Ranbir Kapoor (born 28 September 1982) is an Indian actor known for his work in Hindi-language films. He is one of the highest-paid actors of Hindi cinema and has featured in Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list since 2012. Kapoor is the recipient of several awards, including six Filmfare Awards.
The son of actors Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, and the grandson of actor-director Raj Kapoor, Kapoor pursued filmmaking and method acting at the School of Visual Arts and the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, respectively. He subsequently assisted Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the film Black (2005) and made his acting debut with Bhansali’s tragic romance Saawariya (2007), a critical and commercial failure. He rose to prominence with the coming-of-age film Wake Up Sid, the romantic comedy Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani (both 2009), and the political drama Raajneeti (2010).
Kapoor’s performances as a troubled musician in Rockstar (2011) and a cheerful deaf-and-mute man in Barfi! (2012) earned him two consecutive Filmfare Awards for Best Actor. A leading role opposite Deepika Padukone in the romantic comedy Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) further established him as a star. This was followed by a series of commercial failures, with Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016) and Sanju (2018) being the exceptions. The latter emerged as his highest-grossing release, and his portrayal of Sanjay Dutt in it won him another Filmfare Award. Following a hiatus, he starred in the top-grossing fantasy film Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022) and in the romantic comedy Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar (2023).
In addition to his acting career, Kapoor supports charities and causes. He is also a co-owner of the Indian Super League football team Mumbai City FC. He is married to the actress Alia Bhatt, with whom he has a daughter.
Early life and Background
Ranbir Kapoor was born on 28 September 1982 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India to Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, both actors of the Hindi film industry. He is the great-grandson of Prithviraj Kapoor and the grandson of actor-director Raj Kapoor. His elder sister, Riddhima (born 1980), is an interior and fashion designer. The actor Randhir Kapoor is his uncle, and his daughters, actresses Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor, are his first cousins. Kapoor is of Punjabi descent, born to a Hindu father and a Sikh mother. He was educated at the Bombay Scottish School. As a student, he found little interest in academics and would rank low among his peers. However, he has stated that he performed better in sports, particularly football.
Ranbir Kapoor is posing with his father and mother at a reality show.
Kapoor with his parents Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh Kapoor at the reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa in 2012
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”. These experiences led to a “reservoir of emotions building up inside him”, which he said compelled him to develop an interest in film. In his early years, Kapoor was close to his mother, but had a dysfunctional relationship with his father. After completing his tenth standard examinations, he worked as an assistant director to his father on the film Aa Ab Laut Chalen (1999), during which he developed a closer bond with him.
After completing his pre-university education from the H.R. College of Commerce and Economics, Kapoor relocated to New York City to learn filmmaking at the School of Visual Arts and subsequently pursued method acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. In film school, Kapoor directed and starred in two short films, entitled Passion to Love and India 1964. 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 in Bollywood. Upon returning to Mumbai, Kapoor was hired as an assistant director to Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the 2005 film Black. He described the experience: “I was getting beaten up, abused, doing everything from cleaning the floor to fixing the lights from 7 am to 4 am, but I was learning every day.” He later remarked that his motive for working on Black was to get Bhansali to offer him an acting job.
Personal life
Kapoor has been vocal about his personal life, and has stated that his parents’ marriage taught him how complex a relationship can be. He had his first serious relationship while in the seventh grade, and suffered from depression when it ended. While filming Bachna Ae Haseeno in 2008, Kapoor began dating his co-star Deepika Padukone. The relationship attracted substantial media coverage in India and they speculated on an impending engagement. However, the couple broke up a year later. Kapoor maintained that the split was amicable, though the media widely reported that the split was due to infidelity on Kapoor’s part. Kapoor later confessed: “Yes, I have, out of immaturity, out of inexperience, out of taking advantage of certain temptations, out of callousness.” Later in 2015, Kapoor stated that they both had resolved the conflict and had moved on with their lives. Since the split, he has been reticent to publicly discuss his personal life.
