Kapoor's performances as a troubled musician inRockstar (2011) and a cheerful deaf-and-mute man inBarfi! (2012) earned him two consecutiveFilmfare Awards for Best Actor. The romantic comedyYeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) further established him as a star. This was followed by a series of commercial failures, withAe Dil Hai Mushkil (2016) andSanju (2018) being the exceptions. His portrayal ofSanjay Dutt in the latter won him another Filmfare Award. Following a hiatus, he had further commercial success in the fantasy filmBrahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022), the romantic comedyTu Jhoothi Main Makkar (2023) and the action dramaAnimal (2023), with the latter emerging as his highest-grossing release and winning him a fourth Best Actor award at Filmfare.
In addition to his acting career, Kapoor supports charities and causes. He is also a co-owner of theIndian Super League football teamMumbai City FC. He is married to the actressAlia Bhatt, with whom he has a daughter.
Kapoor has been vocal about how his parents' troubled marriage affected him as a child: "Sometimes the fights would get really bad. I would be sitting on the steps, my head between my knees, till five or six in the morning, waiting for them to stop".[6] These experiences led to a "reservoir of emotions building up inside [him]", which he said compelled him to develop an interest in film.[6] In his early years, Kapoor was close to his mother but had a dysfunctional relationship with his father.[7][8] After completing his tenth standard examinations, he worked as an assistant director to his father on the filmAa Ab Laut Chalen (1999), during which he developed a closer bond with him.[8]
After completing his pre-university education at theH.R. College of Commerce and Economics,[7] Kapoor relocated toNew York City to learn filmmaking at theSchool of Visual Arts and subsequently pursuedmethod acting at theLee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.[9][10] In film school, Kapoor directed and starred in two short films, entitledPassion to Love andIndia 1964.[9][11] The loneliness of living alone in New York City coupled with his experience in film school, which he described as "useless", inspired him to pursue a career inHindi cinema.[6][12] Upon returning to Mumbai, Kapoor was hired as an assistant director toSanjay Leela Bhansali on the 2005 filmBlack. He described the experience: "I was getting beaten up, abused, doing everything from cleaning the floor to fixing the lights from 7 a.m. to 4 a.m., but I was learning every day."[9] He later remarked that his motive for working onBlack was to get Bhansali to offer him an acting job.[8]
Following the release ofBlack, Bhansali cast Kapoor as the protagonist of his 2007 tragic romanceSaawariya, alongsideSonam Kapoor andRani Mukerji. The film tells the story of atramp, played by him, who falls obsessively in love with a woman awaiting the return of her lover. In an interview with the news and entertainment portalRediff.com, Kapoor stated that his character was written as a tribute to his grandfather's iconic roles as a tramp.[13]Saawariya was the first Indian film to be produced by a Hollywood studio (Sony Pictures Entertainment), and was a highly anticipated release.[14] However, film critics were disappointed with the picture withBBC's Jaspreet Pandohar calling it a "misfire on a massive scale".[15]CNN-IBN'sRajeev Masand considered it "contrived and fake", but was impressed by Kapoor's "affable charm" and wrote that "he's got that star quality to him which is so rare to find."[16] At the box office,Saawariya failed to earn profits.[17] However, at the annualFilmfare Awards ceremony, Kapoor was awarded aBest Male Debut trophy.[18]
Despite the commercial failure ofSaawariya, Kapoor was contracted byYash Raj Films for a primary role in theSiddharth Anand-directed romantic comedyBachna Ae Haseeno (2008).[19] The film was his first commercial success, in which his role was that of a womaniser who is romantically involved with three women, played byBipasha Basu,Minissha Lamba, andDeepika Padukone, at different stages of his life.[20] Rachel Saltz ofThe New York Times expressed mixed views on his performance, but predicted that his "puppy-dog sweetness" would "serve him well as a Bollywood leading man".[21]
