Shekhar Kapur shares a heartfelt story of 'middle class' talk with his father

Mumbai, April 21 (IANS) Veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur shared a heartfelt anecdote involving his father after his critically acclaimed film ‘Elizabeth’ was nominated for eight Academy Awards.

In a candid reflection, Kapur recounted the touching “middle class” conversation that revealed his father’s grounded perspective—even amidst global recognition. Sharing an image of the Oscar trophy on his Instagram, Shekhar opened up about the internal struggle he has faced over the years—navigating success while carrying the weight of his middle-class upbringing. Reflecting on his personal journey, the filmmaker wrote, “I am so middle class. And carrying the burden of being middle class is something I have always had to fight against. The middle class values that were thrust on us, were once held in very high esteem, but became the burden you carry in the new world.”

‘Never borrow money, never be in anyone’s debt! ‘Hold on to a steady job. Make sure you build towards your pension’ Oh well, That’s any Start Up out of the window for me. But then being middle class really helped me. I found something to rebel strongly against. For creativity is born of rebellion .. and my life is a series of rebellions .. against being middle class ..Though I will never forget one thing my Father said : ‘ Son it’s easy to earn money, very difficult to earn respect’ So some values I retain .. a sense of duty to family .. however one incident I will never forget ..” (sic) Shekhar added.

The 'Mr. India' director went on to state, “When my film Elizabeth was nominated for 8 Oscars ( don’t forget it was my first film in the West) .. I called my father to tell him .. for he was always against me coming into the film business .. and this is how the conversation went: ‘Dad, my film was nominated for 8 Oscars’.‘Hmm .. well done, Son’ ‘It was also selected as one of the 5 best film in the world ( those days only 5, not 10 were nominated)’ ‘Proud of you, Son’ Big pause ..‘Son?’‘Yes , Dad? ‘Does that mean you might get another job?’ #middleclass #Oscars #father #family #fatherson.” (sic)

Shekhar Kapur was born on December 6, 1945, in Lahore, Punjab, during the era of British India. He hails from a Punjabi Hindu family. His father, Kulbhushan Kapoor, was a successful doctor.

On the professional front, Shekhar has earned widespread acclaim and several prestigious accolades, including a National Film Award. He is celebrated for his timeless contributions to cinema with iconic films like ‘Masoom,’ ‘Mr. India,’ and ‘Bandit Queen,’ among others.

--IANS

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