Arjun Kapoor (born June 26, 1985) is an Indian actor who works primarily in Hindi films. He is the son of film producer Boney Kapoor and Mona Shourie, and was born into the Surinder Kapoor family. Kapoor made his acting debut in 2012 with the commercially successful drama Ishaqzaade, for which he received several awards, including the Stardust Award for Superstar of Tomorrow - Male. He had more commercial success in 2014 with the films Gunday and 2 States. With the exception of the romantic drama Ki & Ka, this was followed by a string of box-office flops in his career (2016).
Childhood and family
Arjun Kapoor grew up in a Punjabi household. Mona Shourie Kapoor was born on June 26, 1985, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, to film producer Boney Kapoor and entrepreneur Mona Shourie Kapoor. Surinder Kapoor, the filmmaker, is his grandfather. He is the nephew of actors Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Kapoor, as well as producer Sandeep Marwah, and the first cousin of actress Sonam Kapoor, actors Mohit Marwah and Harshvardhan Kapoor, as well as producer Rhea Kapoor. Anshula Kapoor is his younger sister. His stepmother was actress Sridevi, and he has two half-sisters, Khushi and Janhvi Kapoor. When his father divorced his mother, he was 11 years old.
When asked about his father's second marriage during an interview, Kapoor stated, "When we were kids, it was difficult, but what can you do? How long will you complain? You have to accept what is, take it on the chin, and move on." He added, "We don't really meet and spend time together, so it doesn't really exist." His mother passed away in 2012. His relationship with his half-sisters Khushi and Jahnvi improved after Sridevi died in 2018. Kapoor also discussed the bullying he endured following Boney's marriage to Sridevi. Sattee Shourie, his maternal grandmother who was a great support to him, died in 2016.
Kapoor received his education at the Arya Vidya Mandir school in Mumbai, where he stayed until the 11th grade. He dropped out of school after failing his eleventh grade exams. He didn't even finish grade twelve. Kapoor developed obesity in his teens and early twenties and weighed around 140 kg; he later stated that his condition caused him to be "sloppy, grumpy," and "under-confident."
Career
Early work, acting debut, and breakthrough from 2003 to 14
In 2003, Kapoor began his career as an assistant director on Nikhil Advani's Kal Ho Naa Ho. He also worked as an assistant director on Advani's next film, Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love (2007), and as an associate producer on two of his father's films, No Entry (2005) and Wanted (2006). (2009). Kapoor was then signed to a three-film deal with Yash Raj Films, India's leading production company.
In 2011, it was announced that Kapoor would make his film debut with Virus Diwan, produced by Yash Raj Films, which was later shelved. Later, he agreed to star in the company's romantic drama Ishaqzaade (2012) alongside Parineeti Chopra, which tells the love story of a Hindu and Muslim political family's son and daughter, respectively. Kapoor suffered a hamstring spasm while filming a running sequence for the film in Barabanki, but he finished the scene after resting for five minutes. Ishaqzaade was a successful venture, grossing $67 million (US$8.4 million) worldwide, and Kapoor's performance was praised, earning him a Zee Cine Award for Best Male Debut.
Yash Raj Films' next project starring Kapoor was the action thriller Aurangzeb (2013), named after a Mughal emperor of the same name. It co-starred Jackie Shroff, Rishi Kapoor, and Amrita Singh; he portrayed two estranged twin brothers, Ajay and Vishal, who end up in each other's places as part of a massive conspiracy to overthrow their biological father's empire. The New York Times' Rachna Saltz described Kapoor as a "star of an earlier generation" who is "well-cast and matched." The film, however, underperformed at the box office.
In 2014, Kapoor collaborated with Yash Raj Films for the third time on Gunday, a crime action film co-starring Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra. Ali Abbas Zafar directed the film, in which he and Singh played two bandits with a bold attitude who fall in love with a dancer (Chopra). He described his character as "temperamental" and "momentary heat." Anupama Chopra, a film critic, described the film as a "unabashed love letter to the 1970s." Gunday was a commercial success, grossing over 1.3 billion (US$16 million) worldwide.
