Dimple Kapadia (born 8 June 1957) is an Indian actress predominantly appearing inHindi films. Born and raised inMumbai by wealthy parents, she aspired to become an actress from a young age and received her first opportunity through her father's efforts to launch her in the film industry. She was discovered at age 14 by the filmmakerRaj Kapoor, who cast her in the title role of his teen romanceBobby (1973), which opened to major commercial success and gained her wide public recognition. Shortly before the film's release in 1973, she married the actorRajesh Khanna and quit acting. Their daughters,Twinkle andRinke Khanna, both briefly worked as actresses in their youth. Kapadia returned to films in 1984, two years after her separation from Khanna. Her comeback filmSaagar, which was released a year later, revived her career. BothBobby andSaagar won herFilmfare Awards forBest Actress. Through her work over the next decade, she established herself as one of Hindi cinema's leading actresses.[1]
While her initial roles often relied on her perceived beauty and sex appeal, Kapadia was keen to challenge herself and expand her range. She was among the first actresses who starred in women-centred Hindi action films but found greater favour with critics when she took on more dramatic roles in both mainstream and neorealistparallel cinema. Appearing in films ranging from marital dramas to literary adaptations, she played troubled women sometimes deemed reflective of her personal experience, and received acclaim for her performances inKaash (1987),Drishti (1990),Lekin... (1991), andRudaali (1993).[2] For her role as aprofessional mourner inRudaali, she won theNational Film Award for Best Actress and aFilmfare Critics Award. She also had supporting roles in the crime dramasPrahaar (1991),Angaar (1992),Gardish (1993) andKrantiveer (1994), the latter securing her another Filmfare Award.
Starting in the mid 1990s, Kapadia became more selective about her work, and her screen appearances in the following decades were fewer. She was noted for her portrayal of middle-aged, complicated women courted by younger men inDil Chahta Hai (2001) and the American productionLeela (2002). Her later credits include leading roles inHum Kaun Hai? (2004),Pyaar Mein Twist (2005),Phir Kabhi (2008),Tum Milo Toh Sahi (2010) andWhat the Fish (2013), but she attained more success with character roles inBeing Cyrus (2006),Luck by Chance (2009),Dabangg (2010),Cocktail (2012) andFinding Fanny (2014). Some of these roles were cited in the media as a departure from the regular portrayals of women of her age in Hindi films. Roles in the Hollywood thrillerTenet (2020), action filmPathaan (2023), as well as the streaming seriesSaas, Bahu Aur Flamingo (2023), brought her further recognition.
Dimple Kapadia was born on 8 June 1957 inBombay toGujarati businessman Chunibhai Kapadia and his wife Bitti, who was known as "Betty".[3][4][5] Chunibhai was from a wealthyIsmaili Khoja family, whose members had "embracedHinduism" while still regardingAga Khan as their religious mentor.[a] Pakistani singerFaisal Kapadia was Chunibhai's cousin.[9][10] Bitti was a practisingIsmaili.[11][12] As an infant, Dimple was given the name Ameena (literally, "honest" or "trustworthy" inArabic) byAga Khan III, by which she was never referred to.[6][13] She is the eldest of four children; her siblings, all of whom have died were sistersSimple (also an actress) and Reem, and a brother, Suhail.[13][14][15]
The family resided in the Bombay suburbSantacruz, where Kapadia studied atSt Joseph's Convent High School.[13][16] She described herself as having matured quickly, and often made friends with children older than herself.[13][17] Her father was disowned by his conservative family after she was cast for her first filmBobby in 1971.[6][18] At age 15, she married the actorRajesh Khanna, then aged 30, after a short courtship.[19] Having been a fan of Khanna, she later said marrying him was the "biggest high" of her life during this period.[20] The wedding was performed according toArya Samaj rites in her father's bungalow inJuhu on 27 March 1973 and was followed by a grand reception event attended by thousands later in the evening—six months before the release ofBobby.[21][22] At her husband's behest, Kapadia quit acting following the marriage.[23][24] She gave birth to two daughters,Twinkle (born 1974) andRinke (born 1977).[25]
Kapadia separated from Khanna in April 1982 and returned with her two daughters to her parents' house.[6][19] She returned to acting two years later.[19] In a 1985 interview withIndia Today, she remarked, "The life and happiness in our house came to an end the day I and Rajesh got married", saying her unhappy marital experience had included inequality and her husband's infidelity, and called their marriage "a farce".[6] The hostility between Khanna and Kapadia, who were never officially divorced, subsided over the years; despite not having ever reunited, they were seen together at parties; Kapadia acted opposite Khanna in his unreleased filmJai Shiv Shankar in 1990 and campaigned for his election to theIndian National Congress a year later.[26][27] Their daughters similarly became actresses and, after marriage, retired from acting.[15] The elder daughter Twinkle is married to the actorAkshay Kumar.[28] Asked inFilmfare in 2000 whether she would want to remarry, Kapadia said: "I'm very happy and content... once was more than enough".[24] Khanna fell ill in early 2012, and Kapadia stayed by his side and took care of him until his death on 18 July that year.[29][30] She was with him when he died and said his loss, along with the deaths of her sister Simple and her brother, left her feeling "truly abandoned".[15][31]
Kapadia is an art lover and has experimented with painting and sculpture. In 1998, she started a company called The Faraway Tree, which sells candles that she designs.[32][33] Having been a candle enthusiast and finding candle-making therapeutic, she went toWales and took a workshop withBlackwood-based candle artistDavid Constable.[16][34] According to the Indian press, Kapadia's business venture has inspired other candle enthusiasts to start similar businesses.[35][36] Her candles were presented and offered for sale at a number of exhibitions.[33][37]
