Pankaj Kapur Reveals Family’s Ancestral Roots in Pakistan’s Hafizabad

MUMBAI: Veteran Indian actor Pankaj Kapur has revealed that his family traces its ancestral roots to Hafizabad, a city in present-day Pakistan. Speaking on the widely followed Indian podcast The Lallantop Show, Kapur shared candid insights into his family’s past, offering a rare look at the historical and cultural ties that continue to connect people across the India-Pakistan border.

Kapur, father of Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor, explained that his grandfather held a transferable job, which meant frequent relocations. However, the family was told that they originally hailed from Hafizabad, where the extended Kapoor family lived together in a joint household.

Delving deeper into his lineage, Kapur disclosed that his father was a renowned writer, public speaker, and editor at Lahore’s prestigious Forman Christian (FC) College, which functioned as a combined Indo-Pak institution before the 1947 Partition. “My father was a great writer and an editor at FC College. He was also a popular speaker and one of the most stylish people of his time,” Kapur recalled with pride.

He clarified that while the family had roots in what is now Pakistan, they did not face displacement during Partition. “We were already living on this side (India) when the Partition happened, so we didn’t face any such problems,” he said in response to host Saurabh Dwivedi’s query about migration during that period.

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The interview not only shed light on the personal history of one of Indian cinema’s most respected artists but also underscored the shared cultural and historical narratives that span across borders.

Kapur’s son, Shahid Kapoor, has emerged as one of the leading actors of contemporary Bollywood, with a string of successful films such as Haider, Kabir Singh, Udta Punjab, and Padmaavat. Despite being born into a family with deep cinematic roots, Shahid has built his own legacy through dedication and talent.

Pankaj Kapur himself boasts an illustrious career in theatre and film, with standout roles in Gandhi, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Mandi, Happi, Jersey, Bheed, and Toba Tek Singh, among many others. Known for his nuanced performances and storytelling depth, Kapur remains a towering figure in Indian cinema, with a career spanning over four decades.