15 Things You Didn't Know About the Kapoors!

From Prithviraj to Ranbir; the Kapoors are known as the real dynasty in the Indian cinema.

1.Prithviraj Kapoor started off as an extra, the Kapoor patriarch appeared in a supporting role in the first Indian talkie 'Alam Ara' (1931). His first lead role was in Sohrab Modi's 'Sikander' in 1944.

2.Raj's real name was Ranbir, shared by his grandson. Raj was the middle name of all the Kapoor brothers. Shammi's real name was Shamsher Raj and Shashi was really Balbir Raj.

3. R K studios gained success with the release of'Barsaat', and a scene featuring Nargis, Raj and a violin became the RK Films' logo.

4.The scene where Rishi meets Dimple in her house in 'Bobby' was inspired by the real life meeting between Raj Kapoor and Nargis.

5.'Awaara' (1951) was the first movie to feature three generations of Kapoors in its cast - Diwan Basheshwarnath (Raj Kapoor's grandfather), Prithviraj and Raj. In 1971, Randhir Kapoor repeated the formula with 'Kal Aaj Aur Kal' starring himself, dad Raj and grandfather Prithviraj.

6.In the mid '70s, Shashi Kapoor signed almost every film that came his way, in order to raise money for Prithvi's theatre shows. He had so many films at one point of time that he would constantly shuttle between film sets for shoots, and was nicknamed Taxi by elder brother Raj.

7.Rishi Kapoor, Raj Kapoor's second son, made his debut as a toddler in the hit song Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua from 'Shree 420'. Nargis had to bribe little Rishi with chocolates so he would shoot the sequence.

8.Karisma Kapoor was actually the second Kapoor girl in Bollywood. The first was Shashi's daughter Sanjana who made a non-starter debut in 'Hero Hiralal' (1988), opposite Naseeruddin Shah.

9.Karisma's nickname Lolo is a shortened version of Italian star Gina Lollobrigida's last name.

10.Karisma almost didn't get the 'Raja Hindustani' role. It was meant to be Aishwarya Rai's debut, and Karisma only got the role after Ash dropped out for her Miss World commitments. The film became one of the biggest hits of Karisma's career.

11.Kareena Kapoor was named after Leo Tolstoy's book 'Anna Karenina' which her mother Babita was reading while pregnant with her.

12.As a child Kareena used to love going to film sets with her sister Karisma

13.Ranbir Kapoor is a mama's boy. He has Neetu Kapoor on speed dial and she still gives him pocket money - Rs 1500 a week. She calls him Raymond because she thinks he's the perfect man.

14.Ranbir Kapoor chose to study at the Lee Strasberg Institute because it was the alma mater of his favourite actor Al Pacino.

15.Ranbir, who shares his grandfather's real name, has a montage of Raj Kapoor's photos in his room.

masala.com