Shahid Kapoor (pronounced[ʃaːɦɪd̪kəˈpuːr]; born 25 February 1981) is an Indian actor who works inHindi films. Initially recognised for portraying romantic roles, he has since taken on parts in action films and thrillers. One of the highest-paid Indian actors and has featured inForbes India'sCelebrity 100 list since 2012. Kapoor is the recipient ofseveral awards, including threeFilmfare Awards.
The son of actorsPankaj Kapur andNeelima Azeem, Kapoor trained as a dancer atShiamak Davar's academy. He appeared as a background dancer in a few films of the 1990s, and featured in music videos and television commercials. He made his film debut in 2003 with a leading role in the romantic comedyIshq Vishk, asleeper hit for which he won theFilmfare Award for Best Male Debut. He followed it with roles in several commercial failures before starring inSooraj Barjatya's top-grossing family dramaVivah (2006).
In addition to acting, Kapoor supports charities, hosts award ceremonies, and has featured as a talent judge on the dance reality showJhalak Dikhhla Jaa Reloaded (2015). He is married to Mira Rajput, with whom he has two children. Off-screen, he is known as one of the stylish male celebrities in India.
Early life and background
Shahid Kapoor was born in New Delhi on 25 February 1981 to actorPankaj Kapur and actor-dancerNeelima Azeem.[1][2] On his mother's side, he is related to filmmaker and authorKhwaja Ahmad Abbas.[3] His parents divorced when he was three years old; his father shifted toMumbai (and married the actressSupriya Pathak) and Kapoor continued living in Delhi with his mother and maternal grandparents.[4][5] His grandparents were journalists for theSoviet magazineSputnik, mostly translating works fromUrdu intoRussian, and Kapoor was particularly fond of his grandfather: "He would walk me to school every single day. He would talk to me about Dad, with whom he shared a great relationship, and read out his letters to me."[4] His father, who was then a struggling actor in Mumbai, would visit Kapoor only once a year on his birthday.[4] When Kapoor was 10, his mother, who was working as a dancer, moved to Mumbai to work as an actress.[4]
In Mumbai, Azeem went on to marry the actorRajesh Khattar.[5] Kapoor continued living with his mother and Khattar, until they separated in 2001.[5] Kapoor continues to use the last name Khattar on his passport.[6] He has a maternal half-brother,Ishaan, from his mother's marriage to Khattar.[5] From his father's marriage to Pathak, he has two paternal half-siblings, Sanah and Ruhaan.[7] Kapoor was educated at theGyan Bharati School in Delhi andRajhans Vidyalaya in Mumbai.[8] He later attended Mumbai'sMithibai College for three years.[9]
Kapoor was interested in dance from an early age, and at the age of 15, he joinedShiamak Davar's dance institute.[10] As a student there, Kapoor appeared as a background dancer in the filmsDil To Pagal Hai (1997) andTaal (1999), in which Davar served as choreographer.[10] During a stage show at the institute, Kapoor performed in the songs "Vogue" and "GoldenEye" to a positive response from the audience; he described the experience as the first time that he "felt like a star".[10] He later became an instructor at the institute.[10] During this time, Kapoor accompanied a friend to an audition for aPepsi commercial featuring the starsShah Rukh Khan,Kajol andRani Mukerji, but wound up with the part himself.[4] He appeared in television commercials for the brandsKit Kat andClose-Up, among others, and featured in music videos for several performers, including the band Aryans and the singerKumar Sanu.[11] Kapoor also took on the job of an assistant director to his father on the 1998 television seriesMohandas B.A.L.L.B.[11][12]
Having noticed Kapoor in the Aryans' music video "Aankhon Mein", producerRamesh Taurani was keen to cast him in a film.[13] However, upon meeting him, Taurani thought Kapoor, who was 20 years old at the time, to be too young and underweight to become an actor, and encouraged him to wait for a few years.[4] Kapoor, meanwhile, turned down a lead role inN. Chandra's sex comedyStyle in hopes of working with Taurani.[13] Taurani found a suitable project for Kapoor in the teenage romanceIshq Vishk (2003), whichKen Ghosh was directing for his company. Kapoor, who trained extensively for a bulkier physical build, was eventually hired.[13] Before beginning work on the film, he attended acting workshops withNaseeruddin Shah andSatyadev Dubey.[11]