Kapadia, who was an avid movie viewer, aspired to be an actor since childhood.[17] Her acting career was initiated by her father, who socialised with film-industry professionals and frequented parties hosted by screenwriter Anjana Rawail.[13][38] Through his contacts, Dimple was almost cast to play the younger version ofVyjayanthimala's character inH. S. Rawail'sSunghursh (1968), but was eventually rejected because she looked older than the part called for.[13] After she turned down an offer to play the protagonist inHrishikesh Mukherjee'sGuddi in 1970, another opportunity arose in 1971 whenRaj Kapoor was looking for a young, new female lead for his planned teen romance. Munni Dhawan, a close friend of Kapoor, suggested he consider Kapadia, having been acquainted with her father.[39] In June that year, at the age of 14, Kapadia performed a screen test for the film on the sets of one of Kapoor's productions.[40] Impressed with her spontaneity and improvisation, Kapoor cast her in the part.[41] The film, which was namedBobby, was released in September 1973. It starred Kapoor's sonRishi Kapoor as Raj Nath, the son of a wealthy Hindu businessman, and Kapadia was given the title role of Bobby Braganza, the teenage daughter of aChristian fisherman fromGoa. The story follows the love affair between Raj and Bobby in the face of his parents' disapproval of their relationship due toclass prejudice.[42]
Bobby was a major commercial success—India's highest-grossing film of the year and ultimately second-earning film of the decade—and Kapadia was lauded for her performance, which won her theFilmfare Award for Best Actress (tied withJaya Bhaduri forAbhimaan).[43][44]Qurratulain Hyder ofThe Illustrated Weekly of India noted she acted with "natural ease and freshness".[45] Several of Kapadia's lines in the film became popular, particularly, "Mujhse dosti karoge?" ("Will you be my friend?"),[46] and the "miniskirts, midriff-baring polka dot shirts, and fabled red bikini" she wore made her a youth fashion icon in India.[47] Consequently, polka-dotted dresses were often referred to as "Bobby Print".[48][49]Bhawana Somaaya ofThe Hindu credits Kapadia with starting the merchandising of film memorabilia in India, and Mukesh Khosla ofThe Tribune saidBobby established her as a "cult figure" because she led the fashion trends.[50][51] In later years, Kapadia credited Raj Kapoor for her development as an actor: "The sum total of me today as an actress, whatever I am, is Raj Kapoor".[17] In 2008, Raja Sen from the web portalRediff.com ranked her performance inBobby as the fourth-best female debut of all time in Hindi cinema: "An elfin little girl with big, lovely eyes, nobody quite portrayed innocence as memorably as Dimple in her first outing. She was candid, striking, and a true natural ... here was a girl who would redefine glamour and grace, and make it look very, very easy indeed."[52]
Kapadia returned to acting in 1984, two years after her separation from Khanna, saying she had a personal need to prove her own capabilities to herself.[17][19] Over the next decade, she became one of the leading female actors in Hindi cinema.[53] Her first post-hiatus film wasSaagar; a mutual friend had notified the directorRamesh Sippy about Kapadia's willingness to return to acting, and she was invited to audition for the part. She considered her screen test unsuccessful because she was "literally shivering" while performing it, but Sippy cast her to play the lead part opposite herBobby co-star Rishi Kapoor.[17] Scripted with her in mind,[17] the film was intended to be her comeback vehicle but its one-year delay meant several of her later projects were released before, the first of which wasZakhmi Sher (1984).[24][54]
Other films released beforeSaagar includeManzil Manzil (1984),Aitbaar (1985) andArjun (1985). Kapadia appeared oppositeSunny Deol inManzil Manzil, a drama that was directed byNasir Hussain. While speaking of her positive experience during the making of the film, she felt uncomfortable performing the routinesong-and-dance nature of the part.[17] Her work was deemed ineffective byTrade Guide, andThe Illustrated Weekly of India reported her career prospects entirely depended upon the fortunes of her next few projects.[55] Kapadia received positive reviews for her part inMukul Anand'sHitchcockian thrillerAitbaar.[17][56][57] She starred as Neha, a wealthy young woman whose greedy husband (Raj Babbar) plots to murder her. Discussing her performance, she said she was "a bag of nerves" while filming, which benefitted her performance because her own state coincided with her character's inner turmoil.[17] She was cast opposite Sunny Deol for a second time inRahul Rawail's action filmArjun; it was her first commercial success since her return to films.[57][58]
Saagar premiered in August 1985 and was controversial for several scenes featuring Kapadia, including one in which she was seen topless for less than a second.[59] The film was chosen asIndia's official entry to the58th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.[60][61] Kapadia's performance as Mona D'Silva, a youngCatholic woman who is torn between her friend (Kamal Haasan) and the man she loves (Kapoor),[62] reestablished her position in the film industry and won her a second Best Actress award at theFilmfare Awards.[63][64] A reviewer inAsiaweek appreciated the film for its "polished narration and masterly technique" and labelled Kapadia "a delight".[65] According to Rediff.com, Kapadia "performed solidly and memorably, grounding the two male leads and making the film work".[66] A 1993 issue ofIndia Today wrote: "Saagar was in many ways a paean to her incredible beauty. She looked ravishing: auburn hair, classical face, deep eyes, an aura of sensuality. It was clear she was back."[67]
Feroz Khan'sJanbaaz (1986), which is about a man fighting drug addiction,[68] became known for a love scene in which Kapadia and male leadAnil Kapoor share a kiss, a rarity in Hindi cinema at the time.[69][70] The same year, she acted opposite Kamal Haasan in her first regional film,Vikram, a Tamil-language sci-fi feature, in the minor role of Inimaasi, a young princess who falls in love with Vikram (Haasan).[71] At that time, she worked in numerous Hindi films made by producers fromSouth India, includingPataal Bhairavi, which she detested. She later confessed to accepting these roles for financial gain rather than artistic merit: "I shudder even now when I think of those films. As an artiste I got totally corrupted."[17]
"After three years of near-frustration in my career, I bagged Mahesh Bhatt's filmKaash. This film changed my whole outlook. After all those professional brickbats, when Mahesh asked me to do his film I think I got one of the biggest highs of my career. Working for Mahesh has been the most satisfying phase in my entire career as an actress. If I can imbibe even 25% of what he has taught me, I feel I will be made as an artiste."
