Thursday, June 5, 2008

Bollywood focus: Shahid Kapoor




...Starting off his career by working in music videos and ads, Shahid made his Bollywood debut as a background dancer...

Shahid Kapoor was born February 25, 1981 in Mumbai, India is a Bollywood actor and model. He studied in Delhi in his earlier days and came to Mumbai and joined Rajhans Vidlaya post which he studied in Mithibai College. While studying in college, he continued pursuing dancing.

Starting off his career by working in music videos and ads, Shahid made his Bollywood debut as a background dancer in Subhash Ghai's Taal. After four years, he made his debut as a leading actor in Ishq Vishk and won a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for his performance. Following that he did films like Fida and Shikhar.

In 2005, he had a setback in his career when all three of his films, Vaah! Life Ho To Aisi, Deewane Huye Pagal, and Shikhar failed to do well at the box office. However his performance in the latter was praised and he received a Star Screen Best Actor Nomination for his performance in the film.

In 2006, things began turning around as he received his first box office success since his debut with the multi-starrer, 36 China Town. Despite mixed reviews the comic-thriller became an above-average success. Shortly after the release of 36 China Town, Kapoor's second release, Chup Chup Ke released, which was an average success. He had his first commercial success with Sooraj Barjatya's Vivah and the film turned out to be his biggest commercial success so far. Since then he has established himself as one of the most promising actors of the industry.

Before starting off his career as an actor, Kapoor worked in several music videos and ads, including one with Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, post Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. In 1999, he was seen in the hit movie Taal as a background dancer with Aishwarya Rai in the song 'Kahiin aag lage lag jawe'.

His last release Jab We Met has proved to be a major success in India and a blockbuster in UK, alongside it has also managed to impress the critics who could not stop raving about the film. He will soon be seen in two upcoming films - Nagesh Kukunoor's Tasveer with Akshay Kumar and Ayesha Takia and Aziz Mirza's Lucky Charm opposite Vidya Balan.

Born to actor Pankaj Kapoor of Karamchand fame and actress/classical dancer Neelima Azeem, who divorced when he was three, Shahid is a trained dancer who studied under Shiamak Davar. After the divorce of his parents, he usually lived with his mother. His step-mother is Supriya Pathak. Kapoor also has a sister named Sana and a brother named Ishaan Khattar who acted with him in Vaah! Life Ho To Aisi.

In 2004, Kapoor began dating actress Kareena Kapoor. They separated three years later in 2007. Furthermore, prior to joining the film industry, he dated actress, Hrishita Bhatt.

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