In 2009, Kapoor had three film releases. InDharma Productions'sWake Up Sid, acoming of age film from directorAyan Mukerji, Kapoor portrayed Siddharth "Sid" Mehra, a rich, lazy teenager whose life undergoes a series of changes after interacting with an ambitious journalist (played byKonkana Sen Sharma). When Mukerji narrated the then-untitled script of the film to him, Kapoor came up with the title himself.[22] The media expressed doubt on the film's financial prospect as it depicted a romantic relationship between a younger man and an older woman.[23] It eventually emerged as asleeper hit and garnered acclaim from the critics.[24]Taran Adarsh ofBollywood Hungama reviewed that Kapoor's performance in the film proved that he was "amongst the best in the business today".[25]
Kapoor next starred oppositeKatrina Kaif inAjab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, a slapstick comedy from directorRajkumar Santoshi, that emerged as the fourth highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2009.[26] Film critic Gaurav Malani praised Kapoor's flair for comedy, but criticised his "over-excited husky baritone".[27] His final release that year was theShimit Amin-directedRocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, a drama about asardar who aspires to be a salesman.[28] Film criticMayank Shekhar praised the film and found Kapoor's performance to be "astonishingly sincere", but the film earned little at the box office.[29][30] Kapoor later professed to being highly disappointed by the film's commercial failure.[31] At the55th Filmfare Awards, he was awarded theFilmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for his performances in all three of his 2009 releases, and he also received twoBest Actor nominations at the ceremony forWake Up Sid andAjab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.[32]
Prakash Jha's big-budget ensemble political dramaRaajneeti was Kapoor's first release of 2010. The film, which starredNana Patekar,Ajay Devgn,Arjun Rampal,Manoj Bajpayee, Katrina Kaif andSarah Thompson in prominent roles, was inspired by the Indian epicMahabharata andMario Puzo's 1969 novelThe Godfather.[33] Kapoor's role was of Samar Pratap (based on the characters ofArjuna andMichael Corleone), the younger heir of an Indian political dynasty, who is reluctantly drawn to politics after the assassination of his father. Kapoor described it as his first complex role and considered it a departure from the "lover boy roles" that he had previously played.[28]Nikhat Kazmi ofThe Times of India reviewed: "The film finally belongs to Ranbir Kapoor who perfects the art of minimalism—and literally grows before your eyes—as the simmering volcano that cannot be held back, once it erupts."[34] Robert Abele of theLos Angeles Times, however, was more critical of his performance which he considered "stony rather than calculating—especially jarring compared to the histrionic turns around him".[35] Indian trade journalists were apprehensive of the film recovering its₹600 million (US$7.1 million) investment.[36] The film, however, proved to be a major commercial success with worldwide earnings of over₹1.43 billion (US$17 million).[37] Kapoor received a third Best Actor nomination at Filmfare for the film.[18]
Later that same year, Kapoor collaborated withPriyanka Chopra on Anand'sAnjaana Anjaani, a comedy-drama involving two strangers who decide to commit suicide onNew Year's Eve. The film was a moderate financial success but garnered little praise from the critics.[38][39] Rajeev Masand noted that Kapoor "struggles with a badly-defined role" andNDTV'sAnupama Chopra concluded: "Ranbir tries hard to salvage the film, dropping his shirt several times but even his lovingly shot chest can't save the film."[40][41]
Rise to prominence (2011–2013)