—Kapadia in 1987 on the experience of makingKaash[17]
Kapadia's career took further shape in 1987 and, according to film journalist Firoze Rangoonwala, she was the most sought-after actress in the film industry that year.[72] She appeared inRajkumar Kohli'sInsaniyat Ke Dushman and Mukul Anand'sInsaaf; both action films that were popular with audiences.[22]Insaniyat Ke Dushman featured Kapadia as part of an ensemble, and Rangoonwala attributed its commercial success to its all-star cast and "bulky melodrama".[72][73] InInsaaf, she played the dual role ofunrelated lookalikes: Sonia, a club dancer and Dr. Sarita, a physician.[74][75]
Later in the year, she played Pooja inMahesh Bhatt's marital dramaKaash. Kapadia andJackie Shroff starred as an estranged couple who, during a relentless legal battle over the custody of their only son, learn that the boy hasbrain tumour and reunite to spend the last months of his life as a family.[76] Before filming began, she called it the most serious artistic challenge of her career.[6] Bhatt cast Kapadia because he was aware of her own marital experience and later revealed that during the shooting she had grown increasingly invested in the story, so much that after a point he could not differentiate her from Pooja as she "became the character".[77] Kapadia's performance was praised by critics.[56][78][79]Pritish Nandy, the editor ofThe Illustrated Weekly of India, asserted: "Dimple achieves the impossible. Bereft of her glitzy make-up, glamour and filmi mannerisms, she comes alive as never before: beautiful, sensitive, intense. You almost feel you've discovered a new actress on the screen."[80] In later years,The Times of India listed it as one of Kapadia's best performances, noting her "immense strength as a performer", andSukanya Verma wrote of the "stoic determination and touching vulnerability" with which Pooja was played, calling the outcome "extremely believable and sympathetic at once".[81][82] Bhawana Somaaya reported thatKaash had established Kapadia as a performing artiste.[83]
InZakhmi Aurat (1988), Kapadia played Kiran Dutt, a police officer who is subjected togang rape and, when the judicial system fails to convict the criminals, unites with other rape survivors tocastrate the rapists in revenge.[84][85] Among the first of a new trend of women-centred revenge films, the film was a financial success but polarised critics and attracted wide coverage for its lengthy, brutal rape scene involving Kapadia.[86][87]Khalid Mohamed ofThe Times of India noted Kapadia's "power packed performance" but criticised the rape sequence as "utter lasciviousness" and "vulgarity spattering through the screen".[88] Feminist magazineManushi panned the film's low cinematic quality, including the absurdity of the action scenes and the "ugly kind of titillation" in the rape scene, but said Kapadia brought "a conviction to her role that is rare among Bombay heroines" with a performance that is "low key, moving and charming without being at all clinging or seductive".[89] The same year, Kapadia worked with Rajkumar Kohli on the action dramaSaazish and the horror filmBees Saal Baad, a remake of the 1962film of the same name.[90][91][92] She was the action star inMera Shikar, a revenge saga directed byKeshu Ramsay, playing Bijli, a once joyous young woman who trains inmartial arts to punish a notorious gangster for the crimes inflicted upon her sister. The film was described as an "extraordinarily adroit entertainer" by Subhash K. Jha, who preferred it over the "sleazysensationalism" ofZakhmi Aurat and noted the "unusual restraint" with which Bijli's transformation was achieved.[78]
In the 1990s, Kapadia started appearing inparallel cinema, a movement of Indian neo-realistart films,[67][103] later citing an "inner yearning to exhibit my best potential".[104] Those films includeDrishti (1990),Lekin... (1991),Rudaali (1993) andAntareen (1993).Drishti, a marital drama that was directed byGovind Nihalani and inspired byIngmar Bergman'sScenes from a Marriage (1973), starred Kapadia andShekhar Kapur as a married couple from Mumbai's intellectual milieu, and followed their trials and tribulations, extramarital affairs, divorce, and eventual reconciliation.[105][106] Kapadia received critical acclaim for playing the protagonist, career-woman Sandhya, and later recounted her full emotional involvement in the part.[56][107] The authorSubramani recognised Kapadia as "an actress with hidden resources" and appreciated her "intelligent portrayal", through which Sandhya emerged as "vulnerable and intense and full of feminine wiles".[108] A review inThe Indian Express noted Kapadia's sensitive performance, presuming her own journey through separation might have enhanced her understanding of the part.[109][110] The film was acknowledged as theBest Hindi Film of that year at the38th National Film Awards, andFrontline magazine suggested that Kapadia should have earned the Best Actress award at the same function.[111][112] She was namedBest Actress (Hindi) of the year by theBengal Film Journalists' Association, and won a jury award forOutstanding Performance at the37th Filmfare Awards.[113][114]
Gulzar's romantic mysteryLekin..., which is based onRabindranath Tagore's short story "The Hungry Stones" (1895),[115] features Kapadia as Reva, arestless spirit who haunts an ancientRajasthani palace seeking liberation. The film traces Reva's intermittent apparitions in front of Sameer (Vinod Khanna), a museum curator who arrives at the palace and—upon watching her visual recreation of events from her tragic story—resolves to set her free.[116] Kapadia was determined to get the part as soon as she learned about the project and kept persistently calling Gulzar and the film's producerLata Mangeshkar until she was finally cast.[117] To make her character more truthful, Gulzar forbade Kapadia to blink during filming, trying to capture an "endless, fixed gaze" that would give her "a feeling of being surreal".[118] Kapadia has often cited this role as a personal favourite and the pinnacle of her career, and wished it had been given more screen time in the film.[119][120]Lekin... was popular with critics[106] and Kapadia's performance in it earned her a third Filmfare nomination.[121] Subhash K. Jha described Reva as "the essence of evanescence" and took note of the "intense tragedy" with which Kapadia played the part.[122]
