Showbiz Siblings

The Roy Kapurs grew up in a liberal and creative atmosphere in an upper middle-class family in Mumbai’s Cuffe Parade. Their father is an armyman-turned-businessman,while their mother Salome Aaron,the winner of Miss India 1972 title,is a dancer by profession. The three brothers were inspired by their mother even though she did not influence their choice of career. “As a child,I remember mom choreographing fashion shows. But we were not in touch with the film industry,” says Siddharth.

However,all three seemed to have borrowed the love for cinema from their paternal grandfather,Raghupath Roy Kapur,who came to Mumbai from Lahore in the ’50s and spent his fortune on making four feature films. “It is the legend of the family,” says Kunaal,adding,“That was the only filmi connection we had while growing up. However,we haven’t seen any of my grandfather’s films,because we couldn’t get our hands on it.” But they do have with them a finished script,the list of actors and a business plan for a film,which their grandfather never managed to make.

Of the three brothers,Siddharth was the only one who was bitten by the Bollywood bug early on in life. He was an Amitabh Bachchan “devotee” and made sure he watched every film that released in the ’70s and the ’80s. “I even remember going to Minerva with my maternal grandfather,rolling on the floor and crying my heart out when we did not get the tickets,and then forcing my grandfather to buy the tickets in black,” he recalls. Kunaal was interested in films too,but mostly Hollywood fare. Aditya was far removed from films or showbiz. He loved his sports — cricket and football — and music.

How the three brothers happened to come together in the same industry,is something even they find hard to comprehend. After doing theatre in school,Siddharth went on to do his MBA at Jamnalal Bajaj Institute. Soon after,he worked with Procter & Gamble,and then Star Network in Dubai and Hong Kong. It was when Ronnie Screwvala,founder and CEO of UTV group,was extending his company to set up India’s first professional movie studio,that he asked Siddharth to join him. “I had interned with UTV when I was in college. I was happiest when he offered me the job,because movies are something I have wanted to be associated with.” For Kunaal,who followed in his brother’s footsteps,and did theatre,his first break came in the television show Just Mohabbat. “However,I did not want to be an actor. I thought I would be a photographer,and do theatre on the side. But life took a turn when The President is Coming,a play directed by me,was made into a film,” he says. Aditya’s fortunes changed when he auditioned for Channel V and shot to fame as a VJ. It is then that Vipul Shah called him to audition for London Dreams.

Today,the three brothers are busy with their respective lives,doing what they love most. But meeting their parents every Sunday and having a meal with them is sacrosanct. “All we do is eat and talk,” says Kunaal.

Siddharth says they have one person to thank for all their achievements. “If my grandfather hadn’t moved to Mumbai,we all wouldn’t be here. It is rather strange how one man’s dream or obsession repeats with the next generation,” he says.