In several of his interviews, the 'Animal' actor described himself as "the most educated" in the Kapoor family.
All those debates and arguments about nepotism don’t hold up when it comes to Ranbir Kapoor. He is a genuine talent, and it goes without saying that he would have achieved the same stardom even without his famous surname. Whether it's 'Raajneeti', 'Rockstar', 'Barfi!', 'Tamasha', 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani', 'Jagga Jasoos', 'Sanju', or his latest release, 'Animal' - the actor has consistently delivered great performances, while his filmography stands as an inspiration for every budding actor! What particularly sets him apart from his peers is he is little concerned about maintaining his commercial appeal, and hence, never shies away from experimenting with his roles.
Born on September 28, 1982, Kapoor has come a long way, and how! Today, as the actor turns 42, we share an interesting fact about him that you probably didn't know.
The Kapoor family has been instrumental in shaping Bollywood since its classic era. Ranbir Kapoor's great-grandfather Prithviraj Kapoor, grandfather Raj Kapoor, father Rishi Kapoor, and other relatives were all actors. However, as the 'Animal' actor shared in several of his interviews, "education has never been their strong suit".
The Kapoors
In fact, what many don't know is that the 42-year-old actor is the first male from his family to finish college. In his words, "My family’s history isn’t that good. My father failed in 8th grade, my uncle in 9th, and my grandfather in the 6th grade. I am actually the most educated member of my family."
As a kid, Kapoor studied at the Bombay Scottish School in Mumbai. He has revealed in several of his interviews that he wasn't much into academics. He passed the class 10th board examination by securing 53.4 percent marks. However, he performed better in sports, especially football.
He completed his pre-university education (in accounting) at the H.R. College of Commerce and Economics. After that, he moved to New York to do a filmmaking course at the School of Visual Arts, New York. He then pursued method acting at the prestigious Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.
Ranbir Kapoor with his daughter Raha Kapoor and wife Alia Bhatt
Notably, while studying at the LSTFI, he directed as well as starred in two short films, titled 'Passion to Love' and 'India 1964'. It was while studying here that he decided to become an actor.
As already mentioned, the actor scored 53.4 percent in his 10th exams. But it was such a big deal for his family that they threw a huge party for him.
Ranbir Kapoor with his parents, Nitu Kapoor and late Rishi Kapoor
As he shared during an interaction with Instagram influencer Dolly Singh’s character ‘Raju ki mummy,’ "When my results came, my family was so happy that they kept a huge party for me. They had no expectations.”
After completing his 10th exam, Kapoor worked as an assistant director to his father, Rishi Kapoor, on the film 'Aa Ab Laut Chalen' (1999).
Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, where Kapoor studied method acting, is a remarkably prestigious institute in the US. Some of its notable alumni are Christoph Waltz, Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson, and Chris Evans.
Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor in a still from 'Saawariya'
Upon returning to Mumbai from New York City, Kapoor started working as an assistant director to Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the 2005 film 'Black'. In 2007, he made his acting debut with Bhansali's tragic romance, 'Saawariya'. The rest, as they say, is history!
Happy Birthday, Mr. Kapoor. Thanks For All The Amazing Films!
