India's most successful star kid gave two blockbusters at 25, biggest overseas hit; bigger than Ranbir, Hrithik, Salman

Star kids are often criticised and even ridiculed for apparently how ‘easy’ they have it in the film world. While that may be partially true when it comes to getting one’s foot through the door, sustained success almost always comes with talent and hardwork, rather than ‘connections’. The biggest example of this is one man, who had connections in Bollwyood but rose through the ranks on his own, becoming arguably the most successful star kid in Indian cine history.

India’s most successful star kid is...

The doyen of the Kapoor family – Raj Kapoor – is often regarded as the first and most successful star kid in Indian cinema. Raj Kapoor was born to actor Prithviraj Kapoor, himself a big name in Indian cinema. Prithviraj was the villain in India’s first talkie Alam Ara and went on to appear in blockbusters like Sikandar, Mughal-e-Azam, Kal Aaj Aur Kal and many more. Raj, his oldest son, began his journey as an actor in his early 20s in 1946, before finding success a couple of years later. Raj Kapoor went on to have one of the most successful careers in Indian cinema, delivering multiple hits as an actor and director and earning the moniker – Showman of the Millennium.

Raj Kapoor’s almost unbreakable records at box office

1949 was when Raj Kapoor stamped his authority on the box office. Within the space of a month, he gave two films that both broke the record for being the highest-grossing Indian film ever – Andaz and Barsaat. The actor was just 25 at this point of time. Two years later, he starred in his biggest hit – Awara. The film was a blockbuster in India but more importantly, broke new ground overseas, becoming a sensation in Russia and remaining India’s biggest overseas hit for three decades.

How Raj Kapoor trumps Hrithik, Ranbir, and Salman

Among other successful star kids, Raj Kapoor has an enviable record at the box office. He gave 5 blockbusters and 12 other hits, for a total of 17 hits as a lead actor. Hrithik Roshan with 14 hits and Ranbir Kapoor with 12 are still behind him. Salman Khan is ahead of him in the hit count but with many more films. However, Raj Kapoor beats Salman as a producer and director. The multifaceted artiste directed several hits and laid the foundation of RK Films, a banner that was at the forefront of groundbreaking content in Hindi cinema.