Kapadia played a young widow in the military dramaPrahaar (1991), starring and directed byNana Patekar,[123][124] with whom she would collaborate on several future projects.[125] Kapadia and co-starMadhuri Dixit agreed to act without wearing makeup upon Patekar's insistence.[126] The film impressed critics, who credited both actresses for their work, although most of the praise went to Patekar.[127] Further critical attention came Kapadia's way when she played a principled office receptionist opposite Sunny Deol in the action filmNarsimha.[128][129] InHaque (1991), a political drama directed by Harish Bhosle and scripted by Mahesh Bhatt, she played Varsha B. Singh, anOrthodox Hindu woman who, after years of subservience, acts in defiance of her oppressive husband.[130] The author Ram Awatar Agnihotri noted Kapadia for a brave and convincing portrayal.[131] Kapadia starred alongsideAmitabh Bachchan in the fantasyAjooba, a big-budgeted Indo-Russian co-production that was co-directed byShashi Kapoor andGennady Vasilyev.[132][133] Based onArabian mythology and set in the fictional Afghan kingdom Baharistan, the film saw her in the role of Rukhsana, a young woman who arrives from India to rescue her father from prison.[134][135] The critical response toAjooba was mediocre,[136] and it failed to attract viewers in Indian cinemas against success in the Soviet Union.[133][137]
The release ofMaarg, her second project under Mahesh Bhatt's direction, was delayed for several years before itsstraight-to-video release in late 1992.[77] The film is about power politics within anashram and features Kapadia as Uma, who works as a prostitute by choice.[138] The critic Iqbal Masood considered it "a powerful satire" with "excellent performances".[139] According to Bhatt, Kapadia's role was so intense it left her close to a breakdown after filming ended.[77] She next played Barkha, a single woman who abandons her newly born, out-of-wedlock daughter, inHema Malini's directorial debutDil Aashna Hai (1992).[140] InShashilal K. Nair's crime dramaAngaar (1992), Kapadia played Mili, a homeless orphan who is collected by an unemployed man (Jackie Shroff).Angaar, and Kapadia's performance in it, received positive reviews from critics but it was financially unsuccessful. Meena Iyer ofThe Times of India, who called it "one of the most engaging mafia films to have come out of Bollywood", attributed the film's limited audience to its subject matter.[141][142]
"The standard Indian commercial film gives an actor hardly a chance to act because it seeks to create a cardboard cut-out seen from a distance as in the open air rural stage; the gesture must be broad in order to be seen, the speech must be loud in order to be heard. Psychology of character cannot, must not, be created; to seem too real is to risk confusing, even alienating, the audience. Kapadia has enough experience of this convention to be able to use some of its elements and enough understanding of acting techniques to create a real person. She is thus able to make her Shanichari both larger than life and believable."
Another Filmfare nomination for Kapadia came that year for her supporting role as Shanti, a street prostitute whose husband and child were burnt alive, in thePriyadarshan-directed crime dramaGardish.[154] An adaptation of the 1989 Malayalam filmKireedam, the film starred Jackie Shroff andAmrish Puri and was met with approval from critics and the public.[154][155]The Indian Express praised the film's "script, vivid characters and powerful dialogues", and noted Kapadia's ability to command audience attention.[156]Mrinal Sen's 1993 Bengali dramaAntareen, which was adapted fromSaadat Hasan Manto's short storyBadshahat ka Khatama (1950),[157] was Kapadia's first non-Hindi project sinceVikram (1986).[71] She played an unhappily married woman who develops a telephonic relationship with a stranger (Anjan Dutt).[158] Kapadia insisted on playing the role spontaneously and thus refused to enrol in a crash course in Bengali, believing she would manage to speak it convincingly.[67] Her voice was later dubbed by Anushua Chatterjee, a decision with which Kapadia was unhappy.[159]Antareen was well-received and was named theBest Bengali Film at the41st National Film Awards[160][161][162] but Kapadia was dissatisfied with the outcome and dismissed it as a poor film.[163]
In 1994, inMehul Kumar'sKrantiveer, Kapadia portrayed the journalist Meghna Dixit, a rape victim who persuades an alcoholic, unemployed village man (Nana Patekar) to be a champion of justice for those around him.[164] The film was a box-office success and became India's third-highest-grossing picture of the year.[165]The Indian Express complimented Kapadia for having developed into a leading character actor with this film.[166] For her performance, Kapadia received her fourth Filmfare Award, this time in theBest Supporting Actress category.[167] A controversy arose in December 1993 when Kapadia walked out ofRaj Kanwar'sKartavya, in which she playedDivya Bharti's mother in-law.[168] Following Bharti's death in April 1993, almost midway through the shooting, she was replaced byJuhi Chawla.[168] Concerned that it would damage her career, Kapadia refused to play a mother in-law to Chawla, who is a decade her junior.[168][169] The Film Makers' Combine circulated a ban against Kapadia from signing any new projects;[170] the ban was withdrawn in May 1994 when the Cine Artistes' Association intervened in support of Kapadia.[171][172]
AfterAntareen, Kapadia was expected to work in more independent films but she took a three-year hiatus from acting, later saying she was "emotionally exhausted".[16] She returned to commercial cinema in 1997, playing Amitabh Bachchan's wife inMrityudaata under Mehul Kumar's direction.[173] The film was a critical and commercial failure;India Today panned its "comic book-level storytelling".[173][174] The trade journalFilm Information said Kapadia had a role unworthy of her time, and Kapadia shared similar sentiments.[173][175] She next acted opposite Jackie Shroff in the murder mystery2001: Do Hazaar Ek (1998) and the romantic dramaLaawaris (1999), which were rejected by audiences.[176][177][178]Laawaris was criticised for its formulaic script and lack of originality and, according toHindustan Times, did not allow Kapadia "much to do except scream".[179][180] In her final feature of the decade,Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain (1999), Kapadia played Devyani Chopra, the strict matriarch of a wealthy family.[181] Subhash K. Jha called the film an embarrassment whileSuparn Verma gave a scathing review of Kapadia's performance, noting she "wears a permanent scowl" throughout the film.[182][183]
In her first film of the new millennium, Kapadia co-starred inFarhan Akhtar's directorial debutDil Chahta Hai (2001), which depicts the contemporary, routine life of Indian affluent youth, and focuses on a period of transition in the lives of three friends (Aamir Khan,Saif Ali Khan andAkshaye Khanna).[184] Kapadia played the role of Tara Jaiswal, a middle-aged alcoholic woman, an interior designer by profession, and a divorcee who is not allowed to meet her daughter.[185] The film presents her story through the character of Siddharth (Khanna), a much-younger man whom she befriends and who falls deeply in love with her.[186] Akhtar wrote the part specifically for Kapadia, who later called it "a role to die for".[187][182] Critics laudedDil Chahta Hai as a groundbreaking film for its realistic portrayal of India's modern society, and it won the Best Hindi Film award at the49th National Film Awards.[188] Commercially, it performed well in large cities but failed in the rural areas, which trade analysts attributed to the urban lifestyle depicted in it.[189]Saibal Chatterjee, in a review forHindustan Times, noted, "Dimple Kapadia, in a brief, somewhat underdeveloped role, presents a poignant study of loneliness".[190]
