Actors Jeetendra, Anil Kapoor named forMaharashtra government awards

Veteran Bollywood actor Jeetendra and Anil Kapoor were named for Maharashtra government’s awards in memory of late Raj Kapoor. Minister for cultural activities Vinod Tawde announced these awards on Sunday.

Jeetendra (74) will be given Raj Kapoor Lifetime Contribution Award and 59-year-old Anil Kapoor will receive the Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award, Mr Tawde said in a statement.

The lifetime award carries a citation, a trophy and a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, while the special contribution award carries a citation, a trophy and a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, it said. The award ceremony will be held on April 30 at Borivali.

Anil Kapoor made his Hindi film cameo appearance with Umesh Mehra’s Hamare Tumhare in 1979 before gaining prominence with the hit Tezaab. He performed in Telugu movie Vruksh Vansham in 1980 and later acted in Woh Saat Din. He shot to global fame with his role in Danny Boyle’s Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire.

Mr Kapoor is born and bought up in Mumbai. He has produced movies such as Badhai Ho Badhai, My Wife’s Murder, Gandhi-My Godfather, Short Cut and No Problem.

Ravi Kapoor, who opted for the screen name Jeetendra, is from Punjab. He spent his childhood in Girgaon in Mumbai. His family business was to provide jewelleries to actors in Bollywood industry. His business gave him opportunity to work in V. Shantaram’s superhit debut movie Navrang with well-known actor Sandhya for the first time.

His performance in V. Shantaram’s another movie Geet Gaya Pattharome was successful in the box office. He also featured in popular films like Himmatwala, Tohfa and Dharam Veer, and was last seen in a cameo appearance in Shah Rukh Khan’s Om Shanti Om.