Ishq Vishk tells the story of Rajiv Mathur (Kapoor), a high-school student who engages in a romantic affair with two classmates of contrasting personalities (played byAmrita Rao andShenaz Treasurywala). Kapoor was attracted to the idea of playing an unlikable lead since it was a departure from the traditional portrayal of teenage heroes in Indian films.[14] Writing forThe Hindu, the critic Ziya Us Salam did not find him to be "hero material", adding that "boyhood seems to have overstayed on his face – but he is not necessarily bad in the acting department."[15] The film, however, proved to be asleeper hit at the box office and won Kapoor theFilmfare Award for Best Male Debut.[16][17]
Following his debut, Kapoor reunited with Taurani and Ghosh in a film he considered to be drastically different fromIshq Vishk.[16] The thrillerFida (2004) featured him as a love-struck student who is manipulated by a woman (Kareena Kapoor) and her lover (Fardeen Khan) to rob a bank. Despite criticising the film, Rama Sharma ofThe Tribune wrote that Kapoor "shines in his role. He looks fresh. As an impulsive emotional and innocent guy, who is sucked into crime because of these very qualities, he manages to evoke your sympathies."[18] Later that year, Kapoor appeared in the romantic comedyDil Maange More in which he was paired opposite three women:Soha Ali Khan,Tulip Joshi, andAyesha Takia. Patcy N ofRediff.com praised his dancing skills but was wary of his imitation of Shah Rukh Khan's acting style.[19] Both his 2004 releases were commercially unsuccessful.[20]
The series of poorly received films continued in 2005, when all three of Kapoor's films failed at the box office.[21] His first two releases that year were the comediesDeewane Huye Paagal andVaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!, both of which were largely panned.[22][23] The former was plagiarised from the Hollywood filmThere's Something About Mary in which Kapoor played one ofRimi Sen's love interests; the criticKhalid Mohamed found Kapoor to be "the only likeable element in this travesty" butNamrata Joshi ofOutlook labelled him "colourless" and criticised his pairing with Sen.[24][25] His final role was that of a righteous teenager drawn towards a life of indulgence inJohn Matthew Matthan's dramaShikhar, co-starringAjay Devgan,Bipasha Basu and Amrita Rao. The criticSukanya Verma found Kapoor to be miscast as a village boy in the film, but noted that he was "never short of spontaneity and youthful exuberance".[26]
In 2006, Kapoor played opposite Kareena Kapoor in two films—the thriller36 China Town and the comedyChup Chup Ke.[27] In36 China Town, a murder mystery from the director duoAbbas–Mustan, Kapoor starred as one of the seven suspects in the murder of an heiress, and in thePriyadarshan-directedChup Chup Ke, he played a depressed man who pretends to be deaf and mute. The former was his first commercial success sinceIshq Vishk.[28][29] Greater success came to Kapoor later that year when he starred alongside Amrita Rao inSooraj Barjatya's romantic dramaVivah, a film depicting anarranged marriage.[30] Made on a shoestring budget of₹100 million (US$1.2 million), the film earned over₹530 million (US$6.3 million) worldwide, and proved to be Kapoor's highest-grossing film to that point.[31][32] Reviews of the film, however, were negative;Raja Sen termed the film a "nightmare" and wrote that Kapoor "isn't offensively bad, doesn't ham it up like crazy, or speak in a weird accent. Having said that, he isn't an actor at all, standing around working on his boyish grin, simply chewing up the scenery. No screen presence at all."[33]
Jab We Met,Kaminey, and commercial fluctuations (2007–2013)
