December 14 marks the 92nd birth anniversary of Raj Kapoor. A producer, director and actor with more than 70 films to his credit, Bollywood’s Show Man has an equally enviable list of recognitions to his name, including nine Filmfare Awards, the Padma Bhushan in 1971 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1987.
Kapoor was even twice nominated for the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for Awaara (1951) and Boot Polish (1954). Time magazine ranked his performance in Awaara as one of the top 10 greatest performances of all time.
Versatile and a maverick, Raj Kapoor is known as much for his own prowess as an actor and director as he is for getting the best of his colleagues. He went on to become the first in Indian cinema to have his heroines showcase their bodies in sensuous frames.
From Vyjanthimala (Sangam) to Zeenat Aman (Satyam Shivam Sundaram) and Simi Garewal (Mera Naam Joker), Kapoor not only managed to convince everyone for some skin show, but was also appreciated for the aesthetic portrayal his leading women.
