Ekta Kapoor (born 7 June 1975) is an Indian television producer, film producer and director who works in Hindi cinema and soap opera. She is the joint managing director and creative head of Balaji Telefilms Limited, which was founded in 1994. In 2001, Balaji Motion Pictures was launched as a subsidiary company of Balaji Telefilms Limited which is a film production and distribution company. She launched ALT Balaji in April 2017.
Kapoor was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2020 for her work in the field of arts.
Personal life
Ekta Kapoor is the daughter of actors Jeetendra and Shobha Kapoor. Her younger brother, Tusshar Kapoor, is also a Bollywood actor.
Read More: Shraddha Kapoor | Vaani Kapoor
She went to school at Bombay Scottish School, Mahim and attended college at Mithibai College.
Kapoor is not married. She has a son named Ravie Kapoor, born on 27 January 2019 via surrogacy.
Ekta Kapoor Height Weight Age Bra Size Affairs Family Biography
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ekta Ravi Kapoor |
| Profession | TV and Film Producer |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters– 163 cm in meters– 1.63 m in feet inches– 5’ 4” |
| Weight (approx.) | in kilograms– 58 kg in pounds– 128 lbs |
| Figure Measurements (approx.) | 35-28-35 |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | Film: Kyo Kii… Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta (2001) TV: Mano Ya Na Mano (1995) |
| Awards | • Indo-American Society Award for the Most Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur (2010) • Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award for Iconic Film and Television Producer (2012) • IMPACT’s 50 Award for the Most Influential Women in Media, Marketing and Advertising (2016) • Indian Television Academy Award for the Sterling Icon of Entertainment (2017) • Dadasaheb Phalke Excellence Award for Most Inspiring Icon of the Year (2018) • Forbes Tycoon of Tomorrow Award for Icon of Excellence (2018) • Business Today Award for Most Powerful Woman in Indian Business (2019) • Hindustan Times Business Award for Business Icon of Continent (2019) • ET Business Award for Content Creator of the Year (2019) • HT Most Stylish Film Maker of the Year (2019) • Padma Shri (2020) |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 7 June 1975 |
| Age (as of 2023) | 48 Years |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra India |
| Zodiac sign | Gemini |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Mumbai, Maharashtra India |
| School | Bombay Scottish School, Mumbai |
| College/University | Mithibai College, Mumbai |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Caste | Khatri |
| Hobbies | Reading |
| Controversies | • In 2007, Smriti Irani made an exit from Ekta’s serial “Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi” after a clash with Ekta. However, she was later brought back to the serial in 2008 due to fall in the ratings of the show. • Actor Pulkit Samrat who made an exit from the serial “Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi” had some payment issues with Ekta. He filled a case against Balaji Telefilms for not clearing his pending payments and also not allowing him to work on some other projects. • A protest was carried out by the Rajput Kshatriya Akhil Bharatiya Chatariya Sabha against the TV serial “Jodha Akbar” as they thought that false facts were being presented by Ekta in her serial. • Kapoor is often criticised for her dressing style as she flaunts clothes which are either uncomfortable or not appreciated by the people. • Ekta is also criticised for the nudity clause in her contract. she has added the clause to prevent actors backing out from doing any intimate scene or provocative dialogue in the script. • She also had a feud with Rajeev Khandelwal. Khandelwal who came into the limelight with Ekta’s serial “Kahiin Toh Hoga” openly said that he does not need Ekta to become big. The fight worsened when Rajeev made a negative remark on Ekta’s TV programming. However, they patched up after some time. • After the rumours of the film Drishyam’s resemblance to the Japanese Novel ‘The Devotion of Suspect X, Kapoor sent a legal notice to the makers of Drishyam claiming the ownership of its copyrights. This gave rise to many controversies. |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Affairs/Boyfriends | Not Known |
| Family | |
| Children | Son– Ravie (via surrogacy, born in 2019) |
| Parents | Father– Jeetendra (Actor) Mother– Shobha Kapoor (Producer) |
| Siblings | Brother– Tusshar Kapoor (Younger, Actor) Sister– None |
| Favourites | |
| Food | Chocolate |
| Actors | Hrithik Roshan, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan |
| Actresses | Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor, Sakshi Tanwar |
| Director | Wong Kar-Wai |
| Books | The Last Song of Dusk by Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho |
| Colour | White |
| TV Serial | Shameless (USA) |
| Politician | Narendra Modi |
| Style Quotient | |
| Car Collection | • BMW • Mercedes • Ford • Jaguar |
| Assets/Properties | • A luxury flat in Mumbai worth Rs. 7 crore • Balaji Telefilms office in Andheri West, Mumbai • Personal investment Rs. 43 crores |
| Money Factor | |
| Salary/Income (approx.) | Rs. 5.5 crore |
| Net Worth (approx.) | Rs. 85 crore |
Career
Kapoor started her career at the age of 17, interning with advertisement and feature filmmaker Kailash Surendranath. After obtaining financing from her father, she was a producer under her banner Balaji Telefilms. Her initial projects were failures, with six of her pilot episodes being rejected, leading to a total loss of ₹50 lakh (equivalent to ₹1.7 crore or US$210,000 in 2020). In 1995, Mano Ya Na Mano was selected by Zee TV and her music-based show Dhun Dhamaka was chosen by Doordarshan. Her 1995 sitcom, Hum Paanch was her first success.