Following the completion of his three-film deal with Yash Raj Films, Kapoor worked with producers Sajid Nadiadwala and Karan Johar to star opposite Alia Bhatt in a film adaptation of Chetan Bhagat's popular novel 2 States, which was released under the same title. He portrayed Krish Malhotra, an MBA student at IIM Ahmedabad who aspires to be a writer. According to Saurabh Dwivedi, Kapoor "shows his pain through body language but falls short in some scenes opposite his co-star Ronit Roy." The project was well received, receiving critical acclaim, and earning more than 1.75 billion (US$22 million) worldwide, becoming his most commercial success to date. He was nominated for an IIFA Award for Best Actor. His most recent release in 2014 was Homi Adajania's daring satire Finding Fanny, which co-starred Deepika Padukone, Naseeruddin Shah, Dimple Kapadia, and Pankaj Kapur and follows the lives of five dysfunctional people in search of the titular woman.
Career decline from 2015 to the present
In 2015, Kapoor appeared as a Kabaddi player in his father's second younger brother Sanjay's first production Tevar, a remake of the Telugu film Okkadu (2003), alongside Sonakshi Sinha and Manoj Bajpayee. He was the only choice for the part made by director Amit Sharma. The film was critically and commercially unsuccessful upon its initial release.
The following year, Kapoor hosted the seventh season of Colors TV's reality stunts show Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi. In the same year, he co-starred in R with Kareena Kapoor Khan. Balki's satirical comedy-drama Ki & Ka, which is based on gender stereotypes. Kabir Bansal, a stay-at-home husband, was played by Kapoor. Ananya Bhattacharya, writing for India Today, gave the film a negative review, writing that Kapoor "looks like a mouthing sharp." Despite this, the film was a moderate critical success and a commercial success, grossing $1.03 billion.
Half Girlfriend, a teen romantic drama directed by Mohit Suri and based on Chetan Bhagat's novel of the same name, became Kapoor's first film of 2017. He was cast as Madhav Jha, a basketball champion who barely speaks English and becomes attracted to a college girl (played by Shraddha Kapoor) when he enrolls in college. In an interview, Kapoor admitted that despite not having read the novel, he signed on to direct the film. The film was both a critical and commercial flop.
Later that year, Kapoor reprised his role as twin brothers in Mubarakan, a comedy directed by Anees Bazmee in which he co-starred with his uncle Anil Kapoor. Ileana D'Cruz and Athiya Shetty played his characters' love interests in the film. Saibal Chatterjee wrote in her review that Kapoor "displays a comic flair that begs for a better film."
In 2018, Kapoor starred in Namaste England, a spin-off of the romantic comedy Namastey London (2007) directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah. He played a character who falls in love with Parineeti Chopra's aspiring jewelry designer, reuniting with the actress after Ishaqzaade. The film was a box office flop, and NDTV's Saibal Chatterjee concluded his scathing review with the words, "Seriously, one more film of this quality and Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra's careers could be in grave jeopardy. Hopefully, these two young actors know better."
2019 was yet another disappointing year in Kapoor's career, as both of his films were commercial failures. In his first film, the crime drama India's Most Wanted, directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, he played an agent tasked with tracking down a terrorist. His next appearance on the big screen was in Ashutosh Gowarikar's period drama Panipat, alongside Sanjay Dutt and Kriti Sanon. Based on the third Panipat battle, it starred him as Maratha emperor Sadashiv Rao Bhau and depicted Bhau's battle against Afghan warrior Ahmed Shah Abdali.
In 2021, Kapoor co-starred in Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, his third film with Parineeti Chopra, which was released on March 19 and bombed at the box office. Kapoor also appeared in Kaashvie Nair's Sardar Ka Grandson, opposite Rakul Preet Singh. In addition, he appeared in the horror comedy film Bhoot Police, alongside Saif Ali Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, and Yami Gautam. Both of his films were made available on Netflix and Disney+ Hotstar.