Following anitem number in thechildren's filmChillar Party (2011), Kapoor took on the role of Janardhan "Jordan" Jakhar inImtiaz Ali'sRockstar (2011), a drama that follows the journey of an aspiring musician from a humble background to international stardom. In preparation for the role, Kapoor lived with aJat family inPitam Pura and studied their mannerisms.[42] He additionally learned to play the guitar and practised extensively at composerA.R. Rahman's music studio.[43] As part of the film's promotional activity, Kapoor performed at a live concert in Mumbai.[44] Film critics were polarised on their view of the film, but were unanimous in their praise for Kapoor;[45] Aniruddha Guha ofDaily News and Analysis was particularly impressed with the film and thought that Kapoor's portrayal was one of "Hindi cinema's most accomplished performances by a lead actor".[46] For the role, he won both the Best Actor and Best Actor (Critics) trophies at the57th Filmfare Awards ceremony, along with Best Actor awards atScreen andIIFA.[18] With a gross revenue of₹1.07 billion (US$13 million),Rockstar was one of the top-grossing Hindi films of the year.[47]
The 2012 romantic comedyBarfi! was Kapoor's first release to earn over₹1 billion (US$12 million) at the domestic box office.[48][49] Directed byAnurag Basu, the film, set in the 1970s, tells the story of its titular protagonist–a deaf and mute man, played by Kapoor–who falls in love with a woman who is already engaged, played byIleana D'Cruz, and later, an autistic girl, played by Priyanka Chopra. In preparation, he observed the work of actorsRoberto Benigni,Charlie Chaplin, and his grandfather.[50]Barfi! received praise from the critics, and the performances of the three lead actors were acclaimed.[51] Ronnie Scheib ofVariety praised him for successfully channeling Chaplin in "tone and affect", andRaja Sen of Rediff.com wrote that "he does very strongly indeed with this Chaplin-tribute role, bestowing his character with heart every step of the way".[52][53] The film was submitted asIndia's official entry for the85th Academy Awards, and was screened at theMarrakech andBusan International Film Festivals.[54][55][56] Kapoor won second consecutive Best Actor awards at the Filmfare,Screen, andIIFA Award ceremonies.[18]
He achieved further success in 2013 when he reunited with director Ayan Mukerji for the romantic comedyYeh Jawaani Hai Deewani co-starring Deepika Padukone,Kalki Koechlin, andAditya Roy Kapoor. He was cast as Kabir "Bunny" Thapar, a commitment-phobic photographer, a character Kapoor found to be an extension of himself.[57] His pairing with Padukone, after their highly publicised break-up, led to hype surrounding the film's release.[58][59] The film emerged asone of the highest-grossing Indian films to that point, with earnings of₹2.95 billion (US$35 million), proving to be his third consecutive commercial success in three years and earned him another Best Actor nomination at Filmfare.[60][61][62] Film critics found the film to be "riddled with clichés", but praised both Kapoor and Padukone, withDaily News and Analysis' Tushar Joshi labelling their on-screen chemistry as "unsurpassable".[63][64] His second release of 2013 was the action-comedy filmBesharam in which he played a petty thief, alongsidePallavi Sharda and his parents.[65] The film met with an overwhelming negative reception and emerged as a failure; Sudhish Kamath ofThe Hindu described it as "Kapoor's hall of shame".[66][67][68]
Commercial struggles andSanju (2014–2018)
After a year-long absence from the screen, Kapoor featured as a mysterious thief inRoy (2015), a romantic thriller which critic Sarita Tanwar described as a "boring, exhausting and pretentious" film.[69] The series of financial failures continued with his next release, theAnurag Kashyap-directed crime dramaBombay Velvet, based on the historianGyan Prakash's bookMumbai Fables, which also starredAnushka Sharma andKaran Johar.[70] Kapoor portrayed an ambitious boxer in the 1960s who is drawn towards a life of crime; he based histapori diction onJohnny Walker's character inMr. & Mrs. '55 (1955).[71] Made on a budget of₹1.2 billion (US$14 million), the film opened to meagre box-office collections and mixed reviews from critics.[72] Ritika Bhatia ofBusiness Standard found Kapoor's part to be a departure from his previous roles, writing that he "does test the waters with methodical sincerity but his portrayal lacks depth on occasion".[73]Bombay Velvet was eventually screened at theLocarno andBucheon film festivals.[74][75]
