At just 27, Raj Kapoor had already done what most actors spend decades trying to achieve. He had delivered a massive box-office success, directed it himself and taken Indian cinema to audiences far beyond the country. His 1951 classic Awara reportedly earned over Rs 15 crore worldwide at the time. Adjusted for inflation, that figure would be around Rs 2,000 crore today.
And while names such as Ranbir Kapoor, Salman Khan and Allu Arjun often come up when discussing successful star kids, Raj Kapoor’s career had a much wider impact on Indian cinema.
The son of actor Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor entered films as a child artiste with the 1935 film Inquilab. His journey as a leading man began in 1946, and his first major success came with Neel Kamal in 1947.
Two years later, everything changed.
Raj Kapoor delivered back-to-back hits with Andaz and Barsaat in 1949. Barsaat went on to become the highest-grossing Indian film at the time, overtaking the record held by Kismet. The success placed Raj Kapoor among Hindi cinema’s biggest leading men, alongside Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand.
But Raj Kapoor was not content with being only an actor.
In 1951, he directed and starred in Awara. The film combined entertainment with social and reformist themes and became a huge success. It also found a strong audience in the Soviet Union, turning Raj Kapoor into a major star there. His films continued to find success in Russia, helping open up a new international market for Indian cinema.
His work also earned recognition at major international film festivals. Awara competed for the top prize at Cannes, while Boot Polish later competed for the Palme d’Or. Jagte Raho won the Crystal Globe at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Raj Kapoor’s contribution went beyond his own films. He introduced actors including Nimmi, Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia and Zeenat Aman. As a filmmaker, he directed 10 films, with eight succeeding at the box office.
With Sangam, he became the first Indian filmmaker to shoot overseas. Mera Naam Joker also featured the largest international cast for an Indian film at the time.
Raj Kapoor eventually acted in 63 films. His biggest strength, however, was bringing social themes into films that also worked with mass audiences.
That combination helped make him far more than a successful star kid. It made Raj Kapoor one of the key figures who helped shape Hindi cinema both in India and overseas.
