Randhir appeared as a child artist in Shree 420 (1955) and Do Ustad (1959). He became assistant director with the film Jhuk Gaya Aasman, with Rajendra Kumar in 1968. Randhir Kapoor made his debut as an actor and director with Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971), who also played with his wife, father and his grandfather. The film, produced under the R.K banner, was an average success.
After his debut, he played in three consecutive blockbuster films, all released in 1972: Jeet, Raampur Ka Lakshman and Jawani Diwani.Jawani Diwani was one of this year's biggest hits. Raampur Ka Lakshman played Shatrughan Sinha and Rekha, and was directed by Manmohan Desai, with music by R. D. Burman. Randhir and Babita were paired together at Jeet after their marriage. Jeet was the remake of the Tamil film In Annan with Mr. G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa in the lead roles.
After Jeet's success, Randhir decided to make a remake of another MGR film. Then, in 1973, Rickshawkaran, MGR's blockbuster movie, was redone in Hindi in 1973 with Randhir as the main hero against director K. Shankar's new heroine Neetu Singh, but the film collapsed as his music was popular. In 1974, he had two big hits - Hamrahi and the movie of two heroes Haath Ki Safai.
In 1975, he directed and played alongside his father again in the critically acclaimed Dharam Karam, which was a box office disappointment. Over the years, this film has developed a cult status and is considered a classic. Two of his other films, Lafange and Ponga Pandit, were successful that year. From 1976 to 1981, his multi-star films such as Chacha Bhatija (1977), Kasme Vaade (1978),Mama Bhanja, Heeralal Pannalal, Dhyanu Bhagat known as Bhakti Mein Shakti and Biwi-O-Biwi: The Fun-Film, were also hits. After the failure of the Harjaee of 1981, he had few offers to play or play in movies. His film Nikkamma, begun in 1976, finally released in 1983 under the name of Janejaan, was also a failure.
The song composed by RD Burman, and sung by Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle - "Tere Bina Mein Kuch Bhi Nahin Hoon" of the delayed film Janejaan was popular in 1983. He starred in Sawaal and Pukar in 1983, and received critical praise for his performances, but they flopped nonetheless. In the same year, Humse Na Jeeta Koi received medium collections. His last film as a lead actor was Khazana in 1987, after which he did not appear in a film for a decade.
In 1991, he directed and produced the blockbuster Henna (1991), starring his younger brother, Rishi Kapoor, and the Pakistani actress Zeba Bakhtiar. The film began producing in 1988 with his father Raj Kapoor, but after his death, Randhir took the direction of the film. Henna led a trip to Pakistan, where he was treated royally by then-president Nawaz Sharif, a fan of his father Raj and his uncles Shammi and Shashi.
He has been nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Director. The film was chosen as the Indian submissions for the Oscar. In 1996, he produced PremGranth, the first film of his younger brother Rajiv, and in 1999 Aa Ab Laut Chalen, the first film of his brother Rishi, with Rajesh Khanna, Aishwarya Rai and Akshaye Khanna in lead roles. |
