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Meet man related to Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, who transformed failing family business into ₹36000 crore empire

Nikhil Nanda is related to both the Bachchans and the Kapoors, but he has not ventured into films; instead building a 36000 crore business empire.

Updated on: Apr 17, 2025, 14:57:22 IST
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The Kapoors and the Bachchans are considered two of the most prestigious film families of India. While the Kapoors have given more stars over a longer period of time, the Bachchans have also had a solid impact over the last half a century. And there is one man, who brought these two families together - a business tycoon who is related to both Raj Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan. (Also read: Navya Nanda is proud of her dad Nikhil Nanda as he wins award: 'Can't wait to carry forward this incredible legacy')

Nikhil Nanda with Amitabh Bachchan at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's wedding.
Nikhil Nanda with Amitabh Bachchan at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's wedding.

Nikhil Nanda's Bollywood connection

Nikhil Nanda was born to businessman Rajan Nanda in Delhi in 1974. His mother, Ritu Nanda, was the daughter of the great Raj Kapoor, and the sister of actors Rishi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, and Rajiv Kapoor. This makes Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, Aadar Jain, and Armaan Jain Nikhil's first cousins.

Nikhil Nanda with cousins Ranbir Kapoor and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, and aunt Neetu Kapoor.
Nikhil Nanda with cousins Ranbir Kapoor and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, and aunt Neetu Kapoor.

In 1997, Nikhil married Shweta Bachchan, the daughter of Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, bringing the Bachchan family also into the fold. Abhishek Bachchan is his brother-in-law. His son, Agastya, made his acting debut with The Archies in 2023. His daughter, Navya Naveli, is an entrepreneur.

Nikhil Nanda with wife Shweta and their two children - Agastya and Navya Naveli.
Nikhil Nanda with wife Shweta and their two children - Agastya and Navya Naveli.

Nikhil Nanda's business career

In 1997, after completing his education in the US, Nikhil joined the family business. At this time, his grandfather's company - Escorts Group - was facing competition and seeing diminishing returns in the market. Nikhil joined his father in reviving the family business. Initially serving as Director, Nikhil was promoted to Joint Managing Director in 2007, and took over the reigns of the company after his father's death in 2013. Since then, the businessman has expanded Escorts into a multinational corporation.

Nikhil Nanda with father Rajan Nanda.
Nikhil Nanda with father Rajan Nanda.

In 2021, Escorts Limited entered into a collaboration with Kubota Corporation. The following year, the company was renamed Escorts Kubota Limited with Nihkil as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD). According to multiple sources, as of April 2025, the market cap of Escorts is over $4.1 billion (around 36,000 crore). The company reported an annual revenue of $1.1 billion ( 9200 crore) in FY 2024.

  • Abhimanyu Mathur
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Abhimanyu Mathur

    Abhimanyu Mathur is Deputy Editor, Entertainment at Hindustan Times. With almost 15 years of experience in writing about everything from films and TV shows to cricket matches and elections, he inhales and exhales pop culture and news. Currently, he watches movies and TV shows and talks to celebrities for a living, while occasionally writing about them as well. A journalism graduate of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Delhi University, Abhimanyu began his career with Hindustan Times at the age of 20, swapping classrooms for newsrooms at an early age. He began his journey in the early days of digital journalism, later switching to the madness of print journalism. Work has led him to far off places like Japan and Jordan, as well as to the interiors of Haryana and the Indo-Pak border. He dabbled in city reporting in places like Meerut, Gurgaon, and Delhi, covered the Olympics and Cricket World Cups, before finding his calling in entertainment and lifestyle during the pandemic. A Rotten Tomatoes Certified Film Critic, he is equally at home covering stories on ground as he is interviewing celebrities and studios, and sometimes prefers to shepherd teams in delivering traffic through the day. Even as his role has evolved from reporter to supervisor over the years, his first love remains writing (and of late, talking on camera). With a good understanding of cinema and its trends, and a keen eye for detail, he continues to spark conversations around showbiz for readers around the world.Read More

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