A Contribution by Joy J. Kaimaparamban, author of The Ayurvedic Healer. For more information see also his website at http://www.kaimaparamban.com/.
Prithwiraj Kappoor was a great Artiste who had expired in the age of 66. In the outstanding film Mugal-E-Aasam, he acted the role of Akbar. No film lover can forget such films of him.
He was born in 1906 November 3 in Peshwar, which is now a part of Pakistan. His father was a Police Officer. Due to the death of his mother in his age of 3, he was fallen into solitude.
Under the care of his grandfather he was spending his days. The grandfather had taught his grandson about the values of any kind of works.
When Prithwi was studying in the Anglo-Vernacular District Board Middle School of Saamundi he could appear in a drama stage. It was a play based on Ramayana. Then he acted in ‘Harischandra’ play.
In his childhood Prithwi was an athlete too. He could get several prizes connecting with it. But his heart had filled with the ambition of becoming a good actor.
He passed the matriculation with a first class, which proved that he was not backwards in the matter of studies.
In the age of 17 he got married. That event did not affect any of his progress. He passed B.A. Degree with a second class. After it, he had wished to become a lawyer by entering in B.L. Class. But his main dream was haunting him. Off and on he acted in plays which caused the failure in B.L. examination. It had made a change in his lifestyle. He wished to establish a drama troop for performing good plays. Financial tightness was the main problem. He used his time for learning about different kind of aspects of acting. For his luck he was with a good physique. And his sound was fit for an actor. He was able to control his voice. He could easily act any role and he was very sincere with his work. Prithwi decided to have accepted acting as his profession. But it was not so easy as he had thought about it.
In the time of the starting of making non-speaking films in Kolkatta, Prithwi happened to reach there. He got some roles in the non-speaking films. As they had bored him, he left for Mumbai and became an extra-actor in Imperial Studio. From 1929 to 1932, he was there. He acted as the main role in the film ‘Cinema Girl’. The famous actor of that period Ermaline was his Heroine.
By the completion of 1931 he could act in 9 non-speaking films. In such films he had to express all the emotions and thoughts of the characters through mimes.
Imperial Studio had been in the effort of making talkie films. The first speaking film ‘Aalam Aara’ was made in 1931 and the main role was given to Prithwi Raj Kappor. When the film was released, people thronged to the talkies where the film had been showing.
In the period of six years between 1933 and 1939 Prithwiraj Kapoor could act in the films of famous New Theaters of Kolkatta. So many great persons were his co-workers as Devaki Bose, P.C. Baruva, Bimal Roy, K.L. Saigal, Durga Khote and the like. He acted in more than twelve films of New Theaters. In 1939 he reached Mumbai leaving Kolkatta. The famous Prithwiraj Kapoor was warmly welcomed by the Mumbai film world. He acted in ‘Rajanarthaki’ (The Queen of Dancing), EK Raath (One Night), Ishaara and such films, which had become very famous.
He established a professional troop in 1944 under the title ‘Prithwi Theaters’ which performed a lot of plays travelling throughout India for 16 years. His aim was the unity of Hindus and Muslims. It was a period of ‘Religious Fundamentalists’. Prithwiraj Kapoor’s effort could make effective changes. He was a supporter of poor people. He used to send money for such ones.
His last film was ‘Kal Aaaj Aur Kal’ (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow) which was made by his grandson Randheer Kappor. In that film all the Kapoor family members were actors.
Prithwiraj Kapoor had acted in more than 75 films including a Kannada one. His children Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor and Sasi Kapoor too became famous in the Hindi film world. More members of the Kapoor famly are in this field with shining celebrity.
For more information on the topic see also:
The Ayurvedic Healer
by Joy J. Kaimaparamban
Set in the intriguing atmosphere of India in the early 20th century, full of mysticism, love, compassion, and political drama, The Ayurvedic Healer tells the story of Madhavan Namboodiri, a physician practicing an ancient medical science, and his enduring love for Rosilie. By healing the underprivileged, regardless of their civilian and religious status, touching the untouchables, he follows his beliefs and disobeys the rules of his society. His life story is set in the background of India’s struggle for freedom, the communist revolt in the Southern State of Kerala, social advancement, and the emergence of new societies. The Ayurvedic Healer sweeps the reader into an exotic place and time, rendering an intimate experience through sharing Madhavan Namboodiri’s life and love.
Joy J. Kaimaparamban is not only a passionate story teller. He envisions people and events, past or present, in his native India as material for unwritten works. These visions and the ability to transform them into fascinating stories about his country is a trademark of his novels. [More information...]
The Ayurvedic Healer ia available through Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Barnes & Noble, and any other good bookstore.