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Rumours of an affair with Katrina Kaif first emerged during the production of Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani in 2009. In August 2013, a set of paparazzi photographs of Kapoor and Kaif at a beach in Spain were published by Stardust. Although Kapoor initially declined to speak of the relationship, 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.” In February 2016, the media reported that they had broken up. He has also spoken about being addicted to smoking and drinking.
In 2018, he began dating Alia Bhatt, his co-star in Brahmastra (2022). He married her on 14 April 2022 in a private ceremony in their Mumbai house. In November 2022, Bhatt gave birth to their daughter, Raha Kapoor.
Ranbir Kapoor Height Age Girlfriend Wife Family Biography
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ranbir Raj Kapoor |
| Nickname(s) | • Daboo • Ganglu |
| Profession(s) | • Actor • Producer • Businessman |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 183 cm in meters- 1.83 m in Feet Inches- 6’ |
| Eye Colour | Dark Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 28 September 1982 |
| Age (as of 2023) | 41 Years |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Zodiac sign | Libra |
| Signature | |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| School | Bombay Scottish School, Mumbai |
| College/Institutes | • H. R. College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai • School of Visual Arts, New York • Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, New York |
| Educational Qualification | A course in filmmaking |
| Debut | Film (Actor): Saawariya (2007) Film (Producer): Jagga Jasoos (2017) |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian |
| Address | Pali Hill, Bandra West, Mumbai (56 KrishnaRaj, Pali Hill, Bandra (W), Mumbai – 400050) |
| Hobbies | Playing Football, Travelling and Watching Movies |
| Likes/Dislikes | Likes: Spending Time With Family, Friends, and Dogs, Watching Movies, Playing on Xbox and Playstation, Playing Football, Randomly Staring at the Ceiling Dislikes: Tendli, Rudeness and Negging Others |
| Awards/Honours | Filmfare Awards 2008: Best Male Debut for Saawariya 2010: Best Actor (Critics) for Wake Up Sid, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year 2012: Best Actor for Rockstar, Best Actor (Critics) for Rockstar 2013: Best Actor for Barfi! Other Awards 2007: Sabsey Favourite Naya Hero for Saawariya at Star’s Sabsey Favourite Kaun Awards 2013: Screen Award for Best Actor (Popular Choice) for Barfi! Note: Along with these, he has many other awards, honours, and achievements to his name. |
| Tattoo(s) | On His Wrist: Written “Awara” in hindi (temporary tattoo inked only for Bollywood film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani in 2013) Right Palm: A Cross symbol |
| Controversies | • In his younger days, when he was partying at a pub, he met Salman Khan there and while partying they had an exchange of words during which Salman slapped him. • He attracted controversy when he revealed that he was asked to “Get Lost” by Natalie Portman. He saw her at Tribeca, a film festival where she was busy on phone and crying, he quickly stopped her and said “I Love Your ..” and before he could say work, she said, “Get Lost”. |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Marriage Date | 14 April 2022 |
| Marriage Place | Vastu Building in Mumbai |
| Affairs/Girlfriends | • Nandita Mahtani (Fashion Designer) • Deepika Padukone (2007-2009) • Katrina Kaif (2012-2016) • Alia Bhatt |
| Family | |
| Wife/Spouse | Alia Bhatt |
| Children | On 6 November 2022, his wife, Alia Bhatt, gave birth to their first child, a baby girl. Later, Alia Bhatt announced that they have named her Raha; the name was chosen by Neetu Singh. |
| Parents | Father– Rishi Kapoor (Actor) Mother– Neetu Singh (Actress) |
| Grandparents | Grandfather– Raj Kapoor Grandmother– Krishna Kapoor |
| Uncle and Aunt | Paternal Uncle– Randhir Kapoor Paternal Aunt– Babita Shivdasani |
| Siblings | Brother– None Sister– Riddhima Kapoor Sahani |
| Cousin(s) | Cousin Sisters– Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor |
| Favourites | |
| Food | Italian, Chinese, Home made Food especially Bhindi, Jungli Mutton, Paya |
| Dessert(s) | Mishti Doi, Creme Brulee and Gulab Jamun |
