Shashi Kapoor, originally Balbir Raj Kapoor, was born on March 18, 1938, in Calcutta, British India (now Kolkata). His father,  Prithviraj Kapoor, was a renowned actor and a pioneer of Indian theater and cinema, and his mother, Ramsarni Kapoor was a homemaker.

• Parents:
  Prithviraj Kapoor (Father)
  Ramsarni Kapoor (Mother)
• Siblings:
  Shammi Kapoor
  Raj Kapoor
  Urmila Sial Kapoor
• Spouse:
  Jennifer Kendal
• Children:    
  Kunal Kapoor
  Karan Kapoor
  Sanjana Kapoor
• Relatives:
  Trilok Kapoor (Paternal Uncle)
  Kareena Kapoor (Grand-niece)
  Karisma Kapoor (Grand-niece)
  Ranbir Kapoor (Grand-nephew)

Shashi Kapoor attended Don Bosco High School in Matunga, Mumbai, but he did not complete his education and dropped out.

• Kapoor acted in plays directed and produced by his father, Prithviraj Kapoor while traveling with Prithvi Theatres.
• He began acting in films as a child in the late 1940s, using the name "Shashiraj" to avoid confusion with other actors.
• His best-known performances as a child actor were in Aag (1948), where he played the younger version of Raj Kapoor's character.
• He also starred in Awaara (1951), portraying the younger version of Raj Kapoor's character.
• In Sangram (1950), he played the younger version of Ashok Kumar's character.
• He acted in Dana Paani (1953) alongside Bharat Bhushan.
• Kapoor worked in four Hindi films as a child artist from 1948 to 1954.

• Shashi Kapoor appeared as a child artist in highly successful films such as Sangram (1950), Samadhi (1950), and Awaara (1951).
• He made his debut as a leading actor in 1961 with Yash Chopra's partition drama Dharmputra, followed by Char Diwari in the same year.
• Both Dharmputra and Char Diwari did not perform well at the box office.
• Between 1962 and 1964, Kapoor saw two minor successes: Prem Patra (1962) directed by Bimal Roy and Yeh Dil Kisko Doon (1963) directed by Kanak Mishra.
• In 1963, Kapoor made his English film debut with James Ivory's acclaimed family drama The Householder.
• The year 1965 marked a turning point in Kapoor's career as he starred in two of the year's highest-grossing films: Waqt, directed by Yash Chopra, and Jab Jab Phool Khile, directed by Suraj Prakash.
• Waqt became a massive blockbuster, praised for its ensemble cast, Chopra's direction, and exceptional cinematography. It is regarded as an evergreen classic in Indian cinema.
• Following the success of Waqt, Kapoor delivered another blockbuster with Jab Jab Phool Khile, where he starred opposite Nanda.
• Jab Jab Phool Khile received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for its soundtrack composed by Kalyanji–Anandji, which featured melodious songs like "Yeh Samaa Samaa Hai Pyar Ka," "Affoo Khudaya," "Ek Tha Gul Aur Ek Thi Bulbul," "Na Na Karte Pyar Tumhin Se," and "Pardesiyon Se Na Ankhiyan Milana."
• The film's massive success elevated Kapoor to stardom, and his performance as an innocent boatman earned him the BFJA Award for Best Actor (Hindi) for that year.

Shashi Kapoor married Jennifer Kendal, an English actress in 1958. They met in Calcutta in 1956 while they were both working with their respective theatre groups.

They had three children, Kunal Kapoor, born on October 18, 1972,  Sharmila Kapoor, born on February 10, 1974, and Karan Kapoor, born on January 15, 1977.

• Rajesh Khanna's career faced fluctuations despite early successes.
• In 1966, Pyar Kiye Jaa became a hit, but Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhare (1966) performed only average.
• Films like Dil Ne Pukara (1967) and Aamne Samne (1967) had moderate success.
• Kanyadaan (1968) was a major success, especially with the chart-topping song "Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe."
• Other hits in this period included Sharmeelee (1971) and Aa Gale Lag Jaa (1973), solidifying his star power.
• Chor Machaye Shor (1974) became a huge success, both in India and overseas.
• The success of Chor Machaye Shor and Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (1974) established him as one of the top stars, with both films having popular soundtracks.
• Deewaar (1975), co-starring Amitabh Bachchan, was a critical and commercial success, with Khanna’s iconic dialogue "Mere paas maa hai" becoming a part of Indian pop culture.
• His performance in Deewaar earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.
• Kabhi Kabhie (1976), a romantic musical, became a superhit and featured a memorable soundtrack.
• Fakira (1976) was another blockbuster following the success of Kabhi Kabhie.
• He also starred in successful films like Shankar Dada and Aap Beati (1977).