In 2002, Kapadia portrayed the title role in the dramaLeela, an American production that was directed by Somnath Sen and co-starsDeepti Naval, Vinod Khanna and Amol Mhatre.[191] Kapadia's part, which was written specially for her, is that of a forty-year-old, marriedMumbai University professor who, after the death of her mother, loses her sense of happiness and takes a job as a visiting professor ofSouth Asian studies in California.[16][192] The story follows Leela's acclimation to her new surroundings and her relationship with a young Indian-American man named Kris (Mhatre), one of her students. Kapadia was nervous during the making of the film but believed the tension helped elevate her acting.[120] The film was reviewed favourably by American critics,[191][193][194] among whomMaitland McDonagh fromTV Guide wrote: "Dimple Kapadia shines in this family melodrama ... [her] intelligent, nuanced performance is the film's highlight".[195] Reviews in India were similarly approving ofLeela and Kapadia's work.[196][197]
Kapadia played the lead role of army wife Sandra Williams, whose palatial household becomes plagued by eerie occurrences, inHum Kaun Hai? (2004), a supernatural thriller. The film opened to a mixed critical reception, but critics agreed Kapadia's performance and charismatic presence enhance an otherwise weak script.[198][199] A year later, Kapadia and Rishi Kapoor reunited as a lead couple for the third time afterBobby andSaagar inPyaar Mein Twist, starring as middle-aged single parents who fall in love and are subsequently confronted with the reaction of their children.[200] The film generated mostly negative reviews but critics concurred the chemistry between the lead pair was enough of a reason to watch it, acknowledging the nostalgic value of the pairing.[201][202] Few people went to see the film; within two weeks it was declared a failure.[203] In 2016, scholar Afreen Khan cited Kapadia's character as a departure from the conventional portrayal of mothers in Hindi films, believing her role to be a modern mother whom daughters dream of having.[204]
In 2006, Kapadia co-starred with Saif Ali Khan andNaseeruddin Shah in the black comedyBeing Cyrus, an English-language independent feature and the directorial debut ofHomi Adajania, who would often cast her in his future endeavours.[205] Kapadia played Katy Sethna, Shah's neurotic and unfaithful wife who has an affair with Cyrus (Khan), a young drifter who enters their house as an assistant.[206] The film was well received at a number of film festivals before its theatrical release in India,[207][208] upon which it was embraced by critics and audiences, making a considerable profit against its small budget.[209][210] TheBBC's Poonam Joshi stated, "the descent into despair of Dimple Kapadia's Katy is enthralling"[211] but other critics, includingDerek Elley fromVariety and Shradha Sukumaran fromMid-Day, criticised her for excessively overacting.[212][213] In the mystical love storyBanaras (2006), Kapadia played a wealthyBrahmin woman whose daughter falls in love with a man of alower caste.[214][215]
Kapadia at the Sansui Television Awards in 2008
V. K. Prakash's romancePhir Kabhi (2008) stars Kapadia and Mithun Chakraborty as ageing people who meet at a school reunion and rekindle their high-school romance. The film was awarded seven prizes, including the Best Film Award in the Narrative Feature section, at the Los Angeles Reel Film Festival.[216] It was released direct-to-video a year later and was simultaneously distributed viapay-per-viewdirect-to-home (DTH) services, becoming the first Hindi film to premier on streaming media platforms.[217][218] At the request of her son-in-law Akshay Kumar, Kapadia voiced the character Devi, the mother of the elephant Jumbo (Kumar), in the animated featureJumbo (2008), a remake of the 2006 Thai computer animationKhan Kluay.[28][219]
Kapadia was cast inZoya Akhtar's first directorial ventureLuck by Chance (2009), a satirical take on the Hindi film industry.[220][221] She played Neena Walia, an erstwhile superstar—referred to in the film as "a crocodile in a chiffon saree"—who struggles to launch her young daughter into the movie business.[222] Kapadia was approached for the part because it required an actress who had been a mainstream star in the past. Akhtar noted Kapadia's edgy portrayal of the character's fickle nature, saying Kapadia is "all warm, soft sunshine and then there's a flip and she's hard, cold, steely".[223]Luck By Chance opened to a warm critical response, though its financial income was modest.[220][224] Critics were appreciative of Kapadia's performance, which earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination at Filmfare.[225] Deepa Karmalkar fromScreen characterised her role as "gloriously bitchy"[226] while Avijit Ghosh ofThe Times of India believed Kapadia had delivered "one of her most nuanced performances" in a character he found to be "a rare kind of Hindi film mother" who is "hawk-eyed, tough as nails but vainglorious, and in a strange way, vulnerable as well".[227]
In 2010, Kapadia played the small part ofSalman Khan's asthmatic mother in action comedyDabangg, which was the most popular film of the year in India and thesecond-highest grossing Hindi film of all-time up to that point.[228][229] Reviews for Kapadia's role were varied; Blessy Chettiar ofDaily News and Analysis likened her character to "the mothers in Hindi cinema of yore, self-sacrificing, torn between relationships, slightly over-the-top, likeable nevertheless".[230][231] Next followedTum Milo Toh Sahi (2010), a romantic comedy which stars Kapadia as Delshad Nanji, aParsi woman in charge of anIrani café whose business is under threat from developers and who falls in love with the lawyer (Nana Patekar) who represents her in court. Kapadia adopted a Parsi accent for the role and while preparing for it, visited several Irani cafés in Mumbai to adapt to the character's cultural milieu.[232][233] The film opened to average reviews but Kapadia's performance received generally positive feedback.[232][234] According toAnupama Chopra, the character of Delshad "veers into caricature" but Kapadia "plays her with affection and energy and at least has some fun doing it".[235] In her only film of 2011, Kapadia was cast as Rishi Kapoor's wife and her son in-law Akshay Kumar's mother inNikhil Advani'sPatiala House, a sports film revolving around cricket.[236][237]
