Who was Nirmal Kapoor, the woman who raised one of Bollywood’s most famous families?

New Delhi, 3 April 2025

Actor Anil Kapoor’s mother, Nirmal Kapoor, passed away in Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital at the age of 90, last night. While her death brought together many prominent faces from the film industry at the Kapoor residence, several people who heard her name for the first time were left wondering who she was and whether she, too, had a career in cinema.

She was the wife of renowned film producer and former Film & Television Producers Guild of India president Surinder Kapoor. Surinder Kapoor was a member of the generation that worked behind the scenes to influence commercial Hindi cinema, producing several Hindi films in the 1960s and 1970s. The Kapoor family, however, is not related to the Raj Kapoor, Prithviraj Kapoor lineage.

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Throughout her life, Nirmal Kapoor avoided the spotlight. She was rarely seen at industry events and maintained a private, low-profile existence, even as her family became a well-known name in Bollywood. She dedicated her life to her family and household, and raised three sons — Boney Kapoor, a film producer; Anil Kapoor, an actor; and Sanjay Kapoor, also an actor.

The younger generation of the family includes her grandkids, Arjun Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor, and Shanaya Kapoor, many of whom are currently involved in the entertainment industry and public life.

Though not a public figure herself, Nirmal Kapoor was the central figure in a family that has contributed to Indian cinema for over five decades. Her death marks the passing of a generation that witnessed the industry’s transformation from the studio era to modern-day Bollywood.

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For those hearing her name for the first time, Nirmal Kapoor may not be found in film credits or interviews, but her influence is evident in the lives and careers of the many actors and filmmakers who call her ‘maa’ and ‘dadi’.