• In 1977, Kapoor reunited with Amitabh Bachchan for Immaan Dharam, which had a strong opening but failed due to poor reception and became a flop.
• Other releases in 1977, such as Hira Aur Patthar, Farishta Ya Qatil, and Chakkar Pe Chakkar, were also unsuccessful, except for Chor Sipahee and Mukti.
• 1978 marked a turning point as Kapoor delivered multiple hits, including Phaansi, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Trishul, Trishna, Amar Shakti, and Aahuti.
• He also launched his own production house, Film-Valas, in 1978.
• In 1979, Kapoor reunited with Bachchan for Kaala Patthar, which was a hit, and Suhaag, which was a blockbuster and the highest-grossing film of the year.
• Kapoor produced and starred in Junoon (1979), an art-house film directed by Shyam Benegal, which won critical acclaim and several awards, including the National Award for Best Feature Film (Hindi).
• 1980 saw a hit with Swayamvar, but Do Aur Do Paanch and Neeyat failed, and Shaan was an average grosser.
• In 1981, Kapoor starred in the epic Kranti, which became the biggest patriotic hit and an All-Time Blockbuster.
• He also saw moderate success with Maan Gaye Ustaad and received acclaim for Silsila and Kalyug.
• In 1982, Kapoor starred in Namak Halaal (a blockbuster) and Bezubaan (a major commercial success), while Vijeta received critical acclaim but underperformed at the box office.
• After 1982, Kapoor shifted focus towards parallel cinema, working on fewer mainstream films.
• In 1983, Kapoor produced and starred in Utsav, an erotic drama, which was critically acclaimed.
• He also appeared in Ghar Ek Mandir (1984), a superhit drama.
• In 1985, Aandhi-Toofan was successful, while Alag Alag flopped.
• 1986 was a notable year as Kapoor won his first National Award for Best Actor for his role in New Delhi Times, a political thriller.
• Kapoor's other major release of 1986, Ilzaam, was a huge hit and one of the top grossers of the year.

• In 1987, Kapoor reunited with Govinda and Neelam for the action film Sindoor, which was a hit and became his last major box-office success.
• Kapoor also had a guest appearance in Gulzar's romantic musical Ijaazat (1987), which received critical acclaim despite being a commercial failure.
• In 1988, Kapoor acted alongside Pierce Brosnan in The Deceivers.
• He collaborated with Sudesh Issar and Manoj Kumar in Akhri Muqabla (1989) and Clerk (1989), respectively.
• Shashi Kapoor directed his first film, Ajooba (1991), and convinced Amitabh Bachchan to star in it, despite Bachchan not signing new films at the time. However, the film flopped at the box office.
• In 1993, Kapoor won a Special Jury Award for his performance in In Custody.
• He portrayed the Rajah in the 1996 TV miniseries Gulliver's Travels.
• Kapoor retired from acting in 1998 after his final film appearances in Jinnah, Side Streets, and the delayed Ghar Bazar.
• He made a public appearance at the Shashi Kapoor Film Festival in Muscat, Oman, in September 2007.
• At the 55th Annual Filmfare Awards in 2010, Shashi Kapoor received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Shashi Kapoor presents the Prithviwallahs: This book, co-authored by Shashi Kapoor, Deepa Gahlot, and Prithvi Theatre, offers insights into the theatre's history and its impact on the Indian cultural landscape. It was published by Roli Books in 2004.
• Further reading: The Kapoors: The First Family of Indian Cinema by Madhu Jain, published by Penguin Viking in 2005, provides a comprehensive account of the Kapoor family's significant contribution to Indian cinema. 

Shashi Kapoor was admitted to Kokilaben Hospital in Versova, Mumbai, in December 2017, initially speculated to be due to a chest infection. However, it was later revealed that he had been undergoing treatment for long-standing liver and heart complications. 

He passed away on December 4, 2017. According to The Guardian, Kapoor had been helping other patients during his stay at the hospital. The official cause of his death was attributed to liver cirrhosis.

• Shashi Kapoor is regarded as one of the greatest actors in Indian cinema, with a legacy spanning both mainstream and Parallel cinema.
• He is known for his performances in highly acclaimed films such as Junoon (1979), Kalyug (1981), 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981), Vijeta (1982), and Utsav (1984).
• Kapoor had a deep attachment to theatre, which he nurtured from childhood. Even in his later years, when mobility became difficult due to age-related issues, his commitment to theatre remained unwavering.
• He played a pivotal role in renovating and revitalizing Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai, turning it into a vibrant hub for creative arts.
• Prithvi Theatre, under Kapoor’s guidance, became a space that fostered creativity, allowing theatre artists to earn a decent living while remaining true to their craft, unaffected by market forces.
• Kapoor holds the distinction of being the solo hero in 61 films and the lead protagonist in 116 Hindi films, more than his brothers Raj and Shammi Kapoor, and his nephews Rishi, Randhir, and Rajiv Kapoor.
• He was inducted into the Bollywood Walk of Fame at Bandra Bandstand, where his handprint was preserved as a tribute to his contribution to Indian cinema.
• In 2022, Kapoor was placed in Outlook India's "75 Best Bollywood Actors" list, cementing his place as a cinematic icon.