Kapadia collaborated again with Homi Adajania inCocktail (2012) andFinding Fanny (2014), both critical and commercial successes.[238][239]Cocktail, a romantic comedy, saw her play Saif Ali Khan's loud Punjabi mother, Kavita Kapoor, an appearance to which Aniruddha Guha ofDaily News and Analysis referred as a "veritable treat".[240][241] While filmingCocktail, Adajania shared the script of the satirical road movieFinding Fanny with Kapadia. Believing he is a director capable of bringing the best in her, she expressed keen interest in the project.[242] She was cast as Rosalina "Rosie" Eucharistica, a conceited-but-well-meaning woman who joins her late son's widow (Deepika Padukone) on a road trip across Goa.[243] Kapadia was required to wear a heavy prosthetic posterior for the role, and her portrayal earned her a fourth Best Supporting Actress nomination at Filmfare.[242] Rachel Saltz ofThe New York Times wrote Kapadia "inhabits and enhances her role" and "steers clear of caricature and even milks some humor out of the unfunny script".[244]
In 2013, Kapadia was the protagonist in the comedyWhat the Fish, portraying Sudha Mishra, an irate Delhi-based divorcee who begrudgingly entrusts her niece with taking care of her house while she is away.[245] Kapadia was enthusiastic about the part, feeling challenged to play its different traits.[15] Reviews of both the film and Kapadia's work were mixed.The Times of India panned the film's script for making "Kapadia's tryst with comedy seem loud and forced", and Raja Sen deemed her part the most forgettable of her career.[246][247] Sarita A. Tanwar ofDaily News and Analysis considered the film "a rather audacious entertaining attempt" and said Kapadia was "in top form", and similarly positive comments were written by Subhash K. Jha.[248][249]
Over the rest of the decade, Kapadia returned to film twice for minor roles in the action comediesWelcome Back (2015) andDabangg 3 (2019). She played a conwoman inAnees Bazmee'sWelcome Back along with an ensemble cast led by Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar.[250][251]Dabangg 3, the third instalment of theDabangg film series, saw her briefly reprise the role of Naina Devi.[252] In her first film of the 2020s, Kapadia appeared alongsideIrrfan Khan andKareena Kapoor in the comedy-dramaAngrezi Medium (2020), her fourth project under Homi Adajania's direction. Aspiritual sequel to the 2017 filmHindi Medium, it was theatrically released in India on 13 March amid theCOVID-19 pandemic, which affected its commercial performance due to the closing of cinemas.[253][254] Initial plans for a re-release were cancelled and the film was made available digitally less than a month later.[255] Kapadia played a strict store owner estranged from her daughter (Kapoor), a role Vinayak Chakravorty ofOutlook thought was "used to highlight loneliness among the aged" but believed could have been stronger.[256][257]
Kapadia next played arms dealer Priya Singh inChristopher Nolan's spy thrillerTenet.[258] Her screen test for the role was shot in 2019 by Adajania before filming forAngrezi Medium began, followed by an audition for Nolan in Mumbai.[259][260] Impressed with her charisma and poise, Nolan cast Kapadia in the part, believing she thoroughly embodied his vision of the character.[261] The film opened amid the pandemic to a worldwide audience and, having grossed $364million worldwide, became thefifth-highest-grossing film of 2020.[262][263] Critics reacted positively to her performance;[264]Richard Roeper ofChicago Sun-Times wrote Kapadia "quietly steals every scene she's in" and Guy Lodge ofVariety said she had given the film's "wiliest performance".[258][265] Having admitted to being a reluctant actor for years, Kapadia creditedTenet with restoring her passion for film acting.[264][266]
Ali Abbas Zafar's 2021Amazon Prime political streaming seriesTandav starred Kapadia in her first appearance on a digital platform as Anuradha Kishore, a power-hungry politician who seeks to undermine the new political rival (Saif Ali Khan) of the Prime Minister of India, her longtime ally.[267][268] The show opened amid massive protests and police complaints against its makers for allegedly insultingHindu deities and hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus,[269][270] following which Zafar cut several scenes and issued a formal apology.[271] Reviewers responded variably toTandav, but Kapadia's efforts were better received.[272][273]A Thursday (2022), Behzad Khambata'svigilante-hostage thriller starringYami Gautam, featured Kapadia in the fictional part of Prime Minister of India Maya Rajguru.[274][275]
A supporting role as the mother ofRanbir Kapoor's character inLuv Ranjan's romantic comedyTu Jhoothi Main Makkaar (2023) brought Kapadia positive notice.[283][284] Despite mixed reviews, the film enjoyed a strong run at the box office.[285][286] Kapadia next reunited with Adajania for theDisney+ Hotstar crime thriller seriesSaas, Bahu Aur Flamingo, in which she played the protagonist Savitri, the powerful matriarch of a drug cartel selling a cocaine variant called flamingo.[287][288] For the part, Kapadia was required to learn the local dialect to the fictional town of Runjh, located in northwest India.[289] The show was well received and Kapadia earned rave reviews for her central performance.[287][290]Shubhra Gupta, writing forThe Indian Express, said Kapadia is "effortlessly in command of the room, and the situation".[291] For her work, Kapadia received aFilmfare OTT Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series.[292]
When Kapadia returned to films after her separation from Khanna, she faced constant comparison to herBobby days and struggled to be taken seriously as an actor. According to Jyotika Virdi, the author of the bookThe Cinematic Imagination, while Kapadia's trajectory is different from those of other female Hindi film stars, she turned her disadvantages to her advantage.[56] Virdi said Kapadia's forthright manner made a major contribution to her career: "Speaking candidly to the press, she and the reporters plotted her life's narrative from the innocent teenager snared into an impossible marriage to the emergence of a mature 'woman with experience'."[56] Kapadia is known for her assertive and moody nature;[296][297] during the making ofJanbaaz (1986), the director Feroz Khan said he had never met a woman with her levels of "pent-up aggression".[6] On the other hand, Mahesh Bhatt, the director ofKaash (1987), said generosity is her defining trait.[298] The journalist Bhawana Somaaya, who conducted a series of interviews with Kapadia during the 1980s, stated: "She's a strange bundle of contradictions. Her moods change in a jiffy."[79][299] According to some critics, this approach has sometimes been at the cost of professional opportunities as "her unpredictable nature and moods have distanced many well wishers".[159] In reply to this, she said: "I am moody by nature. But I have never consciously hurt anyone."[159]
