Not Rajesh Khanna, Dilip Kumar, Rajinikanth, Shah Rukh Khan, this man was India’s first superstar, worked in many hit films, his name is ..

This actor has the record of 50 box office hits, a milestone that neither his children nor grandchildren have been able to surpass.

Written by: Onam Gupta

Published: November 7, 2024, 1:44 PM IST

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https://www.india.com/entertainment/not-rajesh-khanna-dilip-kumar-rajinikanth-shah-rukh-khan-this-man-was-indias-first-superstar-worked-in-many-hit-films-his-name-is-prithvi-raj-kapoor-7376798/ Copy

Not Rajesh Khanna, Dilip Kumar, Rajinikanth, Shah Rukh Khan, this man was India's first superstar, worked in many hit films, his name is ..

This determined young man in 1992 entered the office of Bombay’s leading film company and managed to wangle a job as an unpaid extra. We are talking about the legendary actor Prithvi Raj Kapoor, the role he held for just 10 days-only to be signed as the hero of  the next film on the eleventh day.

Born in 1906, Prithviraj Kapoor began acting in the theatres of Lyallpur and Peshawar in the undivided India of the 1920s. In 1928, he moved to Bombay and began acting in films. Initially, he only did minor roles before bagging a lead role in Cinema Girl, released in 1930.

Prithviraj’s first claim to fame was playing the villain in India’s first talkie-Alam Ara (1931) but it was with the 1993 hit Rajrani Meera, that he rose to stardom. Later on, he went on to appear in big films like Vidyapati and Sikandar.

By 1944, he established Prithvi Theatres and gradually stepped back from films. Over the next 16 years, Prithvi Theatres delivered 2600 performances across India. During this time, he did only supporting roles in handful films such as Awara.

By late-1950s, Prithviraj had returned full-time to film acting, gaining huge success and fame as Emperor Akbar in Mughal-e-Azam. It was the highest grossing film ever. Apart from that, the actor starred in hit films like Harishchandra Taramati, Maharathi Karna, Bidyapati, Anand Math, Sikandar-e-Azam and more.

In the mid-1950s, Prithviraj Kapoor cut down on film work after his sons-Raj, Shammi and Shashi took over the acting mantle. Over dozen of his grandkids and great grandkids are also successful actors now-including Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor and Karisma Kapoor. However, none of them have managed to surpass their great grandfather or grandfather record of over 50 box office hits.