In the 2000s, the letter ‘K’ became her lucky alphabet and she launched many shows with the first word of every title starting with the same letter, including Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, which broke all records to become the series to attract the highest TRPs in 2000. Other shows beginning with ‘K’ include Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki, Kabhii Sautan Kabhii Sahelii, Kohi Apna Sa, Kaahin Kissii Roz, Kalash, Kasautii Zindagii Kay, Kahiin To Hoga and Kasamh Se. In 2001, she was awarded the title of Best Entrepreneur of the Year.
By July 2001, Kapoor was producing more than 30 hours of television shows per week. 20 of her 34 serials were listed as the most popular serials, across all major TV channels like Zee TV, Sony, Star Plus and Metro. Her projected turnover for 2000–2001 was listed as ₹35 crore (equivalent to ₹118 crore or US$15 million in 2020).
After establishing herself in Hindi TV serials, she began venturing into other regional languages, starting with the Tamil series, Kudumbum. The series became very popular and she then got it dubbed into Telugu and launched it in Hindi as Ghar Ek Mandir. She then ventured into Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati and Bengali languages. As of 2001, Kapoor wrote her own scripts despite having writers working for her, taking an active interest in all stages of production, while her mother, Shobha, handled the accounts.
Kapoor has thus created and produced more than 130 Indian soap operas. Some of her other popular shows include Pavitra Rishta, Bade Acche Lagte Hain, Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, Jodha Akbar, Naagin, Kumkum Bhagya, Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki, Kundali Bhagya, Yeh Hai Chahatein and several others that were credited with starting a new wave on Indian television, leading to her being known as the “Czarina of television” and “the Queen of Indian Television”.
She ventured into Bollywood movie production in 2001 beginning with Kyo Kii… Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta, starring Sushmita Sen and Govinda. Kucch To Hai and Krishna Cottage, based on supernatural themes, followed in 2003 and 2004. The 2005 Kyaa Kool Hai Hum featured her brother Tusshar Kapoor. She then went on to co-produce Shootout at Lokhandwala with Sanjay Gupta. This was followed by Mission Istanbul and EMI – Liya Hai Toh Chukana Padhega in collaboration with Sunil Shetty. None of these films were commercial or critical successes.
Between 2010 and 2014, she produced many unsuccessful films, including Love Sex aur Dhokha, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai, and Shor in the City.
In 2012, Ekta Kapoor started the Institute of Creative Excellence, a media training school through her production house Balaji Telefilms.
Kapoor has also launched a number of TV series online through her digital app ALTBalaji.
Accolades
Kapoor also works on script writing, creative conversion and concept building. Having been chosen as one of 50 of ‘Asia’s Most Powerful Communicators’ by Asia Week magazine in 2001, she has helped launch the careers of many actors and actresses.
She was chosen to lead the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) entertainment committee. The other awards she received are; The Society Achiever Award and The Best Entrepreneur of the Year 2001.
Kapoor is regarded as one of the most powerful ladies in the television industry and is amongst the top 25 woman entrepreneurs of India.
She was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour, in 2020 for her work in the field of arts.