Virdi wrote Kapadia fought her way to success by committing to serious and challenging work and described her parts inAitbaar (1985),Kaash (1987) andDrishti (1990) as characters with which she "drew from the well of her own experience".[56] WithZakhmi Aurat (1988), Kapadia became one of the mainstream actresses associated with a new wave of women-centred revenge films.[78][300] As an action heroine, she chose to perform her own stunts, which the critic M. Rahman thought made her performance more convincing. Although she enjoyed working in similar projects, such asMera Shikar (1988) andKali Ganga (1990), she bemoaned about being paid less than male action stars.[300] The authorDinesh Raheja believed Kapadia's involvement in art films in the 1990s happened at a time when she was no longer willing to play the "pretty prop in hero-oriented films", arguing her new choices "honed Dimple's talent for lending fine striations to complex emotions".[22] Mahesh Bhatt commended her for not turning into "a victim of her own success" by refusing to appear in films of strictly commercial value. According to Govind Nihalani, the director ofDrishti (1990), Kapadia has a genuine interest in serious work that would challenge her talent and realise her potential. Similar sentiments were shared by Shashi Kapoor, who said Kapadia had always been eager to act in quality films. Kapadia said her involvement in independent films was a conscious decision to experiment in different cinema and prove her abilities.[67]
Kapadia in 2013
When questioned about her hiatus afterRudaali at her career peak, Kapadia said she needed space and that generally her "career has always been secondary" to her.[24] Her infrequent work since then, which manifested in numerous gaps between her screen appearances, has gained her a reputation for being selective about her work.[301][302] Admitting her limited professional drive, she attributed it to the lack of worthy offers and the "huge effort" expended in film acting,[303] which consumes time otherwise spent on her family and private life.[304][305] Even so, Kapadia's later work was noted by film scholars, includingShoma Chatterji and Afreen Khan, who listed her among the female actors who represent a changing portrayal of mothers in Hindi films, with roles of women who consider their happiness to be of equal importance to that of their children.[204][306] Similar thoughts were expressed byMumbai Mirror's Trisha Gupta, who was impressed with Kapadia's diverse repertoire of maternal roles, ranging fromLuck by Chance (2009) andDabangg (2010) toFinding Fanny (2014).[307] Guided by her own judgement, Kapadia normally commits to a project without seeking advice[304] and often willingly works with young or first-time directors, finding their enthusiasm and creativity beneficial to both the film and her performance.[308][309]
Kapadia's screen image has been characterised in terms of her perceived beauty and sex appeal.[81]The Times of India wrote in reference to her role inSaagar, "Dimple was a vision of lush beauty; quite the forbidden fruit, rising from the ocean likeAphrodite emerging from the waves and surf".[81] Speaking of her post-comeback screen persona, the critic Khalid Mohamed observed, "Her arsenal comprised, among other elements, expressive cognac eyes, a nuanced, resonating voice skilled inHindustani dialogue delivery, easy body language, and that seductive toss of her auburn hair."[310] Mrinal Sen, who directed her inAntareen (1993), compared Kapadia toSophia Loren and described her face as "a landscape of desolation".[67] Anil Kapoor, her co-star ofJanbaaz, hailed Kapadia as the most beautiful Indian actress sinceMadhubala.[6] According to Dinesh Raheja, Kapadia's casting inDil Chahta Hai (2001) andLeela (2002), in which she played middle-aged women who are the object of younger men's desire, served as "a kind of tribute to her eternal beauty".[22]Emma Thomas, the producer ofTenet (2020), distinguished Kapadia as having "incredible magnetism, charisma, and glamour", which made her the right choice for the film.[311]
Critics have been appreciative of Kapadia's acting prowess and some have analysed it in relation to her appearance.[312][313] Ranjan Das Gupta called her "an instinctive actress, spontaneous and intelligent" who is best at playing "intense characters", and said her beauty is "her asset as well as limitation".[314] In 1988, Subhash K. Jha wrote that "besides her elastic and primeval looks", Kapadia "possesses an inbuilt instinct for grasping characters at a level way beyond the surface".[78] While working with her onKaash, Mahesh Bhatt said Kapadia had been through so much in her private life she need not studymethod acting to play real women.[6] Academic writersMadhu Kishwar andRuth Vanita of the feminist magazineManushi noted Kapadia for being unafraid to look less attractive for the benefit of convincingly expressing anguish and emotion.[89] M.L. Dhawan fromThe Tribune commented, "All those who have been following Dimple Kapadia's career fromBobby,Lekin andRudaali will assert that she is more talented than glamorous".[315] Kapadia has described herself as a "spontaneous actor who is guided by instinct"[104] and on another occasion, "a competent actress yet to deliver her best".[159]
^This was originally reported by Sumit Mitra inIndia Today on 20 November 1985, describing Kapadia's family as a "wealthy Khoja family, which embraced Hinduism only with Chunibhai's father, Laljibhai, and which accepts the Agha Khan as its religious mentor even now".[6] Similar information was repeated byKaveree Bamzai inOpen magazine on 4 October 2019 in a piece about Kapadia's daughterTwinkle Khanna, claiming Chunibhai's family to be of "lapsed Ismaili Khojas".[7] In the 2014 bookWhen I Was 25: The Leaders Look Back, the authorShaili Chopra, who interviewed Kapadia for a chapter in this book, quoted the aforementioned article byIndia Today in relation to her parents' story and noted that Kapadia "wouldn't talk about it much".[8]
^Miglani, Surendra (5 October 2003)."Parallel cinema".The Tribune. Spectrum.Archived from the original on 27 June 2011. Retrieved19 September 2011.with movies likeKaash,Drishti,Lekin,Rudaali andLeela, she (Dimple) showed that off-beat films too are her forte.
^Kulkarni, Ronjita (14 November 2016)."Akshay has been my biggest cheerleader".Rediff.com.Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved4 June 2020.My grandmother is an Aga Khani (the Islami sect which revers the Aga Khan as its spiritual head) so she would take Rinke and me to thejamatkhana.
