Ram Kapoor is an Indian television actor noted particularly for his portrayal of Jai Walia on Kasamh Se and for his character, Ram Kapoor, in Bade Achhe Lagte Hain. He rose to prominence as the host of Rakhi Ka Swayamwar.
He is the only actor to win the Indian Telly Awards for best actor consecutively. Kapoor has acted in five Hindi movies in supporting roles.
Background
Ram Kapoor was born into a Punjabi Brahmin Khatri family in New Delhi, India, to Ranjan Kapoor, an advertising and marketing executive and Rita Kapoor a homemaker. He grew up in Mumbai, India, where his family moved soon after his birth. Ram has a younger sister, Aruna.
Career
Ram Kapoor made his Televison debut with a critically acclaimed television serial called Nyay in 1997. Though the show did not gain popular recognition, Ram Kapoor’s work was appreciated and he had many offers pouring in. After that Ram Kapoor took up three more shows Heena (1998), Sangharsh (1999) and Kavita (2000).
In Kavita Ram played Rishi Grover opposite Smriti Irani. This was his first association with Balaji Telefilms. In 2000, Ram Kapoor once again teamed up with Balaji Telefilms to act in Ghar Ek Mandir. The show garnered a lot of popularity. He also worked with Amir Raza Hussein once again when he became a part of the largest theatrical show in India, compromising of 140 actors. The show ran for 10 days in New Delhi as a tribute to the heroes of the Kargil War. Ram played five different characters with aplomb, the show was called The Fifty Days of War-Kargil. This was his first and only theater experience.
In 2001, Ram Kapoor was seen in Rishtey and Kabhi Aaye Na Judaai. This also marked his Bollywood debut in a small role in the film Monsoon Wedding where he performed on the song “Chunari chunari”. In 2002, he played a lawyer named Jai Singh in the serial Kehta Hai Dil. In the year 2003 he appeared in Dhadkan, a medical drama in which he portrayed Dr. Rajeev Agarwal, the head psychiatrist. Ram was also seen in Awaaz Dil Se Dil Tak. On the big screen, Ram was seen in the critically acclaimed Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, a sociopolitical drama where Ram Kapoor portrayed Arun Mehta a man who faces emotional turmoil in the different stages of his life.
After Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi Ram Kapoor did Bali (2004), a telefilm in which he played Prithvi Singh. In 2004, he was seen in Mansha, where he played Vinay, the husband of the lead character. In 2005, Ram Kapoor was seen in three Hindi movies, Devaki, Kal: Yesterday and Tomorrow and Missed Call. All the three movies underwent major financial failures practically ending his film career.
2006 was the breakthrough year for Ram Kapoor, when he paired up once again with Balaji Telefilms for the Zee TV serial Kasamh Se, a love story in which Ram essayed the role of Jai Walia, a rich, suave, sophisticated, ruthless and arrogant business tycoon. For this role he received numerous awards, along with critical acclaim and popular recognition.
In 2007, Ram Kapoor joined Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi as Jas Thakral. In 2009, he starred in the show Basera, a show that deals with the issues facing the elder population of India. 2009 also saw him in two reality shows, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa as a participant and Rakhi Ka Swayamwar as a host.
Besides Basera, Ram Kapoor appeared in minor roles in two films in 2010. The first was Karthik Calling Karthik where he played the role of Kamath. The second, Udaan, was a parallel cinema by the award-winning director Anurag Kashyap, in which Ram Kapoor was seen as Jimmy Singh. Also Ram hosted the hit television reality show Rahul Dulhaniya Lejayega. Later in the year Ram advertised for ‘Save Fuel and Money’ advertisement.
Currently, Ram Kapoor plays the lead role of Ram Kapoor in the popular and award winning Televison drama Bade Acche Lagte Hai opposite Sakshi Tanwar.