Jennifer Kapoor (née Kendal, 28 February 1933 – 7 September 1984) was an English actress and the founder of the Prithvi Theatre. She was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the 1981 film 36 Chowringhee Lane. Her other film appearances included Bombay Talkie (1970), Junoon (1978), Heat and Dust (1983), and Ghare Baire (1984).
Childhood
Jennifer Kendal was born in Southport, England, but spent much of her youth in India. She and younger sister Felicity Kendal were born to Geoffrey Kendal and Laura Liddell, who ran a travelling theatre company, "Shakespeareana", which travelled around India as depicted in the book and film, Shakespeare Wallah (in which Kendal appeared, uncredited, and which starred her husband Shashi Kapoor, her parents and her sister).
Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor and Jennifer met for the first time in Calcutta, in 1956, where he was part of the Prithvi Theatre company, while she was playing Miranda in the play The Tempest, as part of Shakespeareana. Soon, Shashi Kapoor started touring with the Shakespeareana Company, and they married in July 1958. Kendal and her husband were also instrumental in the rejuvenation of Prithvi Theatre in Bombay, with the opening of their theatre in the Juhu area of the city in 1978. Kendal and Kapoor also starred in a number of films together, particularly those produced by Merchant Ivory Productions. Their first joint starring roles were in Bombay Talkie (1970), which was also one of the earlier films produced by Merchant Ivory.
Personal life
The Kapoors had three children: sons Kunal Kapoor and Karan Kapoor, and a daughter Sanjana Kapoor, all erstwhile Bollywood actors. Kunal runs ad company Adfilms Valas. Karan Kapoor (b. 18 January 1962) was a popular model made famous by Bombay Dyeing shooting and shirting advertisement, and he also acted in Sultanat (1986) opposite Juhi Chawla as well as later in Loha with Dharmendra. Karan now runs a photography company in UK. Their sister Sanjana Kapoor (b. 27 November 1967) runs ancestral Prithvi Theatre. Kunal was married to filmmaker Ramesh Sippy's daughter Sheena, who is a well known photographer. They had two children together, Shaira and Zahan. Kunal and Sheena are now divorced.
She was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer in 1982 and died of the disease in 1984.
Filmography
Ghare-Baire (1984) – Miss Gilby (The Home and the World)
The Far Pavilions (1984) – Mrs. Viccary
Heat and Dust (1983) – Mrs. Saunders
36 Chowringhee Lane (1981) Miss Violet Stoneham
Junoon (1978) – Miriam Labadoor (Ruth's Mother)
Bombay Talkie (1970) – Lucia Lane
Shakespeare Wallah (1965) – Mrs. Bowen (uncredited)
Costume Design
Junoon (1978)
Mukti (1977)
Awards
1983: BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role – 36 Chowringhee Lane – Nominated
1982: Evening Standard British Film Awards – Best Actress: 36 Chowringhee Lane – Won
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