The Kapoor family has given more icons to Indian cinema than any other film clan. Be it acting, directing, or even writing, performers from the extended family have excelled in all fields, barring one. Academics have never been a strength of the members of the family. In fact, in the hundred years that the Kapoors have been in films, they have given over a dozen superstars but only one graduate. (Also read: Shammi Kapoor’s son says he became a ‘wounded animal’ after mother Geeta Bali’s death, father’s second wife made him ‘human’ again)
Meet Kapoor family's only graduate
Aditya Raj Kapoor, formerly an actor and the son of Shammi Kapoor, is the only man from the Kapoor family who has finished his higher studies. Even he achieved it at the age of 67. In 2023, Aditya became one of the oldest graduates in India when he got his degree in Philosophy from the Indira Gandhi National Open University in Philosophy via correspondence. In August 2024, he took his penchant for academics further as he embarked on a teaching career. ETimes reported that he gave his first lecture on the Synthesis of Eastern and Western virtue ethics.
Born to Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali in 1956, Aditya is one of the few Kapoor men not to have a successful film career. After doing his schooling from Lawrence School, Sanawar, he began assisting his uncle Raj on Bobby, and continued in the role in Dharam Karam and Satyam Shivam Sundaram. After distancing himself from films for business, Aditya returned as an actor in 2010, working in films like Chase. In 2014, he made his TV debut with a supporting role in Everest. He eventually left acting for academics just before the pandemic and chose to finish his graduation.
Why Kapoors had no graduate for 90 years
Raj Kapoor entered films when he was still a teenager and dropped out of school. By his mid-20s, he had established the family business - RK Studios. He encouraged every youngster in the family - from his brothers Shammi and Shashi to sons Rishi, Randhir and Rajeev - to quit school and join him as assistant directors. As a result, no Kapoor man even finished school until Ranbir Kapoor did so. But even he dropped out of college in favour of his Bollywood dreams. Hence, it wasn't until Aditya decided to return to academics during the pandemic that the Kapoors finally had a graduate of their own.
About the Kapoor family
{{/usCountry}}Raj Kapoor entered films when he was still a teenager and dropped out of school. By his mid-20s, he had established the family business - RK Studios. He encouraged every youngster in the family - from his brothers Shammi and Shashi to sons Rishi, Randhir and Rajeev - to quit school and join him as assistant directors. As a result, no Kapoor man even finished school until Ranbir Kapoor did so. But even he dropped out of college in favour of his Bollywood dreams. Hence, it wasn't until Aditya decided to return to academics during the pandemic that the Kapoors finally had a graduate of their own.
About the Kapoor family
{{/usCountry}}The Kapoor family is often considered India's biggest and most influential film clan. It has been around for a century (since Prithviraj Kapoor entered films in the 1920s) and has given countless stars to Hindi cinema. Among the biggest stars from the family are Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Babita, Neetu Kapoor, Geeta Bali, Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, and Alia Bhatt.
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