Kapoor found no success in his first release of 2007—the ensemble comedyFool & Final.[34] However, his second release that year, theImtiaz Ali-directed romantic comedyJab We Met proved to be one of the top-grossing films of the year.[34][35] The film tells the story of a troubled businessman (Kapoor) whose life undergoes a series of changes after he encounters a loquacious girl (Kareena Kapoor) on a train ride. Ali thought that Kapoor's previous roles failed to justify his acting potential, and thus approached him to portray a more complex character.[36][37] TheBBC noted on how "endearing" he was in the film andRajeev Masand wrote that he left an "indelible impression with a performance that is understated and mature" in a film he thought primarily belonged to Kareena Kapoor.[38][39] For his performance, Kapoor received his first nomination for theFilmfare Award for Best Actor.[17]
After featuring oppositeVidya Balan in the romantic comedyKismat Konnection (2008),[40] Kapoor played twin brothers, one with a lisp and the other with a stutter, inVishal Bhardwaj's critically acclaimed action filmKaminey (2009).[41][42] In preparation, Kapoor met speech specialists and researched on the medical and mental aspects of the two conditions.[43] To create a lean physique for one of the brothers, a look he considered to be "radically different" from his personal appearance, Kapoor practisedfunctional training and followed a rigorous diet.[43][44] Writing forVariety, critic Joe Leydon reviewed that Kapoor "impressively displays sufficiently variegated degrees of emotional intensity to sustain the illusion of two distinct characters. Just as important, he provides each sibling an appropriately elevated hunkiness quotient."[45] Rediff.com listed Kapoor's performance as the best by a Bollywood actor in 2009 and he received a second Best Actor nomination at Filmfare.[17][46]Kaminey earned over₹700 million (US$8.3 million) worldwide.[32] Kapoor's final release of 2009 was as a cricketer in theYash Raj Films productionDil Bole Hadippa!, a romantic comedy co-starring Rani Mukerji. It was screened at theToronto International Film Festival, but was a financial failure.[47][48]
In 2010, Kapoor reteamed with Ken Ghosh inChance Pe Dance oppositeGenelia D'Souza, a comedy-drama about a struggling actor, in which Kapoor's performance was described as "uneven" by Aniruddha Guha ofDaily News and Analysis.[49] He had a supporting role inPaathshaala, a drama about the education system in India, starringNana Patekar,[50] following which he reunited with Yash Raj Films on the comedy-dramaBadmaash Company, which follows a group of overambitious youngsters who become con men. Rachel Saltz ofThe New York Times praised Kapoor's look in the film, though Tushar Joshi ofMid-Day thought that he was miscast.[51][52] Kapoor's fourth and final release that year wasSatish Kaushik's romantic comedyMilenge Milenge, which marked his fourth collaboration with Kareena Kapoor.[53] Plagiarised from the Hollywood filmSerendipity, the production was delayed since 2005.[54] During its production in December 2004 atPhuket, Kapoor requested a delay in filming to attend the premiere ofDil Maange More. The delay may have saved the lives of the crew, since the hotel booked for them was destroyed during the2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.[55] With the exception ofBadmaash Company, none of these films performed well commercially.[56][57]
Kapoor next appeared in his father's directorialMausam (2011); co-starringSonam Kapoor, the star-crossed romance set over a decade, took two years to complete.[58] Considering the film to be his "dream project", Kapoor did not take on additional work while filming for it.[4] For his role as an unambitious village boy who becomes an air force pilot, Kapoor trained to fly theF-16 Fighting Falcon.[59] Rajeev Masand reviewed that "while he doesn't quite cut it as a convincingIAF pilot, Shahid Kapoor is terrific as the small-town brat".[60] The film was a box office flop and Kapoor was later regretful for spending so much time on the project.[61]