| Fruit(s) | Mosambi, Bananas, Water-Melon |
| Spice | Cardamom |
| Restaurant(s) | Gajalee, Ling’s Pavillion |
| Actor(s) | Bollywood: Rishi Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna Hollywood: Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino |
| Actresses | Bollywood: Kajol, Madhuri Dixit Hollywood: Jennifer Connelly, Natalie Portman |
| Film(s) | Bollywood: ‘Shree 420’ Hollywood: ‘Life is Beautiful’ |
| Song(s) | Kisiki Muskurahaton Pe Ho Nisaar (Anari), ‘The Boxer’ by Simon and Garfunkel, Channa Mereya |
| Singer | A. R. Rahman |
| TV Show | Travel and Living |
| Colour(s) | Red, White & Black |
| Book | Heavier Than Heaven by Charles R. Cross |
| Cartoon | Tom and Jerry |
| Footballer | Lionel Messi |
| Football Team | Barcelona |
| Destination(s) | New York, USA, Venice, Puglia in Italy |
| Soap | La Prairie |
| Director(s) | Anurag Basu, Sanjay Leela Bhansali |
| Style Quotient | |
| Cars Collection | Audi A8, Audi R8, Range Rover Sport, Mercedes-Benz G63 |
| Bike Collection | Harley Davidson |
| Money Factor | |
| Salary (approx.) | $2.68 million (INR 20 crore/film) |
| Net Worth (approx.) | $39 million (INR 307 crore) |
Early work and success (2007–2010)
Following the release of Black, Bhansali cast Kapoor as the protagonist of his 2007 tragic romance Saawariya, alongside Sonam Kapoor and Rani Mukerji. The film tells the story of a tramp, 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 portal Rediff.com, Kapoor stated that his character was written as a tribute to his grandfather’s iconic roles as a tramp. Saawariya was the first Indian film to be produced by a Hollywood studio (Sony Pictures Entertainment), and was a highly anticipated release. However, film critics were disappointed with the picture with BBC’s Jaspreet Pandohar calling it a “misfire on a massive scale”. CNN-IBN’s Rajeev 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.” At the box office, Saawariya failed to earn profits. However, at the annual Filmfare Awards ceremony, Kapoor was awarded a Best Male Debut trophy.
Despite the commercial failure of Saawariya, Kapoor was contracted by Yash Raj Films for a primary role in the Siddharth Anand-directed romantic comedy Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008). The film was his first commercial success, in which his role was that of a womaniser who is romantically involved with three women, played by Bipasha Basu, Minissha Lamba, and Deepika Padukone, at different stages of his life. Rachel Saltz of The 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”.
In 2009, Kapoor had three film releases. In Dharma Productions’s Wake Up Sid, a coming of age film from director Ayan Mukerji, Kapoor portrayed Siddharth “Sid” Mehra, a rich, lazy teenager whose life undergoes a series of changes after interacting with an ambitious journalist (played by Konkana Sen Sharma). When Mukerji narrated the then-untitled script of the film to him, Kapoor came up with the title himself. The media expressed doubt on the film’s financial prospect as it depicted a romantic relationship between a younger man and an older woman. It eventually emerged as a sleeper hit and garnered acclaim from the critics. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama reviewed that Kapoor’s performance in the film proved that he was “amongst the best in the business today”.
Kapoor next starred opposite Katrina Kaif in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, a slapstick comedy from director Rajkumar Santoshi, that emerged as the fourth highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2009. Film critic Gaurav Malani praised Kapoor’s flair for comedy, but criticised his “over-excited husky baritone”. His final release that year was the Shimit Amin-directed Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, a drama about a sardar who aspires to be a salesman. Film critic Mayank Shekhar praised the film and found Kapoor’s performance to be “astonishingly sincere”, but the film earned little at the box office. Kapoor later professed to being highly disappointed by the film’s commercial failure. At the 55th Filmfare Awards, he was awarded the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for his performances in all three of his 2009 releases, and he also received two Best Actor nominations at the ceremony for Wake Up Sid and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.
