There is probably no doubt that the Kapoor family is the most recognised and influential family in the history of Indian cinema. Others like the Akkinennis, Chopras, and Daggubatis have also contributed significantly, the Kapoors have probably given more stars and appeared in more impactful films than any other single family in Indian films. But not every member of the illustrious family has been a star. One particular actor was relegated to side roles for almost his entire career
Who was Ravindra Kapoor?
Ravindra Kapoor was born in Punjab. His brother Kamal Kapoor was an actor of note in Bollywood. Ravindra and Kamal were first cousins of Prithviraj Kapoor, the patriarch of the Kapoor family. Ravindra – who also spelled his name as Ravinder – began his film career in the early 50s, following in the footsteps of his brother Kamal and cousins Prithviraj and Raj. For the majority of 50s and 60s, he appeared as an extra, sometimes playing characters with no names in films like Paisa, Saat Saliyan, Kunwari, among others.
Ravindra Kapoor with brother Kamal Kapoor
Ravindra Kapoor was, at the same time, a bigger name in Punjabi cinema, appearing in major roles in films like Shokan Mele Di and Pind De Kuri, which were successful. However, this success did not translate to his Bollywood career. For the majority of his career, Ravindra Kapoor was relegated to playing supporting roles to other bigger actors, such as Jitendra, Dharmendra, and others.
Ravindra Kapoor’s later roles and association with Kapoor family
Ravindra Kapoor’s most prominent outing was in Caravan, the 1971 hit, in which he played Jitendra’s best friend. It was perhaps his most memorable role. The actor continued to work after this, appearing in major films such as Agent Vinod, The Burning Train, but without much success. His last film appearances were in the two Aamir Khan films – Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. Not much is known about his life after the early 90s. Interestingly, Ravindra Kapoor was one of the only Kapoor family members never to work in an RK Films’ production. Raj Kapoor, his second cousin, never cast him any of his films.
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