^Dasgupta & Datta 2018, pp. 39–40: "Bobby was a blockbuster, the biggest hit of 1973 and the second biggest hit of the 1970s ... The movie was a trendsetter as it played out a young romance against the backdrop of class prejudice."
^Joshi 2015, p. 99: "Dimple Kapadia's miniskirts, midriff-baring polka dot shirts, and fabled red bikini were visual enticements of an audacious teenage sexuality hitherto unseen on Bombay's screens";Roy 2019, p. 114: "Teenage sensation Dimple Kapadia's hot pants and polkadotted tie-knot blouses from Bollywood's biggest romantic blockbuster,Bobby (1973), became an instant fashion trend among women.";Begum-Hossain 2007, p. 63: "The film's Western-inspired fashion really caught the imaginations of Indian youth. Mini skirts bikinis and flowing scarves, as worn by Bobby, were adopted by fashion conscious teenage viewers.";Bramesco 2023, p. 76: "Sixteen-year-old star Dimple Kapadia was christened a style icon among legions of teenyboppers for her envelope-pushing sartorial sense; the flamboyant dyes once coveted by colonizers were transferred from full-body saris and other old-world garb to miniskirts and crop tops all the rage in Europe."
^Khosla, Mukesh (10 March 2002)."Celebrating womanhood".The Tribune.Archived from the original on 30 January 2012. Retrieved25 December 2011.
^Sen, Raja (24 November 2008)."Best Debutants Ever".Rediff.com. Archived fromthe original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved19 September 2011.
^Bumiller 1991, p. 185;Agnihotri 1992, p. 159: "Armed with dazzling beauty, an incisive intellect, undaunted determination, ample talent and an impressive array of films, Dimple Kapadia is already in the top slot."
^"Transplanted machismo".Bombay: The City Magazine. No. 2. Living Media. 1986. p. 70.Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved23 September 2020.
^abcBhatt, Mahesh (9 August 1987). "She's Like a Child on Her First Day at School".The Illustrated Weekly of India. Vol. 108, no. 27–38. p. 12.
^abcdJha, Subhash K. (23 October 1988)."The rage of angels".The Sunday Standard. p. 3.Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved18 February 2021.
^Subramani 1995, p. 144: "Drishti also shows Dimple Kapadia as an actress with hidden resources. Kapadia's Sandhya is vulnerable and intense and full of feminine wiles. It's an intelligent portrayal; at least in this film she appears to have filled the gap left by Smita Patil's absence."
^Krishnaswamy, N. (13 January 1991)."Near, and yet so far".The Indian Express.Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved21 April 2020.
^Hood 2000, p. 344: "Particularly memorable in this film is the consistency of the direction over the remarkably realistic acting, especially in the brilliant performances of the two women, Dimple Kapadia as Sandhya and Mita Vasisht as Prabha."
^Jha, Subhash K. (3 November 1991). "Sands of time".The Indian Express. p. 2.Trapped in the no-man's land is the spiritual named, Reva. Filmed in the golden expanses of the Rajasthani desert and played with intense tragedy by Dimple, the insubstantial character is the essence of evanescence ...Lekin is a deeply satisfying work of incandescent beauty.
^"On a Nana Patekar set".The Illustrated Weekly of India. 27 January 1991. p. 49. Retrieved13 June 2020.
^Krishnaswamy, N. (12 July 1991)."Narsimha".The Indian Express. p. 7.Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved7 September 2020.Dimple sizzles in some highly dramatic scenes. When she crosses swords with Om Puri at an office that the latter has come to visit, Chandra has been very much successful in pitting a self-respecting individual's sense of pride against the arrogance of a diabolical villain.
^PR (18 September 1992)."Tragic tail-spin".The Indian Express. p. 7.Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved1 November 2020....there is so much to commend in this big-budget, multi-star, major production
^ab"40th National Film Awards"(PDF).dff.nic.in. Directorate of Film Festivals. 1993. pp. 40–41.Archived(PDF) from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved24 December 2011.
^ab"Eighth Session".damascusfest.com. Damascus International Film Festival. Archived fromthe original on 15 September 2009. Retrieved11 June 2020.
^abKumar 2002, p. 172: "Bhupen Hazarika adjudged the best music director and Dimple Kapadia the best actress for 'Rudali' (Hindi) at Asia-Pacific International Film Festival Fukoaka, Japan"
^Rooney, David (24 October 1994)."The Confined".Variety.Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved19 July 2020.
^Kumar Ghosh, Swapan (1994). "Mrinal Sen's latest offering".Frontline. pp. 80–81.The taut screenplay has been brought alive on screen by Shashi Anand's camerawork, Mrinmoy Chakraborty's editing, Goutam Bose's design and Anjan Dutta's and Dimple Kapadia's acting.
^"41st National Film Festival"(PDF).dff.nic.in. Directorate of Film Festivals. 1994. p. 72, hi.Archived(PDF) from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved15 May 2020.
^"You asked it".Film Information. 28 May 1994.Archived from the original on 26 November 2024. Retrieved29 April 2023.
^abcSrinivasan, V. S. (6 May 1998)."Mature beauty".Rediff.com.Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved19 September 2011.
^Chopra, Anupama (15 May 1997)."Cosmic comedown".India Today. Vol. 22.Living Media. p. 100.Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved19 May 2020.
^Tolani, Pooja (14 April 2006)."Their first time".The Telegraph.Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved11 June 2020.
^Sinha Walunjkar, Somashukla; Tarafdar, Suman (16 July 2006)."Small is Bountiful".The Financial Express.Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved11 June 2020.
^"Dimple".Asiaweek. Vol. 19, no. 27–51. Asiaweek Ltd. 1993.Long a critic's darling, the popular actress has won two major awards so far this year for her role inRudaali.
^"Beauty which takes your breath away".Screen. 28 September 1990.Accompanied by a sharp intellect and insight. Yes, Dimple Kapadia is a rare combination of stunning looks and impressive prowess and range. It is this malleability which enables her to walk hand in hand with art and commercial ventures with equal panache.
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