Kapoor next reunited with Deepika Padukone inTamasha (2015), a romantic drama from Imtiaz Ali. He played the role of Ved Sahni, a man who desires a career in the arts but settles for a life of monotony as an engineer. Once again, the film failed commercially and received mixed reviews from critics.[76][77] Kapoor's performance was praised;[78] Lisa Tsering ofThe Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Kapoor is beautifully cast, his trademark mix of assertive theatricality and subtle emotion well suited to the role of a man who seemingly has it all under control, until he doesn't."[79] Kapoor's career prospect briefly improved in 2016 when he took on the lead role of an aspiring musician in Karan Johar'sAe Dil Hai Mushkil (2016). The romantic drama, co-starring Anushka Sharma andAishwarya Rai, tells the story of unrequited love, and proved to be one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of the year.[80][81] Critical reception was mixed; Joe Leydon ofVariety thought that "Kapoor [is] often erring on the side of annoying while trying to balance vulnerability and self-centeredness".[82] BothTamasha andAe Dil Hai Mushkil earned Kapoor Best Actor nominations at Filmfare.[83][84]
In a collaboration with director Anurag Basu, Kapoor formed a production company named Picture Shuru Productions, whose first release was the musical comedy-mystery filmJagga Jasoos (2017), which tells the story of a gifted teenager's search for his missing stepfather.[85] Production on the project was plagued with difficulties—principal photography began in 2014, but the release date was pushed back several times owing to changes in the script, multiple reshoots, and rumours of animosity between Kapoor and co-star Katrina Kaif (the couple had broken-up before they finished filming).[86][87]Anna M. M. Vetticad ofFirstpost considered the film to be "a laudable experiment that zigzags off course", and while praising Kapoor's dedication to his part, criticised the decision to cast him as a teenage schoolboy.[88] It did not perform well commercially which led Kapoor to regret his venture into production.[87][89]
In 2018, Kapoor portrayed the actorSanjay Dutt inRajkumar Hirani's biopicSanju. It deals with Dutt's troubled relationship with hisfather, his drug addiction, and his arrest for illegal possession of firearms.[90] Kapoor was keen to avoid ahagiographic narrative and did not want to mimic Dutt's mannerisms. He interacted extensively with Dutt and took a month's time to transform himself physically before filming each phase of the actor's life.[91][92] Saibal Chatterjee ofNDTV thought that despite dramatic liberties, the film had successfully portrayed Dutt's complexity, and wrote that Kapoor "pulls out the stops in astonishingly effective ways, subsuming his personality into that of the protagonist".[93] Uday Bhatia ofMint was more critical for making Dutt too sympathetic despite his misdeeds, and wrote that Kapoor's "imitation (astonishing at times) takes over the performance".[94]Sanju's strong financial performance re-established Kapoor's stardom.[95][96] With earnings of over₹5.79 billion (US$68 million), it emerged as Kapoor's biggest commercial success to that point.[97] He won another Best Actor award at Filmfare.[98]
Hiatus and established actor (2019–present)
Kapoor at an event forAnimal (2023), which ranks as his highest-grossing film
FollowingSanju, Kapoor's next screen appearance was after four years in 2022, when he starred inShamshera andBrahmāstra: Part One – Shiva. He attributed this absence to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the death of his father, and the lengthy production time of these two big-budgeted films.[99] InShamshera, a period action film set in the 1800s, he played a dual role.[100] The film received poor reviews, with Saibal Chatterjee writing that "the actor should henceforth read his scripts with a more critical eye before buying into them. He owes it to his talent".[101] It emerged as another box office bomb for Kapoor.[102] He then starred oppositeAlia Bhatt in Ayan Mukerji's fantasy filmBrahmāstra: Part One – Shiva, the first part in a planned trilogy, which took five years to film.[103] Made on a production and marketing budget of around₹4 billion (US$47 million), the film is one of themost expensive Indian films.[104][105] His performance and chemistry with Bhatt was not well-received by Simon Abrams ofTheWrap, butDeccan Herald's Vivek M. V. deemed him "excellent as [a] vulnerable orphan".[106][107] It earned₹4.31 billion (US$51 million) to rank as the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2022.[108][109]