The following year, Kapoor took on another romantic role inKunal Kohli'sTeri Meri Kahaani (2012), co-starringPriyanka Chopra.[62] It tells the story of a pair of star-crossed lovers who are reincarnated in three different eras.Filmfare reviewed that "Shahid and Priyanka give it their best shot, but their charm doesn't make up for the absence of a genuinekahani [story]".[63] It was commercially unsuccessful.[64] The comedyPhata Poster Nikhla Hero oppositeIleana D'Cruz, from directorRajkumar Santoshi was Kapoor's first release of 2013. His role was that of Vishwas Rao, a struggling actor who masquerades as a policeman. Critical reviews on the film were negative, though Kapoor's performance was praised.[65] As with his last few releases, the film earned little at the box office leading trade analysts to question his commercial appeal.[66] This changed later that year, when he starred inPrabhu Deva's action filmR... Rajkumar; despite a negative critical reception, the film earned over₹995 million (US$12 million) worldwide, becoming Kapoor's highest-grossing release to that point.[67][68] In a scathing review, Saibal Chatterjee ofNDTV called the film a "massive mess" and wrote that Kapoor "ends up looking more moronic than macho" in it.[69] Kapoor suffered from burn injuries on his back and hands while filming a stunt sequence inR... Rajkumar.[70]
Established actor and film controversies (2014–2019)
Kapoor next reunited with director Vishal Bhardwaj to filmHaider (2014), an adaptation ofWilliam Shakespeare's tragedyHamlet set during theKashmir conflict of 1995, in which he played the titular role oppositeTabu andShraddha Kapoor. Kapoor described the film as the "toughest" of his career, and waived his fees to star in it.[71][72] For the role, he shaved his head and learned to speak in aKashmiri dialect.[73][74]Haider garnered critical acclaim, though was controversial among Indian nationalists for its portrayal of the conflict in Kashmir.[75][76] Sanjukta Sharma ofMint found the film to be an "immensely effective reimagination of Shakespeare" and particularly praised Kapoor for playing his part with "impressive zest and inventiveness".[77] Writing forHindustan Times, criticAnupama Chopra wrote that Kapoor initially seemed uncomfortable in the complex central role, but added that he "slowly [...] comes to inhabit Haider, veering from rage to jealousy to madness in a heartbeat."[78] Kapoor won several awards for the role, including theScreen Award,Producers Guild Film Award and Filmfare Award for Best Actor.[79][80][81]Haider emerged a box office success.[82]
After completing the duties of a talent judge on the dance reality showJhalak Dikhhla Jaa Reloaded,[83] Kapoor appeared oppositeAlia Bhatt inVikas Bahl'sShaandaar (2015). A critical and commercial failure, it is about insomniacs who fall in love during adestination wedding.[84][85] Kapoor next took on the role of a drug abusing rock star inUdta Punjab (2016), a crime drama from the directorAbhishek Chaubey that documents thesubstance abuse endemic in the Indian state ofPunjab. Kapoor, a teetotaler, found it challenging to play an addict.[86] He based the role on several pop stars, and was interested in bringing out his character's vulnerability despite his obnoxious actions.[86]Udta Punjab generated controversy when theCentral Board of Film Certification (CBFC) demanded extensivecensorship before its theatrical release, citing that the portrayal of Punjab in it was negative.[87] The demands sparked a debate onfreedom of expression in India.[87] After the producers filed a lawsuit against the board, theBombay High Court cleared it for exhibition with a single scene cut, in which Kapoor's character is shown urinating on people.[88] Sukanya Verma took note of the film's anti-drug message; she considered Kapoor to be "spectacularly unbridled" in his part and added that "the believability he brings to his complex transition while preserving his inherent flakiness deserves all the praise".[89] Kapoor won theFilmfare Critics Award for Best Actor (shared withManoj Bajpayee forAligarh) and received a Best Actor nomination at the same ceremony.[90][91] A commercial success, it became Kapoor's largest-opening film at that time.[92]
