Shahid Kapoor

Shahid Kapoor (pronounced [ʃaːɦɪd̪ kəˈpuːr]; born 25 February 1981), is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi films. Cited in the media as one of the most attractive Indian celebrities, Kapoor maintains his popularity despite a fluctuating career trajectory and is the recipient of several awards, including three Filmfare Awards. Initially recognised for portraying romantic roles, he has since taken on parts in action films and thrillers. The son of actors Pankaj Kapur and Neelima Azeem, Kapoor was born in New Delhi. His parents separated when he was three, and he continued living with his mother. They moved to Mumbai when he was 10, where he joined Shiamak Davar's dance academy. Kapoor appeared as a background dancer in a few films of the 1990s, and was later featured in music videos and television commercials. He made his film debut in 2003 with a leading role in the romantic comedy Ishq Vishk, a sleeper hit for which he won a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. He followed it with roles in several commercial failures before starring in Sooraj Barjatya's top-grossing family drama Vivah (2006). Kapoor earned nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for portraying a troubled businessman in Imtiaz Ali's romantic comedy Jab We Met (2007) and twin brothers in Vishal Bhardwaj's thriller Kaminey (2009). After appearing in another series of unsuccessful films, he starred in the action film R... Rajkumar (2013). Kapoor received critical acclaim for portraying the Hamlet character in Bhardwaj's tragedy Haider (2014) and a drug abusing singer in the crime drama Udta Punjab (2016). For the former, he won a Filmfare Award for Best Actor and for the latter, he won a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor. Kapoor's highest-grossing releases came with the period drama Padmaavat (2018) and the romantic drama Kabir Singh (2019). In addition to acting, Kapoor supports charities, hosts award ceremonies, and has featured as a talent judge on the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Reloaded (2015). He is married to the homemaker Mira Rajput, with whom he has two children.