Jennifer Kendal Kapoor | |
|---|---|
 Kendal in the filmJunoon (1978) | |
| Born | Jennifer Kendal (1934-02-28)28 February 1934 Southport, Lancashire, England |
| Died | 7 September 1984(1984-09-07) (aged 50) London, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Kunal Kapoor Karan Kapoor Sanjana Kapoor |
| Parent(s) | Geoffrey Kendal Laura Liddell |
| Relatives | Felicity Kendal (sister) See alsoKapoor family |
Jennifer Kendal Kapoor (28 February 1934 – 7 September 1984)[1] was an English actress and the founder of thePrithvi Theatre. She was nominated for theBAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film36 Chowringhee Lane (1981). Her other film appearances includedBombay Talkie (1970),Junoon (1978),Heat and Dust (1983), andGhare Baire (1984).
Jennifer Kendal was born inSouthport, England, but spent much of her youth in India. She and younger sisterFelicity Kendal were born toGeoffrey Kendal and Laura Liddell, who ran a travelling theatre company, "Shakespeareana", which travelled around India as depicted in the book and film,Shakespeare Wallah (1965) in which Kendal appeared, uncredited, and which starred her husbandShashi Kapoor, her parents and her sister.[2]
Shashi Kapoor and Kendal met for the first time in Calcutta, in 1956, where he was part of thePrithvi Theatre company, while she was playing Miranda in the playThe Tempest, as part of Shakespeareana.[3] Soon, Shashi Kapoor also began to tour with the Shakespeareana Company,[4] and the couple married in July 1958. Kendal and her husband were also instrumental in the rejuvenation of Prithvi Theatre inMumbai, with the opening of their theatre in theJuhu area of the city in 1978.[5] Kendal and Kapoor also starred in a number of films together, particularly those produced byMerchant Ivory Productions. Their first joint starring roles were inBombay Talkie (1970), which was also one of the earlier films produced by Merchant Ivory.[citation needed]
She had three children with her husband: sonsKunal Kapoor andKaran Kapoor, and daughterSanjana Kapoor; all are former Hindi actors.[6]
In 1982, she was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer and subsequently died of the disease in 1984.