In 2022, Kapoor co-starred with John Abraham, Disha Patani, and Tara Sutaria in Mohit Suri's Ek Villain Returns, which performed well at the box office.
In 2023, Kapoor starred alongside Tabu, Radhika Madan, and Naseeruddin Shah in Aasmaan Bharadwaj's directorial debut Kuttey, which was released on 13 January and was a commercial failure for Kapoor.
As of January 2023, Kapoor will be seen in The Lady Killer, a Hindi remake of Meri Patni Ka, a Hindi remake of Tamil film Comali, and Siddharth Anand's action thriller Maut, both of which are produced by Aditya Chopra and produced by Yash Raj Films.
Personal life and off-screen activities
Before becoming an actor, Kapoor was in a relationship with Arpita Khan, Salman Khan's sister. He started dating his Tevar co-star Sonakshi Sinha in 2014, but they split up a year later. He has been dating Malaika Arora since 2016.
Kapoor is an avid football fan and a Chelsea F.C. supporter. while also serving as the club's India brand ambassador. Kapoor is a brand and product endorser, and he was a co-owner of the ISL team FC Pune City until it was dissolved in 2019 due to financial and technical difficulties. Philips also appointed him as a brand ambassador. He was also a brand ambassador for Flying Machine and Royal Stag, as well as Hero Cycles, alongside Ranveer Singh. He also endorses Smith & Jones ketchup, condiments, and sauces, as well as Admiral England Sportswear & Sportshoes, as of 2017.
In 2015, Kapoor and Singh co-hosted the IIFA Awards ceremony. He also served as the host of the seventh season of the reality show Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 7.
 | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Kal Ho Naa Ho | — | Assistant director |
| 2007 | Salaam-e-Ishq | — | Assistant director |
| 2012 | Ishaqzaade | Parma Chauhan | |
| 2013 | Aurangzeb | Vishal Singh / Ajay Singh | |
| 2014 | Gunday | Bala Bhattacharya | |
| 2 States | Krish Malhotra | ||
| Finding Fanny | Savio Da Gama | English language Film | |
| 2015 | Tevar | Ghanshyam Shukla | |
| 2016 | Ki & Ka | Kabir Bansal | |
| 2017 | Half Girlfriend | Madhav Jha | |
| Mubarakan | Karanvir Bajwa / Charanvir Bajwa | ||
| 2018 | Bhavesh Joshi | Himself | Special appearance in the song "Chavanprash" |
| Namaste England | Param Randhawa | ||
| Zero | Himself | Cameo appearance | |
| 2019 | India's Most Wanted | Prabhat Kumar | |
| Panipat | Sadashiv Rao Bhau | ||
| 2021 | Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar | Satinder "Pinky" Dahiya | |
| Sardar Ka Grandson | Amreek Singh | ||
| Bhoot Police | Chiraunji Vaidya | ||
| 2022 | Ek Villain Returns | Gautam Mehra | |
| 2023 | Kuttey | Gopal Tiwari | |
| The Lady Killer | TBA | Filming | |
| Meri Patni Ka Remake | TBA | Filming |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 16th IIFA Awards | Host | TV special |
| 2016 | Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 7 | Reality show | |
| 2017 | Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah | Himself | Guest |
| 2018 | Koffee with Karan | ||
| 2021 | Dance Plus (season 6) | ||
| 2022 | Koffee with Karan | Guest | Talk Show |
| Year | Title | Singer(s) | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Dil Hai Deewana | Darshan Raval and Zara Khan | T-Series |
| Year | Award | Category | Film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Bhaskar Bollywood Awards | Fresh Entry of the Year | Ishaqzaade |
| People's Choice Awards India | Favorite Debut Actor (Male/Female) | ||
| BIG Star Entertainment Awards | Most Entertaining Actor (Film) Debut – Male | ||
| 2013 | Filmfare Awards | Best Male Debut | |
| ETC Bollywood Business Awards | Most Profitable Debut (Male) | ||
| Screen Awards | Most Promising Newcomer – Male | ||
| Zee Cine Awards | Best Male Debut | ||
| Stardust Awards | Superstar of Tomorrow – Male | ||
| Renault Star Guild Awards | Best Male Debut | ||
