Anil Kapoor is a prominent National Film Award-winning Indian actor and producer in Bollywood who won critical acclaim for his roles in Yash Chopra's Mashaal (1984) and Shekhar Kapur's sci-fi Mr India (1987) and more recently, Slumdog Millionaire (2008). After a series of successful films, Kapoor earned his first Filmfare Best Actor Award for his performance in N Chandra's Tezaab in 1988 and later for Indra Kumar's Beta in 1992. Since then, he has starred in several critical and commercial successes, including Biwi No.1 (1999), Taal (1999), Pukar (2000), for which he won his first National Film Award in the Best Actor category, and No Entry (2005).
Kapoor was born to film producers Surinder and Nirmal Kapoor. He attended Our Lady of Perpetual Succour High School, Chembur. Kapoor's elder brother, Boney, is a producer while younger brother Sanjay is also a well known Bollywood actor though not as successful. In 1984, he married Sunita Kapoor (née Bhambhani) and had two daughters and a son. Kapoor's daughter, Sonam Kapoor debuted in Saawariya (2007) alongside Ranbir Kapoor, actor Rishi Kapoor’s son. His other daughter, Rhea, is studying in New York while his son Harsh is in school. He is the brother-in-law of the actress Sridevi with whom he has starred in many films. His sister Reena is married to Sandeep Marwah of the Marwah Films & Video Studios.
Kapoor made his Bollywood debut with Umesh Mehra's Hamare Tumhare (1979) in a supporting role. After a few minor roles in films such as Hum Paanch (1980) and Shakti (1982), he got his first leading role in the 1983 Hindi film, Woh Saat Din. Kapoor later tried acting in Tollywood and Kollywood, and appeared in the Telugu film Vamsa Vriksham and Mani Ratnam's Kannada debut film Pallavi Anu Pallavi. Next, followed a critically acclaimed performance in Yash Chopra's drama Mashaal (1984), for which he won his first Filmfare Award in the Best Supporting Actor category. Going on to deliver commercial success with films like Meri Jung (1985) and Karma (1986), Kapoor won acclaim for his title role in Shekhar Kapur's sci-fi film Mr. India (1987). The film became one of his biggest box office hits and shot him to superstar status.
In 1988, he was rewarded with his first Filmfare Best Actor Award for his performance in the hit film, Tezaab. The following year, he delivered more commercial successes like Ram Lakhan, Parinda and Rakhwala. The year 1990, saw him play a dual role, as twin brothers in the successful Kishen Kanhaiya. Anil Kapoor won critical acclaim for his performance in Eeshwar, co-starring Vijaya Shanti. With these successes, Anil Kapoor was widely acknowledged as the industry's biggest star at the time. This was followed by a critically acclaimed performance as a middle aged man in Yash Chopra's romantic drama Lamhe. Although the film was a box office failure in India, it proved to be a success overseas.
In 1992, Kapoor received his second Filmfare Best Actor Award for his performance in Indra Kumar's Beta opposite Madhuri Dixit. In 1993, Boney Kapoor's much delayed mega-budget Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja was a disaster at the box office and damaged Anil Kapoor's reputation as the industry’s biggest star at the time. The only major success in these years was Laadla with Sridevi, a film also produced by Boney Kapoor. After a period of little box office success, he had box office success with films like Judaai (1997), Deewana Mastana (1997), Biwi No.1 (1999), Loafer (1996), Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain (1999) and Taal (1999). He also won critical acclaim for his strong performance in Virasat, a remake of Tamil film in which Kamal Hasan had played Anil Kapoor's role.
He won his first National Film Award in the Best Actor category for his role in Rajkumar Santoshi's critically acclaimed Pukar in 2000. Though films from 2001 to 2004 failed to do well, Kapoor won acclaim for his role in the thriller My Wife's Murder (2005), which he also produced. Anees Bazmee's super-hit comedy No Entry followed for Kapoor that year. The film became the highest grossing film of the year and Kapoor's comic-timing was applauded.
Kapoor's most recent films, Anees Bazmee's Welcome did very well at the box office followed by his first 2008 release Abbas Mustan's thriller Race becoming a box office hit too. But Vijay Krishna Acharya's Tashan, which marked Anil's comeback to Yash Raj Films failed to do well at the box office. His most recent films, his first English-language film Slumdog Millionaire released on 12 November 2008 won him worldwide acclaim as the film was nominated for several awards. However, his other 2008 release Yuvvraaj was a disaster even though it starred Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif.
In 2002, Kapoor produced his first film, the comedy Badhaai Ho Badhaai, in which he also starred in, but the film failed to do well. Next followed, the critically acclaimed thriller My Wife's Murder (2005), which also didn't do well at the box office. His next produced film, Gandhi, My Father, which focuses on the relationship between Mahatma Gandhi and his son Harilal Gandhi released on August 3, 2007. Despite being acclaimed by critics and audiences, the film failed to do well. Some of Kapoor's other notable films include Meri Jung (1985), Eeshwar (1989), Ghar Ho To Aisa (1990), Jamai Raja (1990), Lamhe (1991), Beta (1992), Khel (1992), Andaz (1994), 1942: A Love Story (1994), Virasat (1997), Deewana Mastana (1997), Biwi No 1 (1999) and Nayak (2001).