In his third collaboration with Vishal Bharadwaj, an epic romance set duringWorld War II entitledRangoon (2017), Kapoor played the part of a taciturn soldier who develops a romance with a film actress (played byKangana Ranaut). Filming was marred by a reported feud between Ranaut and Kapoor, and although they denied the reports, both stars publicly commented against the other.[93] The film received mixed reviews; Rajeev Masand termed the film "overlong, indulgent to the point of exhaustion", but praised Kapoor for playing his part with "remarkable maturity".[94] In addition, Uday Bhatia ofMint was appreciative of the chemistry between Ranaut and Kapoor.[95]Rangoon failed to recoup its₹610 million (US$7.2 million) investment.[96]
Kapoor next playedRawal Ratan Singh, a 14th-centuryRajput ruler, inSanjay Leela Bhansali's period dramaPadmaavat (2018), co-starringDeepika Padukone andRanveer Singh. Amid violent protests byright-wing Hindu groups, who speculated that the film distorted historical facts, it was cleared for release by the CBFC after several modifications were made.[97][98] Ankur Pathak ofHuffPost was disappointed in the film's adherence to regressive patriarchal mores and criticised Kapoor for being "a bit too stiff and robotic".[99]Padmaavat had a production budget of₹2 billion (US$24 million), making it themost expensive Hindi film ever made.[100] With a worldwide gross of₹5.45 billion (US$64 million), it ranks among thehighest-grossing Indian films of all time and is the biggest success of Kapoor's career.[101] Later that year, he starred inBatti Gul Meter Chalu, asocial problem film about electricity issues in rural India, for which he learnt theGarhwali dialect.[102][103] Filming was temporarily suspended when its production company,KriArj Entertainment, failed to remunerate the crew, and resumed afterBhushan Kumar took over the project.[104] Saibal Chatterjee reviewed, "Kapoor, working within a screenplay that is undercooked and confused, tries his very best to make the best of a bad deal but is unable to pack any real power".[105] The film had average box office returns.[106]
In 2019, Kapoor starred inKabir Singh, a remake of theTelugu romantic dramaArjun Reddy (2017), in which he played a self-destructive alcoholic pining for his ex-girlfriend. He found it challenging to distance himself from the part, and feared bringing home the experience to his wife and children.[107] For scenes in which he played a college student, he lost 14 kg.[108] Writing forThe Indian Express, Shubhra Gupta criticised the film's misogynistic themes and found Kapoor to be "too old for this role, and his dissolution never feels as sharply realized as the one he managed so superbly inUdta Punjab".[109] Even so, it earned over₹3.7 billion (US$44 million) worldwide to emerge as thesecond highest-grossing Hindi film of the year and Kapoor's biggest commercial success in which he played the sole male lead.[110][111] He received another Best Actor nomination at Filmfare.[112]
Hiatus and streaming projects (2020–present)
After a three-year absence from the screen, Kapoor starred in the sports dramaJersey (2022), a remake of the Telugufilm of the same name, about a former cricketer who wants to make a comeback in his late 30s.[113] While filming for a cricket sequence, he suffered an injury to his forehead that needed 13 stitches.[114] Production and release of the film was delayed several times due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[115] He was praised by Archika Khurana ofThe Times of India for his credibility as a cricketer.[116] It did not perform well at the box office.[117]
Kapoor was first offered a starring role inFarzi, a crime drama film from the filmmaking duoRaj & DK, in 2014. By the end of the decade, it was expanded into a streaming series (a format Kapoor was keen to explore), and was released onAmazon Prime Video in 2023.[118][119] He played Sunny, a disillusioned artist who decides to makecounterfeit money.Scroll.in's Nandini Ramnath found Kapoor to be in "fine form despite looking too old for the part", adding that he "reins in his tendency for self-pitying bombast to deliver a performance that complements Sunny’s vanity for equating counterfeiting with art".[120] Eager to work in an intense action film, Kapoor acceptedAli Abbas Zafar's offer to star inBloody Daddy (2023), a remake of the French filmSleepless Night (2011).[118][121] It was filmed in 36 days amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was digitally released onJioCinema to avoid the pitfalls of censorship in a theatrical release.[122] Reviewers for NDTV and Rediff.com deemed the film and Kapoor's performance "adequate" and "serviceable".[123][124] BothFarzi andBloody Daddy had strong viewership, with the former becoming the most-watched Indian streaming series ever.[125][126]