| Times of India Film Awards | Best Debut – Male | ||
| International Indian Film Academy Awards | Best Debut – Male | ||
| 2014 | Stardust Awards | Best Actor – Comedy/Romance | 2 States |
| BIG Star Entertainment Awards | Most Entertaining Actor in a Romantic Film – Male | ||
| Stardust Awards | Best Actor – Thriller/Action | Gunday | |
| BIG Star Entertainment Awards | Most Entertaining Actor in an Action Film – Male |
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Fubbu, Joon |
| Profession | Actor |
| Role Model | Salman Khan |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 183 cm in meters- 1.83 m in feet inches- 6’ |
| Weight (approx.) | in kilograms- 85 kg in pounds- 187 lbs |
| Body Measurements (approx.) | - Chest: 44 inches - Waist: 34 inches - Biceps: 16 inches |
| Eye Colour | Dark Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Physical Transformation | In May 2022, he shared his before and after pictures on Instagram. According to the actor, he achieved this physical transformation in the past 15 months. |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 26 June 1985 |
| Age (as of 2022) | 37 Years |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Zodiac sign | Cancer |
| Signature/Autograph |  |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| School | Arya Vidya Mandir, Mumbai |
| College/University | Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida |
| Educational Qualification | 12th fail |
| Debut | Film: Ishaqzaade (2012) TV: Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi (2016, as host) |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian |
| Address | Raheja Orchid Apartment in Juhu, Mumbai |
| Hobbies | Playing Football & Video Games, Travelling |
| Awards, Honours | 2012: BIG Star Entertainment Award for Most Entertaining Actor (Film) Debut – Male for Ishaqzaade 2013: Zee Cine Award for Best Male Debut, Stardust Award for Superstar of Tomorrow – Male for Ishaqzaade 2014: BIG Star Entertainment Award for Most Entertaining Actor in an Action Film – Male for Gunday |
| Tattoo | On His Right Wrist: "Maa" written in Hindi |
| Girls, Affairs and More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Family | |
| Wife/Spouse | N/A |
| Children | None |
| Parents | Father- Boney Kapoor (Filmmaker) Mother- Late Mona Shourie Kapoor (Biological mother, died in 2012), Sridevi (Actress, Stepmother) |
| Uncle/Aunt | Paternal Uncles- Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor Paternal Aunts- Sunita Kapoor, Maheep Sandhu |
| Siblings | Brother- None Sisters- Anshula Kapoor (Real sister) Jhanvi Kapoor (Half sister), Khushi Kapoor (Half sister) Cousin Brothers- Harshvardhan Kapoor, Jahaan Kapoor, Mohit Marwah Cousin Sisters- Shanaya Kapoor, Rhea Kapoor |
| Favourites | |
| Food | Dirty Chinese, Nutella, Kadi Chawal |
| Beverage | Coffee |
| Actor(s) | Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, Govinda, Saif Ali Khan |
| Actresses | Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor |
| Film(s) | Bollywood: Mr India, Andaaz Apna Apna, Barfi Hollywood: Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Shawshank Redemption, City of God, A Fish Called Wanda |
| Movie Genre(s) | Action, Comedies and Thrillers |
| TV Shows | How to Get Away with Murder, Entourage, Lost |
| Colour | Blue |
| Subject(s) | History and Literature |
| Sport(s) | Football, Cricket |
| Athlete | David Beckham |
| Perfume(s) | Chanel Homme Sport, Tom Ford Black Orchid |
| Outfit(s) | Track Pants and Chappals |
| Team(s) | Mumbai Indians, Chelsea Football Club |
| Car | Aston Martin Rapid |
| Style Quotient | |
| Cars Collection | • Mercedes ML350, • Audi Q5 • Honda CRV • Land Rover Defender • Maserati Levante • Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4Matic SUV |
| Money Factor | |
| Salary (approx.) | INR 5-7 Crore/film |
| Net Worth (approx.) | INR 67 Crore ($10 Million) |