Prakash Jha’s big-budget ensemble political drama Raajneeti was Kapoor’s first release of 2010. The film, which starred Nana Patekar, Ajay Devgn, Arjun Rampal, Manoj Bajpayee, Katrina Kaif and Sarah Thompson in prominent roles, was inspired by the Indian epic Mahabharata and Mario Puzo’s 1969 novel The Godfather. Kapoor’s role was of Samar Pratap (based on the characters of Arjuna and Michael Corleone), the youngest 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. Nikhat Kazmi of The 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.” Robert Abele of the Los 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”. Indian trade journalists were apprehensive of the film recovering its ₹600 million (US$7.5 million) investment. The film, however, proved to be a major commercial success with worldwide earnings of over ₹1.43 billion (US$18 million). Kapoor received a third Best Actor nomination at Filmfare for the film.
Later that same year, Kapoor collaborated with Priyanka Chopra on Anand’s Anjaana Anjaani, a comedy-drama involving two strangers who vow to commit suicide on New Year’s Eve. The film was a moderate financial success, but garnered little praise from the critics. Rajeev Masand noted that Kapoor “struggles with a badly-defined role” and NDTV’s Anupama 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.”
Off-screen work
In addition to acting, Kapoor is a football 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. In March 2013, he played the game to raise funds for the Magic Funds Organisation, an NGO for underprivileged children. Along with the chartered accountant Bimal Parekh, Kapoor acquired ownership rights in 2014 for the Mumbai-based football team of the Indian Super League, named Mumbai City FC. Also that year, Kapoor announced his participation with the digital music company Saavn as a content and programming adviser. In 2016, he featured in the documentary series Girls with Goals, to create awareness about and raise funds for YUWA, an all-girls football team in the state of Jharkhand.
Kapoor supports the empowerment of the girl child and is the goodwill ambassador of Shabana Azmi’s Mijwan Welfare Society, an NGO which helps empower women. He supports environmental charities, and in 2011 donated money to the Community Water Initiative, a charitable organisation owned by PepsiCo. In 2012, he appeared alongside other celebrities in a short film by Zoya Akhtar to generate awareness on breast cancer. He is the campaign ambassador for NDTV’s Marks for Sports, a nationwide initiative to promote fitness and health in India. In 2013, he participated in an auction on eBay, 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 for flood affected households in Uttarakhand. That same year, he appeared alongside other celebrities in a commercial, produced by the National Film Development Corporation of India, to create awareness about children’s education. In December 2014, he again took part in another eBay auction; the phiran he wore in Rockstar (2011) was sold, with proceeds going to the redevelopment of the flood-ravaged states of Kashmir and Assam. He had also fronted a campaign to collect donations for the victims of the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. In 2015, he presented 2,000 raincoats to the Mumbai Traffic Police as an appreciation for their service during the year’s heavy monsoon. In 2018, he collaborated with Aamir Khan’s Paani Foundation to help local farmers and villagers suffering from drought in parts of Maharashtra.
In the media
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”. Despite the failure of his first film (Saawariya), IANS reported that he “rose like meteor on film firmament by giving compelling performances in films like Raajneeti, Rockstar and Barfi!” 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.” Also that year, The Economic Times credited him as “the most bankable actor of his generation”. However, following the success of Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, each of Kapoor’s releases under-performed at the box-office. This led trade journalists to criticise his choice of films, noting that his inclination towards experimental projects negatively impacted his commercial appeal.
