Anil Kapoor was born in 1959 in Tilak Nagar, a Punjabi-speaking individual who grew up in a chawl with his family, comprising his parents Surinder and Nirmal, also known as Suchitra Kapoor, and his three siblings, elder brother Boney, sister Reena, and younger brother Sanjay. Their father used to be the secretary of the renowned actor Shammi Kapoor.
As a child, Anil was a loner with limited friends, studying at the nearby O.L.P.S. (Our Lady of Perpetual Succor) School. He was an ardent fan of Bollywood films, particularly those shown during the Ganesh Maha Utsav every year. His fascination with Raj Kapoor's work significantly influenced his acting career, earning him the reputation as a mimic of the legendary showman.
Anil began his acting career as a child artist with Shashi Kapoor in the lead, but the movie "Tu Payal Main Geet" was never released. After completing his education at St. Xaviers College, he met Mazhar Khan and was eventually kicked out of college due to his lack of attendance. He then attempted to join the Pune Film Institute but failed the written examination, leading him to join Roshan Taneja's Acting School.
Anil's first appearance on the silver screen was in the character role of "Hamhare Tumhare". His first lead role was in "Woh 7 Din", marking the beginning of his successful career. He has acted in almost a hundred movies and has five in production. Additionally, he has produced two movies, "Gandhi My Father" and "Badhaai Ho Badhaai", and has worked as a Casting Director/Outdoor In charge for "Hum Paanch".
In 2008, Anil made his international film debut in Danny Boyle's Academy Award-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire", earning him the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. His performance in the eighth season of the action series "24" received rave reviews from the American press. Globally, Anil Kapoor is one of the most recognized Indian actors.
Anil met Sunita Bhambhani, a wealthy and chic model, in 1984 and married her the same year. They have three children together, including two daughters and a son, Harshvardhan Kapoor. Their elder daughter, Sonam Kapoor, is also an actress, while their younger daughter, Rhea Kapoor, attended school in New York and is now a producer in Mumbai.
