He was called the Clark Gable of the Indian film industry.
The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 1971 for his contributions to the arts. India's highest award in cinema the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was bestowed him in 1987 by the Government of India.
International honours and recognitions
Kapoor was nominated for the Grand Prize at the 1953 Cannes Film Festival for Awaara Kapoor was also nominated for the Grand Prize for Boot Polish In 1955, he was conferred with an honorary degree in Tehran. His film Jagte Raho (1956) also won the Crystal Globe award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. A Raj Kapoor Film Festival was held on his 75th Birth Anniversary at the Cultural Centre of Russia on 17 January 2000. The 55th Cannes International Film Festival, which was held from 16 to 26 May 2002, comprised a Raj Kapoor Retrospective as a tribute to the showman. The prestigious Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris was hosting an important 3-month long festival of popular Indian cinema from February to April 2004, dedicated to five great Indian film personalities: Raj Kapoor, Guru Dutt, Mehboob Khan, Bimal Roy and V. Shantaram. A Raj Kapoor film festival was held in The Netherlands city The Hague from 22 May – 1 June 2008. A Raj Kapoor film festival will be held in the Omani capital Muscat from 27 May – 10 June 2008. In 2011, the city of Brampton, Ontario, announced that a new street would be named Raj Kapoor Crescent in Kapoor's honour.
National honours and recognitions
Kapoor had been conferred with a "National Award" for cinematography for contribution to Indian cinema. In 1971, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award from the Government of India. The Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award is named after Raj Kapoor. The Government of Maharashtra has named a Life Time Contribution award and a Special Contribution Award in honor of Raj Kapoor. On 8 January 2001, he was honoured with the "Best Director of the Millennium" award by Hero Honda-Stardust In 2002, he was named "Showman of the Millennium" at the Screen Awards In 2007, he was conferred with a "Special Award" at the Screen Awards
National Film Awards
YearCategoryForResult 1955 Best Feature Film in Hindi Shree 420 1960 Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai 1987 Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Filmfare Awards
Raj Kapoor had been nominated for 23 Filmfare Awards in all, winning 11.
YearCategoryForResult 1954 Best Film Boot Polish 1956 Best Actor Jagte Raho 1958 Phir Subha Hogi 1959 Anari 1960 Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai Chhalia 1964 Sangam Best Film Best Editing Best Director 1970 Mera Naam Joker Best Film 1973 Bobby Best Director 1978 Satyam Shivam Sundaram 1980 Best Supporting Actor Abdullah 1982 Best Director Prem Rog Best Editing Best Film 1985 Ram Teri Ganga Maili Best Director Best Editing Best Story
Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards
YearResultCategoryFor1964Best DirectorSangam Best Editor 1967Best Actor (Hindi)Teesri Kasam 1971Mera Naam Joker Best Director
References
Bibliography
External links
Raj Kapoor - Awards and Nominations at the Internet Film Database