Bloodline of Bollywood’s Kapoors flows from Pakistan’s Hazara region
By Khurram Hashmi
Abbottabad
Renowned showbiz family of India ‘Kapoor’ or Kapur before partition of India might also have its links in the Tanawal belt of Hazara Division.
Kapoor is the sub-caste of Khatri who were settled in the areas of Lower Tanawal in sizeable number before inception of Pakistan in 1947.
Mostly they were settled in areas of Lower Tanawal like Sherwan, Pind Kargu Khan and others. Now these areas are part of District Abbottabad, Hazara Division.
Generally they used to be called as ‘Khatri’ in the area by the local inhabitants. Pind Kargu Khan is situated around 30 kilometre and Sherwan is located 35km away in the west of Abbottabad.
According to sources in school administration of Government High School (GHS) Sherwan some students of Kapoor caste were students of this school when it was founded way back in 1936.
Sundari Devi the daughter of Hari Chand was Kapoor by caste who was enrolled in the school when it was setup during the era of British imperialism in 1936.
During same time another female student of Kapoor family named as Bhajan Koar, the daughter of Ram Siran was also enrolled in the same school. Both these students belonged to Sherwan.
Sarochna Devi daughter of Parthami Chand of Kapoor family was also amongst the initial female students of Government School Sherwan. Sarochna Devi was the resident of Sherwan Kalan.
According to some elderly residents of mentioned areas Kapoors known as Kahtris used to earn their livelihood through different businesses. Mostly they owned retail shops of grocery items. They like other inhabitants used to speak Hindko and followed the same culture which the local inhabitant are still following.
Established in January 1936 as Middle School in the era of British imperialism, the Government High School Sherwan has been producing batches of students who earned name and repute in different walk of life. When it was founded besides Muslim students Hindus and Sikhs students were part of it.
A resident of Pind Kargu Khan, Sherwan,, Abdullah Khan when contacted confirmed that large of Kapoor caste used to live in different areas of Lower Tanawal.
Abdullah who is himself in his 40’s told this scribe that his grandparents used to tell stories of this family mostly revolving around their businesses which they used to run in the area. “After inception of Pakistan all of Kapoor families migrated to India in 1947. My forefathers have told me that before leaving their native area they were badly disturbed and almost all of them had tears in their eyes. After all it was not an easy task to leave the area permanently where someone has born and got deep ties with it,” Abdullah narrates.
Kapoor family needs to visit Sherwan/Pind Kargu Khan: He is not sure whether these Khatris or Kapoors of Tanawal belt had any direct or distant links with the Kapoor family that earned great reputation in showbiz industry of India. “They might have some connection or not at all with them but I am not sure about it. Perhaps they may be distant cousins or something like it,” he states. Kapoors got a name in the world and any member of its family should visit this area when bilateral relations between Pakistan and India get improve, he states.
This is pertinent to mention here that Feroz Khan, another renowned actor of Indian showbiz industry had some direct links with the area of Sherwan. According to some local residents his father was born in Sherwan who later settled in Bangalore, India. Feroz Khan was Tanoli by caste.
Kapoor family’s history: According to the history of Kapoor family available on internet Prithviraj Kapoor was the first from the family to pursue a career in films. Prithviraj Kapoor was born in 1906 in the town of Samundri in Punjab Province.
His father, Basheshwarnath Kapoor, served as a police officer in the Imperial Police in the city of Peshawar while his grandfather, Keshavmal Kapoor, was a Tehsildar in Samundri.
The family eventually migrated to present-day India. All three of Prithviraj Kapoor’s sons, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, and Shashi Kapoor, made careers in the Hindi film industry.
Raj Kapoor also known as “the greatest showman of Indian cinema” became a noted Indian film actor, producer and director of Hindi cinema.
Later on Raj Kapoor’s sons, Randhir Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor, went on to become well-known actors.
Shashi Kapoor’s daughter Sanjana Kapoor also became a film actress, although she had a short career.
Randhir Kapoor is married to Babita. They have two daughters Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor, both of whom have found success in the film industry. Rishi Kapoor was married to actress Neetu Singh, their son, Ranbir Kapoor has established himself as a leading Bollywood actor, and their daughter, Riddhima Kapoor Sahani is a designer.
Nikhil Nanda, son of Ritu Kapoor, Raj Kapoor’s daughter and Rajan Nanda, is married to Shweta Bachchan, daughter of the actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan.
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