Keen to do a light-hearted role after a series of intense parts, Kapoor signed on to the romantic comedyTeri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024), in which he starred as a man who falls in love with ahumanoid robot (played byKriti Sanon).[127]WION's Shomini Sen found it a "middling performance" by his own high standards.[128] It emerged as a commercial success.[129] In the following year, Kapoor played Dev Ambre, a boorish cop, inRosshan Andrrews' action thrillerDeva, a remake of Andrrews's Malayalam filmMumbai Police (2013).[130] Kapoor wrongly claimed during the films' promotions that it was not a remake, and it eventually had poor box-office returns.[131] Commentators noted similarities between his roles inDeva andKabir Singh, includingFirstpost's Vinamra Mathur, who wrote that despite an "earnest" performance, Kapoor had overplayed his character's hypermasculinity.[132][133]
Kapoor will next reteam with Bhardwaj in the action thrillerO' Romeo.[citation needed]
Off-screen work
In addition to acting in films, Kapoor performs on stage and hosts award ceremonies. In 2006, he participated in a world tour, entitled RockStars, in which he performed alongside Kareena Kapoor,John Abraham,Salman Khan and three other celebrities.[134][135] From 2010–12, Kapoor has co-hosted threeScreen Awards ceremonies with Shah Rukh Khan, and from 2012–14 he co-hosted threeInternational Indian Film Academy Awards with either Khan orFarhan Akhtar.[136]
He also supports charitable organisations for various causes. In 2010, he took part in a charity event named Superstars Ka Jalwa, which helped generate money for the employees of the Cine and Television Artists Association (CINTAA).[137] Also that year, he lent his support to the NGO Swayamsiddh, which helps children with special needs.[138] The following year, he adopted three villages in support of NDTV's Greenathon, an initiative to support environmental consciousness and improve electricity supplies to rural areas.[139] In 2012, Kapoor helped revive the Victory Arts Foundation NGO, founded by Shiamak Davar, which helps underprivileged children through dance therapy programs.[140] Also that year, he appeared alongside other Bollywood celebrities inBecause My World Is Not The Same, a short film byZoya Akhtar, to generate awareness on breast cancer.[141] He supports thePeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals organisation through advertisement campaigns.[142][143] In 2023, Kapoor performed inDoha for the "Entertainer No. 1" tour, alongsideVarun Dhawan,Tiger Shroff, Kiara Advani,Rakul Preet Singh,Jacqueline Fernandez andAsh King.[144][145]
Personal life
Kapoor and his wife, Mira Rajput, in 2017
Kapoor's personal life is the subject of fervent tabloid reporting in India.[146] During the filming ofFida in 2004, he began dating Kareena Kapoor and they both publicly spoke of the relationship.[147][148] They were involved in a well-publicised scandal whenMid Day published a set of pictures of them kissing in public. Despite claims by the couple that the pictures were fabricated, the newspaper denied any wrongdoing.[149][150] The couple separated in 2007 during the filming ofJab We Met.[151] Since their split, Kapoor decided to keep his personal life away from media attention.[152] However, tabloids speculated on his relationship with several other actresses, including Vidya Balan and Priyanka Chopra.[153] In 2012, Kapoor lodged a police complaint ofstalking against former actress Vastavikta Pandit.[154][155]
In March 2015, Kapoor spoke of his impending marriage to Mira Rajput, a university student from New Delhi, who is 13 years his junior.[156][157][158]The Times of India reported that Kapoor met Rajput through the religious groupRadha Soami Satsang Beas.[159] The couple married at a private ceremony inGurgaon on 7 July 2015,[160] and Rajput gave birth to their daughter Misha in August 2016 and their son Zain in September 2018.[161][162]