Kapoor starred alongsideShraddha Kapoor inLuv Ranjan'sTu Jhoothi Main Makkaar (2023),[110] which Tushar Joshi ofIndia Today remarked was a welcome return for Kapoor into the romantic comedy genre.[111] It emerged as a moderate commercial success.[112][113] Keen to break away from his on-screen image, Kapoor accepted the role of a violent man with a troubled relationship with his father inSandeep Reddy Vanga's action dramaAnimal.[114] He described the part as "way out of my comfort zone", and was challenged by the prospect of playing a "blend of strength, vulnerability and unpredictability".[114][115] The film's content led certain commentators to accuse the film and his character of glorifyingtoxic masculinity andmisogyny.[116][117][118]The Guardian described Kapoor's role as "one of the vilest in cinema history",[119] but a reviewer forNews18 added that he "breathes life into this undesirable character with a lot of charisma and swag".[120] Grossing over₹9 billion (US$110 million),Animal emerged as Kapoor's highest-grossing release and one of Hindi cinema's biggest earners.[121] He won his fourth Best Actor award at Filmfare.[122]
Kapoor will next playRama inNitesh Tiwari's two-part adaptation of the epicRamayana and will reteam with Bhansali in the romantic dramaLove & War, co-starring Alia Bhatt andVicky Kaushal.[123][124]
Kapoor has been vocal about his personal life and has stated that his parents' marriage taught him how complex a relationship can be.[6] He had his first serious relationship while in the seventh grade, and suffered fromdepression when it ended.[12] While filmingBachna Ae Haseeno in 2008, Kapoor began dating his co-starDeepika Padukone.[125] The relationship attracted substantial media coverage in India and they speculated on an impending engagement.[126] However, the couple broke up a year later.[127] Kapoor maintained that the split was amicable, though the media widely reported that the split was due to infidelity on Kapoor's part.[128][129] Kapoor later confessed: "Yes, I have, out of immaturity, out of inexperience, out of taking advantage of certain temptations, out of callousness."[130] Later in 2015, Kapoor stated that they both had resolved the conflict and had moved on with their lives.[131] Since the split, he has been reticent to publicly discuss his personal life.[6][128][132]
Rumours of an affair withKatrina Kaif first emerged during the production ofAjab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani in 2009.[133][134] In August 2013, a set ofpaparazzi photographs of Kapoor and Kaif at a beach inSpain were published byStardust.[135] Although Kapoor initially declined to speak of the relationship,[136] he admitted to it in 2015: "Both of us are sure about our relationship and if we don't open about it now, it would be showing disrespect to the relationship."[137] In February 2016, the media reported that they had broken up.[138] He has also spoken about being addicted to smoking and drinking.[139][140]
In 2018, he began datingAlia Bhatt, his co-star inBrahmastra (2022).[141] He married her on 14 April 2022 in a private ceremony in theirMumbai house.[142][143] On 6 November 2022, Bhatt gave birth to their daughter, Raha.[144][145]
Off-screen work
In addition to acting, Kapoor is afootball enthusiast and supports charities and organisations. He is the vice-captain of the All Stars Football Club, a celebrity football club that raises money for charity.[146] In March 2013, he played the game to raise funds for the Magic Funds Organisation, anNGO for underprivileged children.[147] Along with the chartered accountant Bimal Parekh, Kapoor acquired ownership rights in 2014 for the Mumbai-based football team of theIndian Super League, namedMumbai City FC.[148][149] Also that year, Kapoor announced his participation with the digital music companySaavn as a content and programming adviser.[150] In 2016, he featured in the documentary seriesGirls with Goals, to create awareness about and raise funds forYUWA, an all-girls football team in the state ofJharkhand.[151] In 2024, he launched a lifestyle brand named ARKS.[152]