Kapoor has also received awards as the producer of Balaji Telefilms. These include the Indian Television Academy Awards, Indian Telly Awards, Kalakar Awards, Asian Television Awards, Apsara Awards, Zee Rishtay Awards, 3rd Boroplus Awards, New Talent Awards, BIG Star Entertainment Awards, 4th Boroplus Awards, GR8! Women Awards, Asia’s Social Empowerment Awards, Lions Gold Awards, Stardust Awards, Screen Awards, Pune International Film Festival, Zee Gaurav Puraskar, National Media Network Film and TV Awards, the Global Indian Film and TV Honors, and ETC Bollywood Business Awards.
Filmography
The following is the list of motion pictures produced by Kapoor under her banner Balaji Motion Pictures.
Collected Works
Television
The following is the list of Television shows produced by Kapoor under her banner Balaji Telefilms. Note: television series in bold are the shows presently on air.
Movies
The following is the list of motion pictures produced by Kapoor under her banner Balaji Motion Pictures.
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2001 | Kyo Kii… Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta |
| 2003 | Kucch To Hai |
| 2004 | Krishna Cottage |
| 2005 | Kyaa Kool Hai Hum |
| 2005 | Koi Aap Sa |
| 2007 | Shootout at Lokhandwala |
| 2008 | Mission Istanbul |
| 2008 | C Kkompany |
| 2008 | EMI – Liya Hai Toh Chukana Parega |
| 2010 | Love Sex Aur Dhokha |
| 2010 | Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai |
| 2011 | Taryanche Bait |
| 2011 | Shor in the City |
| 2011 | Ragini MMS |
| 2011 | The Dirty Picture |
| 2012 | Kyaa Super Kool Hai Hum |
| 2013 | Ek Thi Daayan |
| 2013 | Shootout at Wadala |
| 2013 | Lootera |
| 2013 | Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai Dobara |
| 2014 | Shaadi Ke Side Effects |
| 2014 | Ragini MMS 2 |
| 2014 | Main Tera Hero |
| 2014 | Kuku Mathur Ki Jhand Ho Gayi |
| 2014 | Ek Villain |
| 2016 | Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3 |
| 2016 | Azhar |
| 2016 | Udta Punjab |
| 2016 | Great Grand Masti |
| 2016 | A Flying Jatt |
| 2017 | Half Girlfriend |
| 2017 | Super Singh |
| 2018 | Veere Di Wedding |
| 2018 | Laila Majnu |
| 2019 | Judgementall Hai Kya |
| 2019 | Jabariya Jodi |
| 2019 | Dream Girl |
| 2020 | Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare |
| 2021 | Pagglait |
| 2022 | Ek Villain Returns |
| Dobaaraa | |
| Goodbye | |
| Freddy | |
| 2023 | U-Turn (2023 film) |
| Kathal | |
| Dream Girl 2 | |
| 2024 | Once Upon a Time in Ahmedabad |
| Shootout at Allahabad |
Web series
The following is the list of web series created/developed/produced by Kapoor under her banner ALT Digital Media Entertainment for her video on demand platform ALT Balaji.
| Year(s) | Title |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Maya Thirrai |
| 2017 | Romil & Jugal |
| 2017 | Bewafaa sii Wafaa |
| 2017 | Boygiri |
| 2017 | Karrle Tu Bhi Mohabbat |
| 2017 | Dev DD |
| 2017–2018 | The Test Case |
| 2017 | Class of 2017 |
| 2020 | Class of 2020 |
| 2017 | CyberSquad |
| 2017–2019 | Pammi Aunty |
| 2017–2019 | Ragini MMS: Returns |
| 2017 | Bose: Dead/Alive |
| 2017 | Dhimaner Dinkaal |
| 2018 | Fourplay |
| 2018 | Haq Se |
| 2018 | Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain |
| 2018 | PM Selfiewallie |
| 2018 | Galti Se Mis-Tech |
| 2018 | Gandii Baat |
| 2018 | Hum – I’m Because of Us |
| 2018 | Home |
| 2018 | XXX |
| 2019–2020 | Baarish |
| 2018 | Broken But Beautiful |
| 2019 | BOSS: Baap of Special Services |
| 2020 | Bebaakee |
| Bichhoo Ka Khel | |
| 2021 | Bang Baang |
| Crashh | |
| The Married Woman | |
| His Story | |
| Mai Hero Boll Raha Hu | |
| 2022 | Lock Upp |
| A Cold Mess |