Meet Kapoor family's only member who became graduate, quit Bollywood, 'avoided' Raj Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor because...

The Kapoor family is mighty thrilled to be celebrating superstar Raj Kapoor’s 100th birth anniversary on Saturday, December 14. To honour Raj Kapoor, the family has also organised a film festival which is set to take place this Friday, December 13, in Mumbai. While Ranbir Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, and Karisma Kapoor have all shared their love for their loving patriarch, there is one person, a Kapoor family member away from the limelight, who has shared why he distanced himself from Raj Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor. We are talking about Aditya Raj Kapoor, the son of Shammi Kapoor, Raj Kapoor’s brother who recently revealed that he distanced himself from Raj Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor because he felt like he wasn’t living up to the family’s cinematic legacy.

Away from the limelight, you will be surprised to know that Aditya Raj Kapoor is the only Kapoor family member who not only graduated at the age of 67 but also works as a teacher, away from the family's cinematic heritage. Ranbir Kapoor had once revealed that no man from the renowned Kapoor family had gone beyond class XII in school. Aditya Raj Kapoor was the one who broke this stereotype after he completed his Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in 2023. 

Aditya Raj Kapoor quit Bollywood to become one of the few family members who chose something other than the film industry as a career path. He started his career as an assistant director with his uncle Raj Kapoor for 'Bobby' and continued with films like 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram' (1978), 'Geraftaar' (1985), and 'Saajan' (1991), among others. Aditya Raj Kapoor also worked in a few films but could not establish himself as an actor so he pursued something he was passionate about. 

In a recent interview, Aditya Raj Kapoor revealed this to be one of the reasons why he distanced himself from Raj Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor. Aditya Raj Kapoor felt that he was not living up to his family's legacy in films. In an interview, when Aditya Raj Kapoor was asked why Shammi Kapoor's family stayed away from films and only Shashi Kapoor and Raj Kapoor’s families carried on the family’s legacy, he said, "Well, yes I did stay away. And for years I would avoid meeting Raj Uncle or his son Randhir. (Because I felt that I ran away from the family fold). But I had my reasons for doing something else. Raj uncle had discovered all that was cinematically possible. What would I do new?"

Despite this, Aditya Raj Kapoor only had heartfelt things to say about his uncle and his legacy. 

As for the Raj Kapoor film festival, to celebrate the legend's 100th birth anniversary, the Kapoor family is planning to play  10 of his biggest films. The films include Aag (1948), Barsaat (1949), Awaara (1951), Shree 420 (1955), Jagte Raho (1956), Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960), Sangam (1964), Mera Naam Joker (1970), Bobby (1973), and Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985).