Having met his wife through theRadha Soami, Kapoor also spiritually identifies with its teachings, the Radha Soami being a modernsyncretist religious group combining elements from bothHinduism andSikhism.[163] Kapoor practicesvegetarianism, and credits the authorBrian Hines' bookLife is Fair for influencing this lifestyle choice.[164][165]
Artistry and public image
The journalist Dave Besseling ofGQ, in 2014, described Kapoor as "friendly, chirpy, affable frat-boy type. Someone you'd want to play video games with on a Sunday, but keep the hell away from your sister".[166] However, certain media publications have labelled Kapoor a recluse and described him as arrogant and temperamental.[167] Vickey Lalwani ofMumbai Mirror wrote in 2012 that this perceived media image hindered certain filmmakers from approaching him for roles.[168] Addressing this image, Kapoor remarked, "I just don't socialise much, I don't party too much, I don't know what to say to the media if I'm not talking about a film that I am doing, so yeah, maybe I am perceived as a snob."[167]
Analysing his career, the entertainment portalBollywood Hungama published that his "boy next door persona" was initially perceived by critics as a weakness, but credited him for turning it into a trademark.[22]Jitesh Pillai ofFilmfare wrote that after gaining recognition in urban romantic roles, Kapoor defied typecasting by taking on diverse parts in crime dramas and action films.[169] He noted that Kapoor's refusal to be "slotted under any kind of tag" led to a fluctuating career trajectory.[169] Following the success ofJab We Met (2007) andKaminey (2009), Kapoor's career went through a decline; he described the phase as a series of "wrong choices" and said that taking on a challenging role inHaider (2014) helped him reinvent himself.[170] Sonal Gera ofThe Indian Express opined that the film established him in Bollywood.[171] In her bookPower of a Common Man, the author Koral Dasgupta writes that Kapoor does not "[conform] to any fixed rules of the trade", and notes that despite having a lopsided success ratio at the box office, he remains popular among the audiences.[172]
Considered one of the most attractive and stylish male celebrities in India,[173][174] he regularly features in the British magazineEastern Eye's listing of the "50 Sexiest Asian Men in the World". In 2012 and 2013 he was ranked fourth, and in 2017 he topped the list.[175][176][177][178] He was ranked fifth onThe Times of India's list of the 50 most-desirable men in 2014; he was placed among the top 10 in 2012, 2013 and 2015.[179][180][181] Kapoor was named the sexiest vegetarian man of India and Asia-Pacific in 2009 and 2011, respectively, by PETA.[182][183] One of the highest-paid actors in Bollywood,[184] from 2012–15, 2017, and 2019, he featured among the top 50 in the Indian edition of theForbes' "Celebrity 100", a list based on the income and popularity of India's celebrities.[185][186][187] He peaked at the 15th position in 2015 with an estimated annual income of₹148.8 million (US$1.8 million).[188]
A popular celebrity, Kapoor has a significant following on Twitter and Instagram.[189][190] Kapoor has appeared inRediff's annual listing of "Best Bollywood Actors", several times.[191] He topped the list in 2009, and was subsequently placed 8th in 2007, and 5th in 2016 and 2022.[192][193][194] He was further placed 7th in its "Best OTT Actors" list of 2023.[195] He was placed 4th inFilmfare's poll of the "Most Stylish Young Actor",in 2013.[196] Noted for his dancing skills, he is considered among Bollywood's best dancers.[197] Kapoor is the celebrity ambassador for several brands and products, includingSamsung,Elf Aquitaine andColgate.[198][199] In 2019, his wax figure was unveiled atMadame Tussauds Singapore.[200] In 2024, Kapoor was placed 34th onIMDb's List of 100 Most Viewed Indian Stars.[201] As of 2024, Kapoor is among India's highest tax-paying celebrities.[202]
^abRastogi, Tavishi Paitandy (22 June 2012)."Shahid Kapoor, uncut".Hindustan Times.Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved11 May 2012.
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