Widely celebrated for his simplicity and straightforwardness, Shekhar Kapur is arguably India’s one of the finest storytellers in the country. Always ahead of the time, the actor turned director made very few films but all of them are standing proudly for etching their mark in the history of the film industry. Despite being the nephew of legendary Hindi cinema actor Dev Anand, the filmmaker was discouraged by his father to step into the Indian film industry and initially worked as an accountant and consultant for many years until he finally listened to his heart. And indeed it was one of the wisest decisions Shekhar Kapur has made. Therefore on the occasion of the filmmaker’s 77th birthday let’s take a look at some of his historic and unforgettable directions:
Masoom
Venturing into filmmaking in 1983, Shekhar Kapur marked his directorial debut with Masoom. Noted for its superior cinematography, intelligent narrative, and fine performances, Masoom was an adaptation of Erich Segal’s popular novel Man, Woman, and Child and featured a stellar cast of Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, and Supriya Pathak. Mohabbatein fame Jugal Hansraj and actress turned politician Urmila Matondkar also appeared in the movie but as child artists.
Mr. India
After giving a much-appreciated directorial debut, Shekhar Kapur became an overnight sensation by giving India one of its most successful superhero films of that time. Its out-of-the-box special effects and fun-filled narrative, which created Shekhar Kapur’s reputation as a technically savvy filmmaker with a flair for storytelling. In addition to giving Bollywood it’s one of the iconic jodi Anil Kapoor and Sridevi, Shekhar Kapur gave Bollywood one of the most fascinating villains Mogambo (Amrish Puri).
Bandit Queen
India’s official entry to the 67th Academy Awards, bagging National Awards and Filmfare awards and bringing much international acclaim to its filmmaker, Bandit Queen is considered the finest work by Shekhar Kapur. Featuring Seema Biswas in the titular character, the hard-hitting drama narrates the life of former activist and politician Phoolan Devi, who was assassinated in 2001.
Elizabeth
Proving to be a game-changer film for Australian actress Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth was a 1998 English feature film that traces the initial years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign. Highlighting the struggles of the English monarch, Elizabeth earned immense critical acclaim and Oscar nominations in several categories. The movie was loved so much that Shekhar Kapur went on to make its sequel in 2007 titled Elizabeth: The Golden Age, for which Cate won her Academy Award nomination for best actress for this film.
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