This man was the first hero from the Kapoor family, who gave more hits than Raj Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor but is largely forgotten today
The Kapoor family has often been referred to as Indian cinema’s first family. There are other film families with more stars, many with greater wealth, and some even with greater success in their respective industries. But none have had the longevity and impact that the Kapoors have had on Indian pop culture for over eight decades now. Most members of the clan are legit superstars but a few have slipped under the radar. One cruelly so despite getting fame and success early on. This is the story of Trilok Kapoor, the first Kapoor hero, who became the industry’s top star and then faded into obscurity.
1. Who was Trilok Kapoor?
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While Prithviraj Kapoor was the first from his family to enter films in the 1920s, his younger brother Trilok followed him into film in 1933. A 21-year-old Trilok made his debut as a lead in Char Darvesh, before co-starring with his brother in Seeta the same year
2. Kapoor family’s first hero
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Whereas Prithviraj mostly played villains and supporting characters but Trilok became a hero. By the late 1930s, he established himself as one of the top stars in Hindi cinema
3. How Trilok Kapoor became Bollywood’s top star
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In the 1930s and 40s, he was among the biggest names in Hindi cinema and was one of the highest paid stars, alongside KL Saigal, Ashok Kumar, Karan Dewan, and Prithviraj himself. In 1947, he established himself as arguably the top hero in the industry with the smash hit Mirza Sahiban opposite Noor Jehan
4. How Trilok Kapoor beat Raj Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor
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The most successful phase of Trilok’s career came in the 50s when he starred in several hits in the spiritual and mythological genre. He delivered 30 hits, way more than even Raj Kapoor (17) and Ranbir Kapoor (11)
5. Why Trilok Kapoor was never a superstar
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Given that many of Trilok’s later films were small-budget mythological films, he was never a big name in mainstream cinema. So even though he delivered hits, he wasn’t as ‘bankable’ as his contemporaries like Ashok Kumar
6. Trilok Kapoor’s later career
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After the 1960s, Trilok Kapoor switched to character roles and cameos. He played small roles in hits like Jai Santoshi Maa, Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki, Dostana, and Ganga Jamunaa Saraswati. He died in 1988 at the age of 76