Kapoor supports the empowerment of the girl child and is the goodwill ambassador ofShabana Azmi's Mijwan Welfare Society, an NGO which helps empower women.[153] He supports environmental charities, and in 2011 donated money to the Community Water Initiative, a charitable organisation owned byPepsiCo.[154] In 2012, he appeared alongside other celebrities in a short film byZoya Akhtar to generate awareness onbreast cancer.[155] He is the campaign ambassador forNDTV's Marks for Sports, a nationwide initiative to promote fitness and health in India.[156] In 2013, he participated in an auction oneBay, where the highest bidder gets an opportunity to interact with him; the proceeds were donated to Save the Children, a non-profit organisation that raised funds forflood affected households in Uttarakhand.[157] That same year, he appeared alongside other celebrities in a commercial, produced by theNational Film Development Corporation of India, to create awareness about children's education.[158] In December 2014, he again took part in another eBay auction; thephiran he wore inRockstar (2011) was sold, with proceeds going to the redevelopment of the flood-ravaged states ofKashmir andAssam.[159] He had also fronted a campaign to collect donations for the victims of theApril 2015 Nepal earthquake.[160] In 2015, he presented 2,000 raincoats to theMumbai Traffic Police as an appreciation for their service during the year's heavy monsoon.[161] In 2018, he collaborated withAamir Khan's Paani Foundation to help local farmers and villagers suffering from drought in parts ofMaharashtra.[162]
In the media
Kapoor in 2012
Born into a family of popular actors, Kapoor faced the media spotlight from a young age;Hindustan Times published that "he was always a star kid from whom everyone had great expectations".[163] Despite the failure of his first film (Saawariya),IANS reported that he "rose like [a] meteor on film firmament by giving compelling performances in films likeRaajneeti,Rockstar and [..]Barfi!"[164] Discussing the commercial viability of Kapoor, Apoorva Mehta, the COO of Dharma Productions, noted in 2013, "In a short career span of 10 films, Ranbir Kapoor has achieved a tremendous jump in the business done by his films."[165] Also that year,The Economic Times credited him as "the most bankable actor of his generation".[165] However, following the success ofYeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, each of Kapoor's releases under-performed at the box-office.[78] This led trade journalists to criticise his choice of films, noting that his inclination towards experimental projects negatively impacted his commercial appeal.[166]
Nationally, he is one of the most popular and high-profile celebrities.[167] In 2012 and 2013,Forbes featured him among the top twenty in India'sCelebrity 100, a list based on the income and popularity of the country's celebrities.[168][169] For the next two years, he was ranked 11th with an estimated annual earning of₹93.25 crore (US$11 million) and₹85 crore (US$10 million) respectively, making him one of the highest-paid actors in the country.[170][171] He was frequently featured in Rediff.com's annual listing of "Bollywood's Best Actors"; he was ranked second in 2009,[172] first in 2011,[173] third in 2012,[174] and held the sixth position in 2015.[175]Madame Tussauds museum installed four wax sculptures of him at four locations, includingDubai,Singapore, Bangkok, andDelhi.[176]
He has been cited as one of the most attractive Indian celebrities by the media.[177] He has featured onThe Times of India's listing of the 'Most Desirable Man' from 2010 to 2015, ranking among the top ten each year.[178] In 2009People magazine listed him as the "Sexiest Man Alive" in India,[179] and in 2013 he toppedFilmfare's poll of the "Most Stylish Young Actor".[180] Also in 2013, he was one of the recipients of the "People of the Year" award by theLimca Book of Records.[181] In 2010, he was voted the "Sexiest Asian Man" in a poll conducted by the magazineEastern Eye.[182] Kapoor continued to feature among the top ten of the list from 2011 to 2014.[183] He is also the celebrity endorser for various brands and services, includingPepsi,Panasonic,Renault India,Lenovo and the Spanish football clubFC Barcelona.[184]
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