A look at the Kapoor clan: Part 1 - Prithvi Raj Kapoor

Mumbai: Let's begin with the first family of Bollywood - the Kapoors.The face of Bollywood classic 'Mughal-E-Azam'; Prithvi Raj Kapoor was not only the patriarch of the five generations of 'Kapoor Khandaan', but also the doyen of Mumbai film industry. Fondly called 'Papaji', the legendary actor was born on 3rd November, 1901 in Lyallpur, now in Pakistan. Prithviraj Kapoor made his acting debut during the silent films era. His first shot at fame was a supporting role in first Indian talkie 'Alam Ara', India's first talkie.This talented young man was the discovery of his Professor Jai Dayal and his lady love Nora Richard during his college days while he was studying law.This mulitilingual man knew several languages - English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati and Hindko. Before moving in to Bombay (know Mumbai), he married Ramasarni Mehta and fathered three children, Ranbirraj Kapoor, Nandiraj Kapoor, and Deviraj Kapoor.Soon after his wife along with his three sons came in to join him in Mumbai, hoping to have a prosperous future.His wife Ramsarni Mehta was born on 25th December. She was fondly called 'Chaiji' by her loved one. Soon this happiness was short-lived, as during the birth of his fourth child i.e Shammi Kapoor, he lost two of his sons, Nandiraj and Deviraj, who died within a week of each other. The couple were heart broken with the sudden deaths of their children.Prithvi Raj's enactment of Alexander, the Great, in Sohrab Modi's sikander won him wide acclaim at a global level.His close friendship with Pandit Jawahar lal Nehru was much talked about, but the man never took the advantage of his friendship with him to start-up his dream project 'Prithvi Theatre'.Later his son Shashi Kapoor and his wife Jennifer took the sinking ship of Prithvi Theatre and gave it a permanent home along with their foundation ' Shakespearana'.At the time of her husband's death in hospital, she refused to leave their bedroom saying she wants to reminisce the times she spent with her husband.Trivia:Pritvi Raj always wanted to study law but was also very active in theatre. On constant persuasion from his professor, he dropped Law, after one year of his studies and went on to become an actor in Bombay.He was 17 when he got married to his wife Ramsarni , who was just 14 at the time of their marriage.The couple were proud parents of 5 children, Ranbirraj Kapoor, Nandiraj Kapoor, Deviraj Kapoor, Shamsherraj Kapoor, Urmila Kapoor, and Balbirraj Kapoor.Two of his children, Nandiraj Kapoor, and Deviraj Kapoor died within a week. Deviraj Kapoor died of double-pneumonia, while Nandiraj Kapoor died soon after consuming rat-poison pills strewn in the garden.His wife was pregnant with their fourth child Shammi Kapoor during the death of his 2nd and 3rd child.He considered Indira Gandhi as his niece and treated her as her own daughter. He was always a strong pillar of support for Indira after Jawaharlal Nehru's death.Prithvi Raj and his wife both died of cancer and like their children. Both died within a fortnight of each other.Watch out the next in Kapoor Clan!!