Nationally, he is one of the most popular and high-profile celebrities. In 2012 and 2013, Forbes featured him among the top twenty in India’s Celebrity 100, a list based on the income and popularity of the country’s celebrities. For the next two years, he was ranked 11th with an estimated annual earning of ₹93.25 crore (US$12 million) and ₹85 crore (US$11 million) respectively, making him one of the highest-paid actors in the country. He was frequently featured in Rediff.com’s annual listing of “Bollywood’s Best Actors”; he was ranked second in 2009, first in 2011, third in 2012, and held the sixth position in 2015.
He has been cited as one of the most attractive Indian celebrities by the media. He has featured on The Times of India’s listing of the ‘Most Desirable Man’ from 2010 to 2015, ranking among the top ten each year. In 2009 People magazine listed him as the “Sexiest Man Alive” in India, and in 2013 he topped Filmfare’s poll of the “Most Stylish Young Actor”. Also in 2013, he was one of the recipients of the “People of the Year” award by the Limca Book of Records. In 2010, he was voted the “Sexiest Asian Man” in a poll conducted by the magazine Eastern Eye. Kapoor continued to feature among the top ten of the list from 2011 to 2014. He is also the celebrity endorser for various brands and services, including Pepsi, Panasonic, Renault India, Lenovo and the Spanish football club FC Barcelona.
Filmography
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Aa Ab Laut Chalen | — | Assistant director |
| 2004 | Karma | Aryan Malhotra | Short film |
| 2005 | Black | — | Assistant director |
| 2007 | Saawariya | Ranbir Raj | |
| 2008 | Bachna Ae Haseeno | Raj Sharma | |
| 2009 | Luck by Chance | Himself | Cameo appearance |
| Wake Up Sid | Siddharth “Sid” Mehra | ||
| Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani | Prem Shankar Sharma | ||
| Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year | Harpreet Singh Bedi | ||
| 2010 | Raajneeti | Samar Pratap | |
| Anjaana Anjaani | Akash | ||
| 2011 | Chillar Party | Unnamed | Special appearance in song “Tai Tai Phish” |
| Rockstar | Janardhan “Jordan” Jakhar(JJ) | ||
| 2012 | Barfi! | Murphy “Barfi” Johnson | |
| 2013 | Bombay Talkies | Himself | Special appearance in song “Apna Bombay Talkies“ |
| Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani | Kabir “Bunny” Thapar | ||
| Besharam | Babli | Also playback singer for song “Love Ki Ghanti” | |
| 2014 | Bhoothnath Returns | Himself | Cameo appearance |
| PK | Alien | Cameo appearance | |
| 2015 | Roy | Roy | |
| Bombay Velvet | Johnny Balraj | ||
| Tamasha | Ved Vardhan Sahni | ||
| 2016 | Ae Dil Hai Mushkil | Ayan Sanger | |
| 2017 | Jagga Jasoos | Jagga Bagchi | Also producer |
| 2018 | Love per Square Foot | Gattu | Cameo appearance |
| Bucket List | Himself | Marathi film; cameo appearance | |
| Sanju | Sanjay Dutt | Also playback singer for song “Baba Bolta Hain Bas Ho Gaya” | |
| 2022 | Shamshera | Shamshera / Balli | |
| Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva | Shiva | Also producer | |
| Rocket Gang | Angel | Special appearance in song “Har Bachcha Hai Rocket” | |
| Govinda Naam Mera | Himself | Special appearance in song “Bijli” | |
| 2023 | Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar | Rohan “Mickey” Arora | |
Animal  | TBA | Filming |
Television
| Title | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 54th Filmfare Awards | 2009 | Host |
| 56th Filmfare Awards | 2011 | Host |
| 57th Filmfare Awards | 2012 | Host |
| 59th Filmfare Awards | 2014 | Host |
Music videos
| Title | Year | Role | Performer(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| “Phir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara“ | 2010 | Himself | Various | — |
| “Smile Deke Dekho” | 2019 | Himself | Amit Trivedi feat. Sunidhi Chauhan, Nakash Aziz |